Newspapers / The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.) / July 15, 1982, edition 1 / Page 3
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"Things That Matter" by Lricien Coleman NOW HE'S CRAZY. NOW HE'S NOT Excuse me. Maybe I'm a little slow, but I'm still trying to sort out what has happened in the case of John W. Hinckley, Jr., would-be presidential assassin. A few months ago. a man in our city received a jail sentence for treating a dog cruelly. Yet, this fellow Hinckley walks up and shoots the President of the United States, disables the President's press secretary James Brady for life, and wounds two other people in the presence of scores of witnesses, and he beats the rap with an insanity plea. Now we are told that Hinckley could be released from St. Eliza beth's hospital in Washington, D.C., in August, if a hearing on August 9 goes in his favor. The hearing has been scheduled by U.S. District Court Judge Barrington D. Parker to decide whether Hinckley is no longer a danger to himself or others. So. after his defense attorney worked so hard to prove that Hinckley was crazy when he assaulted the President, this poor, misguided lad will be working just as hard to prove the opposite. In a recent telephone interview with a reporter, Hinckley said, assuming that the doctors determine that he has regained his senses. "I'm going to walk out the door, whether the public likes it or not." And if he walks out the door, what then? Nothing, maybe. But, then again, some of us are haunted by memories of cases like that of Michael Hightower, a 32-year-old Idaho man, who was permitted to walk out the door twice before attempting to murder a nurse near Everett, Washington. Hightower had raped women on two different occasions, and. in both instances, was judged not guilty on grounds of mental illness. One would be more impressed with the validity of the insanity defense were psychiatry an exact science. It is not. Jurors certainly must be confused by the conflicting testimony they hear from "experts" in psychiatry who disagree with one another. Another problem I have with the insanity plea is that it tends to favor those who have rich fathers who can afford to pay for the services of expensive lawyers and high-priced psychiatrists. One difference be tween Hinckley and the guy who went to jail for abusing a dog is that the latter fellow was just an average blue-collar worker. One can't help but wonder how the two cases would have turned out had the financial positions of the two defendants been reversed. | Shop Thur.-Fri.-Sat. til 9 p.m. | Old Fashioned Summertime Sale 4? / Marvelaire sheets & cases TWIN SHEET reg 599 QUEEN SHEET reg 9 99 397 74? FULL SHEET reg 6 99 KING SHEET reg 11 99 547 Q47 STO PILLOW CASES, reg 4 58 sale 3.77 pr. KING SIZE CASES reg 5 38 sale 4.17 pr. No-iron sheets in flat or fitted styles White only 42 pc. set of china dinnerware regular to 59.96 Service for eight 7-piece cookware set 3987 our regular 44.99 Baked enamel finish Silver Stone? interior SPECIAL FABRIC SAVINGS! 1 GROUP OF SUMMER MATERIAL Blends & Solids *1 27 yd. MEN'S & LADIES' WATCHES *1088 ELECTRIC 4 QT. ICE CREAM FREEZER I. *17** $1488 mmjARTS THIS THURSDAY I A nirc?Ri?:0CK oT ? ? qL MWE AR 33 SUMMERDRESSES 33-50% LADIES' JLTER tops ranks $033 I 'l? _ * "P I snciAt 33 * ScnJ^OUP 0F UDIE?' ?Q*tswear By Koret - College, ow? JoJoBa, etc. 25 50 % ^VGS for girls GIRLS' painter PANTS ?-shortsXalls a9 /o uooao GREAT SAVINGS ON SPECIALLY SELECTED SALE PRICED ITEMS! BARGAIN.*; pOR ? vi c nS LEVI TUBE SOCKS JEANS 3 Pr. To Pack Only Boot Cut & Straight Leg $261 ? ?1487 MEN'S FRUIT OF THE LOOM MEN'S BRIEFS KNIT SHIRTS $A49 $088 Reg. $54* w & up MEN'S FRUIT OF THE LOOM &C99 T-SHIRT *5 Reg. *6' SAVE IN OUR BOYS' DEPARTMENT! LARGE TABLE - BOYS' JEANS & CORDS *5" ENTIRE STOCK BOYS' S/S BUTTONUPS - PULLOVER & MESH ^ SHIRTS
The News-Journal (Raeford, N.C.)
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July 15, 1982, edition 1
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