The newly freed John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan in 1981, had his sold-out concert canceled by a New York venue.
John Hinckley was found not guilty by reason of insanity for the attempted killing of Ronald Reagan in 1981. He only wounded the president as well as police officer Thomas Delahanty and Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy. Reagan Press Secretary James Brady remained permanently disabled until he died in 2014.
After being released from his court supervision recently, Hinckley had hoped to cash in on his budding country music career and planned a sold-out concert at the Market Hotel in New York on July 8. The venue, however, canceled the event, citing security concerns.
In a lengthy statement posted to Instagram on Tuesday, the venue said that while it stood by its decision to host Hinckley’s event, it could not guarantee people’s safety.
“The tour also sends a message that mental health issues and a criminal past can be recovered from and atoned for, after serving one’s debt to society and getting real treatment,” the venue said.
“There was a time when a place could host a thing like this, maybe a little offensive, and the reaction would be ‘it’s just a guy playing a show, who does it hurt — it’s a free country,'” it added. “We aren’t living in that kind of free country anymore, for better or for worse.”
The venue further assured that Hinckley’s performance would bring no harm to anyone and that canceling the concert would not prevent future assassins or curtail mass shootings. The venue also reaffirmed support for the idea that criminals can rehabilitate themselves after serving their debt to society.
“If we were going to host an event for the principle, and potentially put others at risk in doing so, it shouldn’t be for some stunt booking — no offense to the artist,” it said. “We might feel differently if we believed the music was important and transcended the infamy, but that’s just not the case here.”
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