Ronald Reagan's would-be assassin can leave psychiatric hospital

A JUDGE says the man who attempted to assassinate president Ronald Reagan will be allowed to leave a Washington psychiatric hospital and live full-time in Virginia.

By The Newsroom

Published 27th Jul 2016, 15:54 BST

Updated 25th Aug 2016, 19:52 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

John Hinckley will be allowed to live full-time in Virginia. Picture: AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Judge Paul L Friedman ruled that John Hinckley Jr is ready to live in the community.

Genetic breakthrough made in neurological disorder research

His ruling comes more than 35 years after the March 30 1981, shooting outside a Washington hotel in which then-president Reagan and three others were injured.

Hinckley tried to assassinate President Reagan in 1981. Picture: AP Photo

Doctors have said for years that the now 61-year-old Hinckley, who was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the shooting, is no longer plagued by the mental illness that drove him to shoot Mr Reagan.

For more than a year he has been allowed to spend 17 days a month at his mother’s Virginia home where he will now live full-time.

Like The Scotsman on Facebook

DOWNLOAD THE SCOTSMAN APP ON ITUNES OR GOOGLE PLAY