“Time to rock and roll”: John Hinckley thanks supporters ahead of ‘unconditional release’ from prison

John Hinckley Jr. became infamous for shooting President Ronald Reagan in 1981. Now, after almost 41 years, Hinckley is celebrating his upcoming release from court restrictions.

Earlier this week, on June 1, a federal judge ordered Hinckley's unconditional release on June 15.

Expressing his gratitude to his supporters, Hinckley wrote:

"A big thank you to everyone who helped me get my unconditional release. What a long strange trip it has been. Now it's time to rock and roll."

The statement is possibly a reference to his upcoming Brooklyn concert. Hinckley, who has a passion for music, is also a songwriter who uploads his songs to a YouTube channel.

During the assassination attempt, Hinckley was successful in seriously injuring President Reagan, leaving him with a punctured lung and a broken rib. Fortunately, the .22 caliber bullet just missed Reagan's heart.

However, the attack left three others gravely injured, one of those men being former White House press secretary James Brady, who was permanently paralyzed. After Brady passed away in 2014, his death was ruled a homicide due to gunshot injuries sustained during the 1981 assassination.

Interestingly, Hinckley never did go to prison for his crimes as he was judged not guilty due to insanity in 1982. Instead, he was committed to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington, D.C. for 34 years.

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John Hinckley to be a free man after 41 years

John Hinckley, who is now 67 years old, is gearing up to enjoy his freedom after 41 years. He was 25 when he was placed under arrest for attempting to kill President Ronald Reagan.

Although U.S. District Court Judge Paul L. Friedman ordered Hinckley's release from all court restrictions in September 2021, his order is to take effect in June of 2022. The final hearing of the case took place earlier this week, and his release will take place accordingly on June 15.

John Hinckley was not present in court, but made sure to thank his supporters on Twitter. Just a day after his hearing, Hinckley wrote another tweet that read:

"What this world needs is peace, love and understanding."

The 67-year-old has already started making plans and wants to perform at a concert in New York. However, his tours in Connecticut and Chicago, called the "John Hinckley Redemption Tour," have already been canceled.

One of the primary reasons for his release, as the judge stated in the ruling, was that Hinckley showed no signs of active mental illness in decades. The judge also maintained that Hinckley did not demonstrate any violent behavior or interest in weapons.

In his ruling, Judge Friedman said:

"He’s no longer a danger to himself or others."

In 2003, Judge Friedman began letting Hinckley spend more time in the community, subject to conditions like attending therapy and restrictions on travel. Since 2016, Hinckley has been living with his mother in Virginia with restrictions. Officials had access to his electronic devices, and he had to regularly meet with mental health officials.