“That has always given the government great pause,” Weston said. “That is one of the very untested areas as to how he will handle either critique or success, should that go in either direction.”
Music has long been an interest of Hinckley’s. He plays guitar, writes music and sings. And his room is decorated with paintings he has made of houses and cats.
Weston also cited a civil settlement from 1995 that involved any financial benefit from Hinckley’s name or story.
She said her office is still searching for the court documents to learn the specifics. But she said that “any financial gain would at least have to be compliant with any settlement that exists.”
Barry Levine, Hinckley’s attorney, said he would follow the law, whatever it requires.
But Levine added: “Of course one of the things that Mr. Hinckley cares particularly about is the ability to sell, publish, perform his art in public … I’m not sure it’s going to generate much in the way of income at all, but we’ll find that out.”
Hinckley was 25 when he shot Reagan in March 1981. The shooting also paralyzed press secretary James Brady and injured two others. Hinckley was suffering from acute psychosis and major depression and had become obsessed with the actress Jodie Foster.
