Doctors seek more freedom for Hinckley

WASHINGTON, June 7 (UPI) -- Doctors at the Washington psychiatric hospital where accused attempted assassin John Hinckley is confined say he is well enough to be given more freedom.

Hinckley, 53, has been in St. Elizabeth's Hospital since he was acquitted by reason of insanity of attempting to kill President Ronald Reagan in 1981.

In court papers, Hinckley's doctors have asked a federal judge to allow him to spend up to 10 days at a time with his mother in Williamsburg, Va., and to be unsupervised there for up to four hours at a time, The Washington Post reported. He is currently allowed visits of up to six days.

Doctors say he can also handle unsupervised time in Washington.

The judge has scheduled a hearing June 21.

Federal prosecutors say Hinckley -- who claimed he tried to kill Reagan to show his love for movie star Jodie Foster -- still has inappropriate thoughts about violence and women. Hinckley's lawyers argue that every time he has been given more freedom, forecasts that he would do something wrong have proved unfounded.