In 1981 John W. Hinkley attempted to assassinate then President Ronald Reagan. For this LA, I want you to spend considerable time researching and understanding Hinkley’s motivation for engaging in such behavior , what mental illness did he suffer from and how did that illness distort his view of reality, and what occurred after the assassination attempt.
This last point should include a discussion of the trial, federal law changes , and, most importantly for this class, what was the public perception of the events that occurred? Regarding this last point, there was and continues to be a large body of research that believes the insanity defense is raised frequently, is often successful, and results in placement in the community. How are those beliefs incorrect?
