James Brady's Death Was a Homicide, Medical Examiner Rules

WRC-TV ^ | August 8, 2014

[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."

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

Do you have a source for that? I ask only because the autopsy report and details of the manner of death have not been released.

So the only thing released to the public is the “a gunshot wound and consequences thereof ....” but nothing else?

That and a statement released by the family spokesperson:
[http://www.nytimes.com/2014/08/09/us/james-brady-s-death-ruled-a-homicide-police-say.html]

“...Gail Hoffman, a spokeswoman for the Brady family, said the ruling should really “be no surprise to anybody.”

“Jim had been long suffering severe health consequences since the shooting,” she said, adding that the family had not received official word of the ruling from either the medical examiner’s office or the police....”

I like the part about the family not receiving official word. How about any word?

He died Monday in Alexandria.
Autopsy was done by the a Va Medical Examiner
In 5 days :
—all autopsy results are in
—the report is completed
—DC authorities receive notification of a homicide resulting from a gunshot wound 30+ years ago?

When is the last time these offices have been so efficient?

[Smokin' Joe]

He used his own experience to launch a campaign against gun violence that led to groundbreaking gun control legislation signed into law in 1993.

Did he? Or did his wife seize the opportunity to use him as a poster child for personal gain?

Brady had been a gun collector before the shooting.

[Smokin' Joe]

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.

Brady was shot in the head and died of pneumonia. That'd be a stretch, medically.

[waxer1]

I understand but there was a comment about whether they can charge murder after all these years. I was just saying if they can connect his death with the original injury they can indeed charge Hinkley with murder.