The Ventura County-based Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation is opposing a judge’s decision to unconditionally release the man who seriously wounded President Reagan and three others.
A judge ruled that if John Hinckley, Junior continues to meet the restrictions of his current release, he will no longer require supervision as of June 2022.
As a young man, Hinckley became obsessed with the movie Taxi Driver, and one of its young stars, actress Jodi Foster. In an effort to impress Foster, he ambushed President Reagan’s entourage as the President was leaving a Washington D.C. hotel.
The President, and three other people were seriously wounded. One of them, Press Secretary James Brady, never fully recovered. He died as a result of brain injuries in 2014.
Hinckley was found not guilty of the shooting by reason of insanity. In 2016, he was allowed to move out of a mental hospital to live in the community under supervision.
In a statement, Reagan Foundation officials say they still believe Hinckley is a threat to others, and they strongly oppose his release. They hope the Justice Department will file a motion to appeal the court’s decision.