Hinckley Furlough Bid Rejected
Reagan assailant sought extra trips from D.C. psychiatric hospital
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AUGUST 18--A federal judge has rejected presidential assailant John Hinckley's request for additional time away from the Washington, D.C. psychiatric hospital where he has been confined for the past 25 years.
While declining to expand Hinckley's "conditions of release" from St. Elizabeths Hospital, Judge Paul Friedman has ruled that the 53-year-old gunman can continue to visit his mother's Virginia home for "six nights in duration."
Hinckley, who is currently allowed six visits to his mother's residence, and St. Elizabeths officials had sought 12 additional visits, and wanted the visits to expand to nine nights. They also wanted to increase the amount of time--two hours--that Hinckley is allowed to go unaccompanied while on these visits.
That request was rejected by Friedman, who Friday issued an order covering the terms of Hinckley's trips to his 82-year-old mother's home (a copy of the August 15 order can be found here). Prosecutors strongly opposed Hinckley's bid for more time away from St. Elizabeths, specifically pointing to his "continued inappropriate and unrealistic relationships with several women," which, they argued, could lead him to again "try to impress a woman through violence."
Hinckley shot President Ronald Reagan in March 1981 as a "love offering" to actress Jodie Foster. He was subsequently found not guilty by reason of insanity and confined to St. Elizabeths Hospital. (7 pages)
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