John Hinckley Jr., the man who tried to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, admitted on Monday that he is responsible for the death of Reagan’s press secretary, James Brady.
Asked by Piers Morgan if he agrees he killed Brady, Hinckley said: “I would say yes.” Hinckley’s admission came during an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored in an episode set to air on Monday night.
On March 30, 1981, Hinckley fired at Reagan as the president was leaving the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C. Four of the six explosive rounds he fired struck the president. The shooting also wounded Brady, who was shot in the head, resulting in lifelong paralysis. Brady died decades later in a death the coroner ruled a homicide.
D.C. police officer Tom Delahanty and U.S. Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy were also wounded.
In 1982, Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity.
Morgan asked Hinckley: “Do you accept now that because you fired the gun at James Brady that caused catastrophic injuries and subsequent death, that you were guilty of his murder?”
“Well, I wouldn’t say that,” Hinckley initially replied. “I mean, I certainly caused him to have devastating injuries but I believe he lived on for another 30-something years. So I can’t really say I’m the cause of the murder.”
Morgan pressed: “I mean, it was ruled a homicide by the coroner and he suffered horrendously from his injuries. He was paralyzed for the rest of his life. You did kill him, didn’t you? I mean, there’s no doubt. Ultimately you killed him.”
Hinckley then replied that he understood and said yes when asked if he would accept that he killed Brady.
Hinckley was committed to St. Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, D.C., after the shooting. He spent more than 30 years at the hospital.
Restrictions on Hinckley began to be lifted in 2003 and five years ago he was granted convalescent leave to live full time with his mother in Williamsburg, Va. In June, he was granted unconditional release.