Reagan wounder gets longer visits

WASHINGTON - The man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981 will get to spend more time outside a mental hospital where he has been confined for most of the past three decades, a judge ruled Friday.

John Hinckley will be allowed to visit his mother’s home in Williamsburg, Va., for up to 17 days at a time. Hinckley has been allowed to spend increasing amounts of time at his mother’s house in recent years, but previous visits were capped at 10 days. Hinckley must make at least eight successful 17-day visits away from the hospital before any requests to increase his time in Williamsburg beyond that will even be considered, U.S. District Judge Paul Friedman said in his ruling.

In court hearings before the ruling, Hinckley’s lawyer, Barry Levine, had asked for his visits to be expanded to 17 and 24 days, arguing that there is no evidence Hinckley is a danger to himself or others. Attorneys for the U.S. government, however, argued that Hinckley is “capable of great violence.”

Friedman wrote that Hinckley’s depression and psychotic disorder are in full remission and that he had not displayed violent behavior in more than 29 years.

Front Section, Pages 8 on 12/21/2013

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