Posted on 08/08/2014 3:28:40 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
(VIDEO-AT-LINK)
The death of James Brady -- President Ronald Reagan's press secretary who was wounded in the attempt on Reagan's life in March 1981 -- was a homicide, the medical examiner for the Northern District of Virginia ruled Friday.
The medical examiner said Brady died as a result of the grievous injuries he suffered 33 years ago, which means that gunman John Hinckley Jr. could be charged with Brady's murder.
Brady was 73 when he died earlier this week. He had been partially paralyzed and in a wheelchair since the assassination attempt, and his speech was slurred. He used his own experience to launch a campaign against gun violence that led to groundbreaking gun control legislation signed into law in 1993.
The medical examiner's ruling has the potential to open the door to federal murder charges against Hinckley, who is now a mental patient at St. Elizabeth's hospital in suburban Washington, said NBC News Justice Correspondent Pete Williams on News4.
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity of attempted assassination of President Reagan. Brady, Reagan, police officer Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service Agent Timothy McCarthy were shot on March 30, 1981 as they left the Washington Hilton Hotel.
"There is no statute of limitations on murder in either the federal or state system," Williams said.
But, he added, "We are a long way from knowing what the federal authorities are going to do with this, or whether they are going to do anything with it."
Williams said prosecutors will have to weigh the likelihood of getting a different verdict on murder charges than they did decades ago on the 13 charges that Hinckley faced after the assassination attempt.
Any charges also could complicate effort of Hinckley's family, who are trying to get him a permanent leave from St. Elizabeth's, Williams said. Hinckley has been granted repeated weeks-long leaves to stay with family in Williamsburg, Virginia.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia issued a brief statement Friday afternoon, saying it is reviewing the ruling.
Brady's wife, Sarah, said the family had not yet been officially notified of the ruling, but had seen the reports. "This isn't a surprise to anybody or to her, given that his health was impacted and he suffered such consequences over the years," a family spokeswoman said. "If that is the case it is in the prosecutors' hands, and it is up to them."
Sarah Brady is comforted by the outpouring of love for her husband since his death Monday, the family spokeswoman added. "She is feeling great about the sendoff that Jim is getting. She is holding up."
The inmates have taken over the asylum.
And charge Sara Brady with corpse desecration for using him as a proverbial “bloody shirt” to infringe on our rights.
He should have been cared for, not used as a morbid sockpuppet for an agenda.
***
+1
The St. E’s facility has mostly closed down, but DHS is supposed to be building a new complex at the site that is, indeed, in SE DC, not some suburb. I find it hard to believe Williams said that, but rather it was written in the summary by someone unfamiliar with DC and its environs.
Do they give Nobel Prizes for attempted chemistry?
Thanks.
It rubbed me wrong every time they’d parade him around.
I suspect this will not go to trial and even if it does I’d also say good luck in trying to get a conviction. Hinkley is pond scum but I believe he will skate on this. Just my two cents worth.
<snicker>LOL</snicker>
I’m sorry, but this is ridiculous. Attempting to prosecute it as murder is a waste of time, money and effort. Perhaps the family is in for more money if it’s ruled a homicide or something.
The last “gasp” of his bitch wife that extorted his injuries for 33 years.
That pig wife of his is surely grinning from ear to ear.She’ll demand a new trial and use it to raise millions.If I was a juror I’d never vote to convict for murder one...or murder six.He’s surely guilty of attempted murder (times two) but that’s it.
James Brady died of pneumonia. How is that associated with Hinckley shooting him with a .22 thirty years ago?
Double indemnity.....
I think it’s proper to rule this a homicide if his death was directly related to his being shot.
Was hinkley convicted of Attempted Murder? If so, I too would be hard pressed to convict.
Since he was found not guilty by reason of insanity, double jeopardy would preclude a new trial. He already stood trial for shooting Brady.
I never said it did. I was just saying that if they can connect his death with his injury, they can indeed charge hinkley with murder.
That is all I was saying.
Exactly. If I’m on the jury you’re going to have a hard time convincing me that a guy who dies at 73 was killed by a gunshot wound from when he was 40 and his condition’s been stable for decades in between. Maybe not impossible, but very hard. Heaven knows people don’t normally die at 73. [eyeroll]
Yeah, but I'm sure you're allowed to demand those at taxpayer expense if you're incarcerated these days.
Pure politics. Someone needs to check out the ME.
Then what does that “Double Jeopardy” thingy mean Mr. Coroner?
Wow!!!
I guess it really is a sad commentary on our state of affairs that you got that right but I have to ask....
...what are the winning powerball numbers for tonight ??
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