James Brady's Death Ruled Homicide
Former United States President Ronald Reagan's press aide James Brady's death has been ruled as homicide, 33 years after he was shot in the head by John Hinckley Jr. in an assassination attempt at Reagan, the Washington Police announced.
Former press secretary James Brady had sustained a gunshot wound in the head in 1981and suffered brain damage and partial paralysis . This week, he died at the age of 73 years after battling with a series of health issues.
On investigation, Hinckley was found not guilty of the crime citing insanity and was confined to a psychiatric hospital ever since.
"We can confirm that the autopsy has been ruled a homicide and the Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the case," spokesman Officer Hugh Carew told the BBC.
According to a news release from District police spokeswoman Gwendolyn Crump, Brady's autopsy report revealed that the cause of his death was due to the complications from the gunshot wound; and the manner of his death was ruled a homicide. "An autopsy was conducted and revealed the cause of death to be a gunshot wound and consequences thereof, and the manner of death was ruled a homicide," the news release said, according to the Associated Press, The Wall Street Journal reports.
The Metropolitan police revealed that Brady's remains had been sent to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the Northern District of Virginia.
In March 30, 1981, Hinckley Jr. opened fire on the president's team outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. He shot four people including Brady and Reagan.
Post the incident, Brady took up a personal crusade for gun control - which remains one of U.S.'s most debated issues. The Brady law, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1993, is named after him; it requires a five-day wait and background check before a handgun is sold.
