The Trial of John W Hinckley Jr.docx

The Trial of John W Hinckley Jr.docx

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TheTrialofJohnWHinckleyJr

TheTrialofJohnW.Hinckley,Jr.

byDougLinder（2001）

　　Theverdictof"notguilty"forreasonofinsanityinthe1982trialofJohnHinckley,Jr.forhisattemptedassassinationofPresidentRonaldReaganstunnedandoutragedmanyAmericans.AnABCNewspolltakenthedayaftertheverdictshowed83%ofthosepolledthought"justicewasnotdone"inthe Hinckley case.Somepeople——withoutmuchevidence——attributedtheverdicttoananti-ReaganbiasontheparttheWashington,D.C.juryofelevenblacksandonewhite.Manymorepeople,however,blamedalegalsystemthattheyclaimedmadeittooeasyforjuriestoreturn"notguilty"verdictsininsanitycases——despitethefactthatsuchpleasweremadeinonly2%offelonycasesandfailedover75%ofthetime.Publicpressureresultingfromthe Hinckley verdictspurredCongressandmoststatesintoenactingmajorreformsoflawsgoverningtheuseoftheinsanitydefense.

　　The Hinckley trialhighlightsthedifficultyofasystemthatforcesjurorstolabeladefendanteither"sane"or"insane"whenthedefendantmayinfactbeclosetothemiddleonaspectrumrangingfromStarTrek'sMr.Spocktothepersonwhostrangleshiswifethinkingthathe'ssqueezingagrapefruit.AnyobjectiveevaluationofJohnHinckley'smentalconditionshowshimtobeatroubledyoungman——not,asoneprosecutionwitnessdescribedhim,"anormal,All-Americanboy."Buthowtroubled?

TheprosecutioncontendedthatHinckleysufferedonlyfrom"personalitydisorders"ofthetypeaffectingfivetotenpercentofthepopulation,whereasthedefensesawthesameevidenceasdemonstrating Hinckley'sseriousmentalillness.

　　TheHinckleytrial,perhapsbetterthananyotherfamoustrial,revealsthedifficultyofascertainingwhatexactlyisgoingonintheheadofanotherhumanbeing——andtheninusingthatimperfectknowledgetoansweralegalquestionthatreducescomplexandchangingmentalstatestotwooversimplifiedcategories.

　　THETROUBLEDLIFEOFJOHNHINCKLEY

　　Theyoungestofthreechildrenborntoaworkaholicoilexecutiveandanagoraphobicstay-at-homemother,JohnHinckleyfromanearlyagewasclingyandverydependentuponhismother.ReviewingBreakingPoints,JoAnnandJackHinckley'sbookabouttheircomingtotermswiththeirson'smentalillness,LauraObolenskywrites——toocritically,perhaps——inTheNewRepublicoflifeinsidetheaffectlessHinckleyhome:

　　Perhapsitisfearofwhatliesoutsidethatmakestheinteriorofthefamilysorigidandsubdued,likelifeinawell-runbunker.TheworldoftheHinckleyswastherootless,middle-class Sunbelt culturethatnurturespro-familyvalues,Christianfundamentalism,andoccasionalmassmurderers.Familiesmovefrequently,butwithoutcompromisingtheirparochialism.Everywhere,peoplearewhite,Christian,Republican（JoAnnexplainsJohn'segregiousprejudicesbysayinghehad"neverbeenaroundpeopleofotherraces."）Somewhereoutsidetherearemalignelements——minoritygroups,rockmusicians,biggovernment,andthecynical,Godlesscosmopoliteswhodominatethemedia.Mothersinthisculturedonotlavishattentionontheirchildren,butontheirfurniture.

　　HinckleydriftedaimlesslythroughtwoyearsofcollegeatTexasTech,in Lubbock,playinghisguitar,listeningtomusic,andwatchingtelevision.Inthespringof1976,hedroppedoutofschoolandheadedforHollywood,wherehehoped——despitealackofmusicaleducation——tomakeitasasongwriter.

　　WhileinHollywoodHinckleyfirstviewedamovie,TaxiDriver,thatseemedtogivedramaticcontenttohismiseryandmeaningtohislife.Fifteentimesoverthenextseveralyearshewatchedthistaleofapsychotictaxidriver,TravisBickle（playedbyRobertDeNiro）,whocontemplatespoliticalassassinationandthenrescues——throughviolence——avulnerableyoungprostitute,Iris（playedbyJodieFoster）,fromtheclutchesofherpimp.Inthemovie, Hinckley seemstofindcluestoescapehisdepression.Hebeginstoadoptthedress,preferences,andmannerismsoftheBicklecharacter.LikeBickle, Hinckley beginskeepingadiary,wearinganarmyfatiguejacketandboots,drinkingpeachbrandy,anddevelopsafascinationwithguns.InletterstohisparentsinEvergreen,Colorado,Hinckleydescribesafabricatedrelationshipwitha"Lynn,"whosharesmanycharacteristicswithBickle'sinitialloveinterestinthemovie,acampaignworkernamed"Betsy"（playedbyCybillShepherd）.Mostsignificantly,however, Hinckley beginsalong-termobsessionwithactressJodieFoster.

　　Inthespringof1977,admittingdefeatinhisattempttolaunchamusicalcareer, Hinckley returnedTexasTech,wherehesporadicallyattendedclassandspentmostofhistimealone.Overthenexttwoyears, Hinckley'sparentsexpressedincreasingconcerntotheirsonabouthisoccupationalgoals.Hisdepressiondeepened.Lifeseemedtolackpurpose.InAugust,1979,heboughthisfirstgunandtookuptarget-shooting.Twotimesthatfallheplayed"RussianRoulette."ByChristmasof1979,fearoffacinghisfamilycausedhimtospendtheholidaybyhimselfin Lubbock.Aphoto Hinckley tookofhimselfinearly1980showshimholdingaguntohistemple.

　　Inthesummerof1980, Hinckley informedhisparentsthathehadanewcareergoal,writing.HeaskedhisparentstopayforwritingcourseatYale.Hinckleyneverintendedtoenrollinwritingcourse;hisinterestinvisiting NewHaven centeredononeofYale'sundergraduates:

JodieFoster.With$3,600ofhisparents'moneyandpromisingtoworkdiligentlyatYale,Hinckleysetofffor Connecticut onSeptember17.

　　Notsurprisingly, Hinckley failedinhiseffortstowintheloveofJodieFoster.Tooshytoapproachherinperson,Hinckleyleftlettersandpoemsinhermailboxandtalkedtohertwice——awkwardly——overthephone.

　　SoonafterhisdisappointmentatYale, Hinckley begantostalkPresidentCarteratcampaignappearances.Inathree-dayperiod,HinckleyvisitedthreecitieswhereCarterrallieswereheld:

 Washington,D.C.,Columbus,and Dayton.AlthoughassassinatingthePresidentwasclearlyonhismind, Hinckley explainedlaterthatatthattimehewasunabletogethimselfinto"aframeofmindwherehecouldactuallycarryouttheact."Videotakenin Dayton showed Hinckley tohavegottenwithintwentyfeetofthePresident.

　　Forthenextfewweeks, Hinckley continuedtoflyfreneticallyaroundthecountry.Hereappearedin NewHaven,thenflewto Lincoln, Nebraska onOctober6,wherehehopedtomeetwith"oneoftheleadingideologicians"oftheAmericanNaziParty.Thehoped-formeetingnevertookplace.From Lincoln itwasonto Nashville,foranotherCartercampaignstop.Securityofficersatthe Nashville airportarrested Hinckley forcarryinghandgunsinhissuitcase,andconfiscatedboththegunsandhandcuffsalsofoundinhisluggage. Hinckley paidafineandwasreleased.AfteryetanothershortvisittoYale,Hinckleyflewto Dallas,wherehepurchasedmorehandguns.ThenHinckleyboardedaflightfor Washington,continuinghistrailingofCarter.

　　OnOctober20,his$3,600exhausted,Hinckleyflewhometo Colorado,wherehisparentsexpressedstrongdisappointmentinhisfailuretocarryouthispromises.After Hinckley overdosedonantidepressantmedication,theHinckleysarrangedfortheirsontomeetwithalocalpsychiatrist,Dr.JohnHopper.HoppermetwithHinckleyseveraltimesoverthecourseofthenextfourmonths,butlearnednothingof Hinckley'sthoughtsofassassinationandlittleofhisobsessionwithFoster.HopperurgedJoAnnandJackHinckleytopushJohntowardemotionalandfinancialindependence.

　　Hinckley'smentalhealthdidnotimprove——rather,itdeteriorated.Hecontinuedflyingacrossthecountryto Washington （wherethenewPresident-Elect,RonaldReagan,wasstaying）, NewYork （whereJohnLennonhadjustbeenassassinated）,and NewHaven.Whilein NewYork, Hinckley seriouslycontemplatedkillinghimselfinfrontoftheDakotaHotel,attheexactspotwhereLennonhadbeenshot.OnNewYear'sEveof1980, Hinckley recordedadeeplydisturbingmonologueinwhichhespokeofnot"really"wanting"tohurt"JodieFoster,hisfearsaboutlosinghissanity,andthelikelihoodof"suicidecity"ifhefailedtowinFoster'slove.

　　HinckleyreturnedtoColoradoforhislasttimeonMarch7,1981.JackHinckleymetJohnattheDenverairportandtoldJohn——havingfailedtoobtainajob——hewouldnotbeallowedtogohometoEvergreen.JackHinckleygavehisson$200,whichJohnusedtopayformotelroomsin Denver wherehesatalonewatchingtelevisionandreading.

　　Hinckley——unbeknownsttohisfather——interruptedhisstaysincheapmotelstovisithismotherseveraltimes.OnMarch25,JoAnnHinckleydroveJohntothe Stapleton Airport in Denver.Theydroveinvirtualsilence.Atthecurbsideinfrontoftheterminal,ashereachedforhissuitcaseJohnsaidtohismother,"Iwanttothankyou,Mom,foreverythingyou'veeverdoneforme,alltheseyears."JoAnnHinckleyfeltfear"climbintomythroat"asshereplied,"You'reverywelcome."

　　THEASSASSINATION

　　Afteraone-daystayin Hollywood andacross-countrytripbyGreyhoundBus,HinckleycheckedintotheParkCentralHotelin Washington,D.C.ontheafternoonofMarch29.Afterarestlessnight, Hinckley rosethenextmorningforabreakfastatMcDonald's.Onthewaybacktothehotel,hepickeduptheWashingtonStar. Hinckley noticedthePresident'sschedule,onpageA-4,indicatingthatReaganwouldbespeakingtoalaborconventionattheWashingonHiltoninjustacoupleofhours.Hinckleyshowered,tookValiumtocalmhimself,loadedhistwenty-twowithexplodingDevastatorbulletspurchasedninemonths