CAGED CASANOVA
Reagan's would-be assassin Hinckley goes gaga for gal pal
BY ALEX DICKINSON
On the eve of what would have been President Ronald Reagan's 100th birthday, his attempted assassin, John Hinckley Jr., has found love at the mental hospital he's called home for 29 years.
The deranged stalker who shot Reagan in the chest and injured three others in 1981 is dating Cynthia Bruce, a former psychiatric patient he met at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Washington.
Hinckley famously admitted that he tried to kill Reagan to impress actress Jodie Foster, with whom he became obsessed after her role as a child hooker in the 1976 movie "Taxi Driver."
But the doughy Hinckley has since become an unlikely lothario within the walls of St. Elizabeth's, where he recently romanced at least two other female patients.
Bruce, 45, Hinckley's latest squeeze, said her relationship with the would-be assassin was "a positive thing" and that she "can't get caught up with what people think of me."
"It’s not negative, and people should know that. I see value in people no matter what they’ve said or done," she told The Daily in an exclusive interview.
Bruce, who lives a few miles from St. Elizabeth’s in southeast Washington, said people could say "anything they wanted" about her infamous boyfriend.
"But there’s restrictions on what I can say about him, and I don’t want to hurt or derail anybody, including myself." A court order prevents Hinckley from talking to the press.
When asked what the couple did for fun, Bruce said, "That’s nobody’s business but our own."
Feb. 6 marks the 100th anniversary of Reagan's birth. He died in 2004 of natural causes.
Hinckley and his gal pal were recently photographed cuddling outside St. Elizabeth’s psych ward. They spent an hour together on a sunny afternoon, sharing snacks and sodas before Bruce took the subway back to her one-bedroom apartment. It's believed they have been dating since at least last October.
Bruce, who lives alone, describes herself as very religious. Her apartment door is covered with Christian posters, taped-up letters and biblical passages. It's unclear why she was treated at St. Elizabeth's.
This isn't the first time Hinckley, 55, has dated female patients there. Court papers refer to affairs with a "Ms. M." — a patient suffering bipolar disorder — and "Ms. G.," a woman in a long-term relationship with another man.
On March 30, 1981, Hinckley, then 25, fired six shots into Reagan’s entourage as they exited the Hilton Hotel after the president spoke at an AFL-CIO luncheon.
Reagan was hit in the chest after a bullet ricocheted off his limousine. His press secretary, James Brady, was shot in the head and suffered brain damage and partial paralysis. Two police officers were injured.
Hinckley penned a letter to Foster the morning of the shooting: "Jodie, I would abandon this idea of getting Reagan in a second if I could only win your heart and live out the rest of my life with you," he wrote.
"I will admit to you that the reason I’m going ahead with this attempt now is because I just cannot wait any longer to impress you. By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me."
Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity of 13 charges and has been living at St. Elizabeth’s since 1982. Gradually he has been granted more freedom, including permission to leave the psych ward in his mother's custody for limited visits to her home.
In June 2009, a federal judge ruled that Hinckley — who still suffers from narcissistic personality disorder — could spend more time outside the hospital. He’s also been granted a driver’s license, but must give hospital officials advance warning for any intended trips and always carries a GPS tracking device.
Credit: The Daily (www.thedaily.com)
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