John Hinckley Gets More Freedom
Headline Legal News
The man who tried to kill President Ronald Reagan is now allowed to visit his mother more, to get a driver's license and spend more time away from the mental hospital where he lives, a federal judge ruled.
John Hinckley shot President Reagan and wounded three others because of an obsession with actress Jodie Foster.
The ruling, released Tuesday, expands the freedoms of John Hinckley Jr. over the objections of prosecutors. They argued that Hinckley is still mentally ill and harbors unhealthy feelings about women.
Hinckley, 54, has been confined to St. Elizabeth's Hospital in Washington since he was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the 1981 shooting of Reagan.
Hinckley shot Reagan and wounded three others reportedly because of an obsession with actress Jodie Foster.
Gradually, Hinckley has been allowed more freedom as he has progressed in therapy.
Recently, family members and hospital officials requested that he be allowed to visit his mother's home in Williamsburg, Virginia, for nine nights instead of the six he was allowed; to get a driver's license; and to do volunteer work, according to court documents. There also was a request for Hinckley to have more unsupervised time away from the hospital.
Prosecutors objected to many of the requests, saying that Hinckley "continues to maintain inappropriate thoughts of violence," court documents said
Related listings
-
Conrad Black Asks for Release from Prison
Headline Legal News 05/29/2009Former media executive Conrad Black is seeking his release from prison, at least until the Supreme Court decides whether to uphold his fraud conviction. Black has served nearly 15 months of a 6 1/2-year prison term following his conviction in July 20...
-
Judge Sonia Sotomayor Accepts Nomination to Supreme Court
Headline Legal News 05/26/2009President Obama on Tuesday nominated federal appellate Judge Sonia Sotomayor to the U.S. Supreme Court. Sotomayor "is an inspiring woman who I believe will make a great justice," Obama said at a White House announcement.She "has worked at almost ever...
-
US judge OKs $116M ruling in deadly terror attack
Headline Legal News 05/14/2009A federal judge in Rhode Island has upheld a $116 million verdict against the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority over a 1996 terror attack that killed a U.S. citizen and his wife. U.S. District Court Judge Ronald Lagueux ...
What Is Meant by ‘No-Fault’ Workers’ Compensation in Illinois?
If you were injured in a work-related accident and have been researching workers’ compensation, you may have seen it described as a “no-fault” system. One of the most important things to understand about the workers’ compensation system in Illinois is that it is based on a “no-fault” system. What does this mean, exactly?
Most employers in Illinois are required by law to have workers’ compensation insurance. And the workers' compensation in Illinois is a “no-fault” system, which means that any worker who has been hurt on the job is entitled to workers' compensation benefits. If you have been hurt on the job, you are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits no matter whose fault the accident was.
A no-fault insurance system, such as workers’ comp, works by paying claims regardless of who is to blame for an accident. This provides an important layer of protection for injured workers, sparing them from having to through additional litigation and the through the additional burden of proving who was at fault before receiving benefits.
In Illinois, even though you don’t have to prove that your injury was your employer’s fault, you do have to prove that your injury happened at work or as a result of work. If you would like help to file your workers' compensation claim, Krol, Bongiorno, & Given’s experienced workers' comp lawyers are here to help. With over 60 years of combined legal experience, the KBG law firm is a leader in the field of workers’ compensation law and we have earned the reputation as aggressive advocates for injured workers before the IWCC.