Former Reagan Press Secretary James Brady died this week, over 30 years after he was shot in the head by John Hinkley during an assignation attempt on President Reagan.

 

Corner has determined cause of death a homicide, saying he died as a result if complications from being shot.

 

So should Hinckley be charged and tried for this murder?

Just make sure Hinckley never sees the free side of the barbed wire and never benefits monetarily from any interview. I would hate to put the Brady family through a trial.

Just make sure Hinckley never sees the free side of the barbed wire and never benefits monetarily from any interview. I would hate to put the Brady family through a trial.

 

I saw on a report about him that his parents are allowed to check him out on some weekends and take him home...:no:

Not too sure what I think of this. First time I've ever heard of a death being ruled a homicide 30 years after incident.

 

No doubt Brady's life was forever messed up because of being shot. It's hard to speculate how his life would've played out if never having been shot, but we only know how it was because of being shot.

 

Having been shot at age 43, he did manage to closely reach average male life expectancy dying at 73 only a couple years shy of average, however in today's world 73 isn't exactly considered old for some. It's hard telling what age he would've reached if not effected by this incident, but nevertheless Hinkley did in fact shoot him.

 

The original ruling for Hinkley was "not guilty of attempted murder by reason of insanity". It now being assessed a homicide, a decision would likely lead to a ruling of "not guilty of murder by reason of insanity" if in fact a homicide ruling 30 years after the fact could even stand up when obviously that in itself would be contested for being a somewhat extreme unusual assessment as I'm not sure if any similar decision has ever preceded this to use as a comparison.

 

No matter how it all proves to play out, one way or another it seems obvious that many various arguments could be made this way or that way with very little chance of a decision that could be agreed upon by all as a definite answer to the question at hand.

Pretty sure he cannot be charged as he was already found "not guilty by reason of insanity." Double jeopardy.

Pretty sure he cannot be charged as he was already found "not guilty by reason of insanity." Double jeopardy.

Was he tried for murder? I don't think double Jeopardy would be applicable since this would be a completely new charge. That said, I think the Insanity thing will keep him from facing a Murder Sentencing.

Was he tried for murder? I don't think double Jeopardy would be applicable since this would be a completely new charge. That said, I think the Insanity thing will keep him from facing a Murder Sentencing.

 

The "insanity" status/verdict would still apply even if the charge is now murder. If he was not guilty by reason of insanity for attempted murder that same judgement would apply to murder.

Was he tried for murder? I don't think double Jeopardy would be applicable since this would be a completely new charge. That said, I think the Insanity thing will keep him from facing a Murder Sentencing.

I agree. Based on what I have read, even Hinckly's own lawyer acknowledges that a new charge could be brought against his client - but it would be stupid to charge him with murder after a jury already judged him to be not guilty by reason of insanity in the attempted murder trial.

 

I am glad that Hinckly was taken off of the street for attempting to murder Reagan and Brady, but I despise the double standard of justice that applies to our "ruling class" versus the protections that they afford Average Joe and Jane. If Hinckly had tried to kill you and me, the odds are he would have been unleashed on the general public years ago.

 

Our legal system would be much stronger if the politicians who create our laws had the same protection under those laws as the rest of us do. Shooting a politician should be no more or less serious than shooting any other American citizen.

Does it really matter? I mean the guy will never be paroled and will spend the rest of his life behind bars. There won't be a death penalty for this.

 

It really doesn't matter.

Does it really matter? I mean the guy will never be paroled and will spend the rest of his life behind bars. There won't be a death penalty for this.

 

It really doesn't matter.

He can go to his mom's house up to 17 days per month, so he's spending less than 1/2 of the rest of his life in prison.

 

Judge sets conditions of John Hinckley's visits

 

In an order Wednesday that Hinckley's lawyer called a "milestone," a judge laid out the guidelines for the monthly visits of 17 days that Hinckley will be allowed to make to his mother's home in Virginia.

 

Hinckley, who was found to be insane when he shot Reagan, has since 2006 been allowed to leave St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington to visit his mother's home in Williamsburg, Va. The length of those visits has expanded over the years with the goal that Hinckley will ultimately live there full time.

 

In December, U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman ruled that Hinckley should be allowed to make visits of 17 days, an increase from previous 10-day visits. In the 10-page order, the judge laid out the parameters of the visits. Hinckley's lawyer, Barry Levine, said he expects Hinckley to make his first 17-day visit in March.

 

"This is a giant leap for Mr. Hinckley," Levine said, adding that Hinckley's previous visits had been more sporadic.

 

The judge's order also repeats other details laid out in his December opinion. Hinckley, 58, will be allowed to drive on his own as long as he is traveling to places where people are expecting him. That includes therapy appointments and his volunteer work at a hospital. Previously, he had to be accompanied by his mother or one of his siblings.

Can a mod combine this thread with the one in the politics forum?

Would the death penalty be applicable here? If so, I say go for it. No way the american tax payer should pay to keep this guy fed, housed etc.

The coroner should be shot.

Can a mod combine this thread with the one in the politics forum?

 

Your wish...

The coroner should be shot.

 

What should the limit be on a case like this?

 

There was a local police chief that was shot on his front porch. He recovered but years later a pellet from the shotgun shifted in his heart killing him. I think those guys were charged with murder.