the troubled life of john hikley
The youngest of three children, Hinckley was born in Ardmore, Oklahoma, on May 29, 1955. His father was a workaholic oil executive and his mother was a stay at home house wife who John was very dependent upon. They would constantly move, first to Texas, then to Colorado. Johns mother even wrote a book describe life raising a child with mental issues Like Reagan's mother, Hinckley's mother also belonged to the Disciples of Christ; his father became a born-again Christian in 1977. A well-adjusted, privileged child, as a teenager Hinckley became withdrawn and obsessed with public figures, including John Lennon. In 1976 Hinckley left home for Hollywood, hoping to become a famous songwriter, even though he wasn't that musically talented. He attended Texas Sate University but after his obsession with Jodie foster grew he dropped put of college lied to his parents that he would be attending at Yale. After his parents heard this they gave him a lot of money to spend for school supplies, etc. But he would use this money to stalk Jodie foster, and also follow the president around buying weapons constantly and sneaking them into airports.
how a movie influenced him
In Hollywood, Hinckley saw Martin Scorsese's film Taxi Driver at least 15 times. A confirmed loner, he apparently identified strongly with the Robert DeNiro character Travis Bickle. In the film, Travis is infatuated with Cybill Shepherd's Betsy, a political campaign worker who rejects him after he takes her to see a porn film. To regain Betsy's attention, Bickle plans, but fails, to assassinate the candidate she works for. Bickle then shifts gears, obsessively devoting himself to protecting 12-year-old prostitute Iris, played by Foster. He decides to shoot Iris' pimp, thereby ensuring his status as a hero to Iris and the media.
Taxi Driver a movie about a psychotic taxi driver in love with a senator.In total John had watched the movie about 15 to 20 times and had fallen deeply in love with Jodie foster. And his obsession grew from then on. Not surprisingly, Hinckley failed in his efforts to win the love of Jodie Foster. Too shy to approach her in person, Hinckley left letters and poems in her mailbox and talked to her twice, awkwardly, over the phone. then once. Months passed by and he attended Yale and got $3,600 from his parents. Then he dropped out and then began stalking president Reagan. Before the attempted assassination John wrote a letter to Jodie explaining what he was about to do and how big of a fan he was he wrote,
Dear Jodie,
There is a definite possibility that I will be killed in my attempt to get Reagan. It is for this very reason that I am writing you this letter now.
As you well know by now I love you very much. Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself. Besides my shyness, I honestly did not wish to bother you with my constant presence. I know the many messages left at your door and in your mailbox were a nuisance, but I felt that it was the most painless way for me to express my love for you.
I feel very good about the fact that you at least know my name and know how I feel about you. And by hanging around your dormitory, I've come to realize that I'm the topic of more than a little conversation, however full of ridicule it may be. At least you know that I'll always love you.
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, whether it be in total obscurity or whatever.
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. I've got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake! By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me. This letter is being written only an hour before I leave for the Hilton Hotel. Jodie, I'm asking you to please look into your heart and at least give me the chance, with this historical deed, to gain your respect and love.
I love you forever,
John Hinckley
Hinckley asked the arresting officers if news of the shooting would preempt that night's Academy Awards broadcast. (It did; the ceremony aired the next night, the Academy paying its respects to one of its own.
Taxi Driver a movie about a psychotic taxi driver in love with a senator.In total John had watched the movie about 15 to 20 times and had fallen deeply in love with Jodie foster. And his obsession grew from then on. Not surprisingly, Hinckley failed in his efforts to win the love of Jodie Foster. Too shy to approach her in person, Hinckley left letters and poems in her mailbox and talked to her twice, awkwardly, over the phone. then once. Months passed by and he attended Yale and got $3,600 from his parents. Then he dropped out and then began stalking president Reagan. Before the attempted assassination John wrote a letter to Jodie explaining what he was about to do and how big of a fan he was he wrote,
Dear Jodie,
There is a definite possibility that I will be killed in my attempt to get Reagan. It is for this very reason that I am writing you this letter now.
As you well know by now I love you very much. Over the past seven months I've left you dozens of poems, letters and love messages in the faint hope that you could develop an interest in me. Although we talked on the phone a couple of times I never had the nerve to simply approach you and introduce myself. Besides my shyness, I honestly did not wish to bother you with my constant presence. I know the many messages left at your door and in your mailbox were a nuisance, but I felt that it was the most painless way for me to express my love for you.
I feel very good about the fact that you at least know my name and know how I feel about you. And by hanging around your dormitory, I've come to realize that I'm the topic of more than a little conversation, however full of ridicule it may be. At least you know that I'll always love you.
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, whether it be in total obscurity or whatever.
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. I've got to do something now to make you understand, in no uncertain terms, that I am doing all of this for your sake! By sacrificing my freedom and possibly my life, I hope to change your mind about me. This letter is being written only an hour before I leave for the Hilton Hotel. Jodie, I'm asking you to please look into your heart and at least give me the chance, with this historical deed, to gain your respect and love.
I love you forever,
John Hinckley
Hinckley asked the arresting officers if news of the shooting would preempt that night's Academy Awards broadcast. (It did; the ceremony aired the next night, the Academy paying its respects to one of its own.
"Ladies and gentleman, at this point in time you will see a video tape rendition of a deposition of the witness Jodie Foster." At the defense table, John moved from his habitual slump to an upright position. Foster described Hinckley's first sets of letters to her as "lover-type letters." The last batch of letters Foster called "distress-sounding" and she said "I gave them to the dean of my college." One letter, dated March 6, 1981, said only: "Jodie Foster, love, just wait. I will rescue you very soon. please cooperate. J.W.H." Asked whether she'd "ever seen a message like that before," Foster replied, "Yes, in the movie Taxi Driver the character Travis Bickle sends the character Iris a rescue letter." Then came a series of questions that caused Hinckley to stand and bolt through the courtroom door--pursued by federal marshals:
"Now with respect to the individual John W. Hinckley, looking at him in the courtroom today, do you recall seeing him in person before today?"
"No."
"Did you ever respond to his letters?"
"No, I did not."
"Did you ever invite his approaches?"
"No."
"How would you describe your relationship with John Hinckley?"
"I don't have any relationship with John Hinckley."After Foster's videotaped testimony, the defense case continued with the introduction of tapes of brief phone conversations with Jodie Foster found in Hinckley's Washington hotel room. The tapes revealed a puzzled Foster trying to put a quick end to the call: "I can't carry on these conversations with people I don't know."
"Now with respect to the individual John W. Hinckley, looking at him in the courtroom today, do you recall seeing him in person before today?"
"No."
"Did you ever respond to his letters?"
"No, I did not."
"Did you ever invite his approaches?"
"No."
"How would you describe your relationship with John Hinckley?"
"I don't have any relationship with John Hinckley."After Foster's videotaped testimony, the defense case continued with the introduction of tapes of brief phone conversations with Jodie Foster found in Hinckley's Washington hotel room. The tapes revealed a puzzled Foster trying to put a quick end to the call: "I can't carry on these conversations with people I don't know."