MARCH 30

On this date in 1981, an assassination attempt was made on President Ronald Reagan.  The President was shot with a handgun as he was leaving the Hilton Hotel in Washington D.C.   President Reagan had just finished a speech given to a convention of AFL-CIO delegates.  He was severely wounded in the attack and required immediate life-saving surgery.  The shell that hit the President actually glanced off of his awaiting limousine.

Also, a D.C. police officer, a secret service agent and press secretary Jim Brady were shot.  Brady was shot in the head and he spent the rest of his life paralyzed on one side of his body. 

The assassin was twenty-five year old John Hinckley Jr.  He used and emptied a .22 caliber 6-shot revolver in the direction of the President - not the usual killing weapon.  His explanation for committing the act was that he wanted to impress actress Jodi Foster.  In the lead-up to his trial, it was determined that Hinckley was mentally deficient.  A plea of innocent by reason of insanity was accepted and he was confined in a mental hospital until it was determined that he was sane and no longer a danger to anyone.   (The rules for insanity pleas were changed because of this event.)

John Hinckley Jr. (61) was released in 2016. 

Thirty-nine years ago today!
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