NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
John Hinckley complimented former President Ronald Reagan and said he was a good president on Tuesday — 40 years after attempting to assassinate the late Republican.
Hinckley made the statement in an interview with CBS News on Tuesday, roughly two weeks after receiving an unconditional release. Hinckley, who is now pursuing a career in music, said he feels “true remorse” for his attack on Reagan.
Reagan was a “nice man and a good president,” he told the outlet.
“I have true remorse for what I did. I know [the victims] probably can’t forgive me now, but I just want them to know that I am sorry for what I did,” he continued.
Hinckley described the deep psychological distress he claims to have suffered over the past 30 years. Hinckley was ruled not guilty by reason of insanity for the 1981 attack, which left four injured.
ATTEMPTED REAGAN ASSASSIN JOHN HINCKLEY SELLS OUT NYC CONCERT VENUE: REPORT
Hinckley said he attempted suicide once by hanging and then again by pill overdose in the decades following the attack and narrowly survived both attempts.
“Psychologically, that person is dead,” Hinckley said of his role in the attack. “I’m a completely different person in mind and spirit.”
He received a conditional release to his mother’s home in 2016, but those conditions were dropped on June 15, and he is now entirely free.
In addition to Reagan, Hinckley shot then-White House press secretary James Brady, as well as a Secret Service agent and a Washington police officer.
Brady suffered long-term health problems due to the shooting, and his death in 2014 was ruled a homicide, though prosecutors did not pursue additional charges against Hinckley.
Hinckley declined to describe what it felt like to pull the trigger in the attack during his interview with CBS.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“It’s such another lifetime ago,” he said.”It’s something I don’t want to remember. It was all just so traumatic.”
