Public Anger Called Hinckley's Key Hurdle in Quest for Limited Freedom

Los Angeles Times ^ | November 19, 2003 | Faye Fiore

[Nachum]

WASHINGTON — On the top floor of a federal courthouse here, roughly two miles from the hotel where he shot President Reagan 22 years ago, John W. Hinckley Jr. is asking for a modicum of freedom.

If the strides the 48-year-old would-be assassin has made in two decades of psychiatric treatment were the sole standard, he might get his wish for 10 visits with his aging parents — in the loving embrace of family, away from the penetrating eyes of hospital staff.

But judgment of his mental health is not the only hurdle Hinckley must clear as U.S. District Judge Paul L. Friedman considers three days of testimony set to wrap up today. The higher bar for Hinckley is the indelible anger of a society that cringes at the thought that a man who tried to kill a president would walk free, even for a day.

[RLK]

If he has had top notch psychotherapy it is probable that Hinckley is a cured and different man. However, he is stigmatizd for life and it's difficult to fault the public for mistrusting him. In this sense, he's a goner.

[luvbach1]

Surprised ACLU types have not lept to advance his cause. Even though he attacked the despised (to "progressives") Reagan, he is no longer au courant.

[elbucko]

However, he is stigmatized for life...

He's fortunate he's a lousy shot. Had he succeeded in ending Reagan's life, there would be not be any consideration of freedom. His life is a puny little tragedy, but puny young men in their twenties have altered history by their acts, that has resulted in other young men, also in their twenties, becoming the statistics of a casualty list. Hinkley is where he belongs and should be thankful he is well cared for.

[Travis McGee]

He has already made fools of his shrinks. After they pronounced him "cured" years ago, they found secret correspondance between himself and Charles Manson and David Berkowitz, much of it laughing about their crimes and their shrinks.

[elbucko]

Even though he attacked the despised (to "progressives") Reagan, he is no longer au courant.

Hinkley's "parole" might also cast a similar light on the situations of Sirhan B. Sirhan (RFK's assassin), and Mark David Chapman (Lenons killer). I don't think the "progressives" at the ACLU want to champion the paroles of these two crazies.

[onyx]

Hinckley is a sociopath deluxe. They're NEVER cured.

[RLK]

It could be. I haven't met Hinckley or his shrinks. Some shrinks are the most gullible and incompetent people imaginable.

[elbucko]

...much of it laughing about their crimes and their shrinks.

Yup! They know what they did. They may be crazy, but they're not stupid. They're aware of what they did. They belong in jail for the rest of their lives.

[RLK]

Hinckley is a sociopath deluxe. They're NEVER cured.

----------------------------

There is little evidence that he was a sociopath. Bill Clinton and Jack Kennedy, yes. Hinckley was probably something else --which didn't make him any less dangerous under certain circumstances.

[what's up]

Very liberal lawyers are working for Hinckley out of their hatred of Reagan.

Patti Davis (Reagan's daughter) spoke up recently and was adamant that Hinckley should not be released.

[RLK]

Hinckley was obsessed with love for that woman actress, although it was a fantasy in his mind. I wouldn't expect that from a sociopath, I still call them psychopaths. Sociopaths aren't that involved with anybody.

[isom35]

do ya think hinkley, upon hearing about jodie foster's uh...shall we say "preferences" said to himself, "doh! what the hell was I thinking!"

[onyx]

He was not involved with any person, only a fantasy in his mind.

[RLK]

I don't believe a psychopath would be obsessed with such fantasies. There wouldn't be that much tendency toward attachment. I don't have a horse in this race. You can believe what you want to.

[Wilhelm Tell]

Sociopaths aren't that involved with anybody.

I don't know, but aren't sociopaths really into controlling other people -- especially controlling people through extreme behavior? I kind of imagine that those Columbine killers wanting to be "famous" and Hinckley wanting to be "loved" for his extreme act might be of a similar mentality. Again, I don't know and I don't especially care -- people like that are one-dimensional and about as interesting as watching mold grow on stale bread.

[tkathy]

His family is in serious denial. They should leave him where he is.

[onyx]

Well, I tried to get my eminent psychiatrist husband to comment, but he's not interested. What a surprise. LOL!