{{short description|White House Press Secretary under Ronald Reagan (1940–2014)}} {{Other people|James Brady}} {{Use American English|date=December 2025}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2021}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = James Brady | image = James Brady 19860314.jpg | caption = Brady in 1986 | office = 17th White House Press Secretary | president = Ronald Reagan | term_start = January 20, 1981 | term_end = January 20, 1989<br>On leave: March 30, 1981 – January 20, 1989{{efn|Brady formally retained the title of Press Secretary until the end of the Reagan Administration on January 20, 1989, but he did not brief the press after Reagan was shot in the 1981 assassination attempt.}} | predecessor = Jody Powell | successor = Larry Speakes (acting) | birth_name = James Scott Brady | birth_date = {{birth date|1940|8|29}} | birth_place = Centralia, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2014|8|4|1940|8|29}} | death_place = Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. | death_cause = Gunshot wound | party = Republican | spouse = {{plainlist| * {{marriage|Sue Beh|1960|1967|end=div}} * {{marriage|Sarah Kemp|1972}}}} | children = 2 | education = University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA) | nickname = Bear<ref name="Politico">{{cite news |url=https://www.politico.com/story/2014/08/james-brady-obituary-109707.html |title=Remembering James S. Brady |first=Todd S. |last=Purdum |date=August 4, 2014 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref> }} '''James Scott Brady''' (August 29, 1940 – August 4, 2014) was an American journalist, politician, activist and American public official who served as assistant to the U.S. president and the 17th White House Press Secretary, serving under President Ronald Reagan. On March 30, 1981, John Hinckley Jr. shot and wounded Brady during Hinckley’s attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan, which occurred two months and 10 days after Reagan's inauguration.
Brady's death in 2014 was eventually ruled a homicide, caused by the gunshot wound he received 33 years earlier.<ref name="Peter Hermann">{{cite news|author=Peter Herman|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/crime/james-bradys-death-ruled-homicide-by-dc-medical-examiner/2014/08/08/686de224-1f41-11e4-82f9-2cd6fa8da5c4_story.html?wpisrc=al_national|title=James Brady's death ruled homicide by Virginia medical examiner|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=August 8, 2014|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref>
== Early career == Brady was born on August 29, 1940, in Centralia, Illinois. He was of Irish descent.<ref>{{Cite web |last=X |date=2014-08-06 |title=Opinion: James Brady, the pope and ethnic stereotypes |url=https://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-james-brady-the-pope-and-ethnic-stereotypes-20140805-story.html |access-date=2024-10-22 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
Brady began his career in public service as a staff member in the office of Republican Illinois senator Everett Dirksen. In 1964, he was the campaign manager for congressional candidate Wayne Jones in the race for Illinois's 23rd district. Six years later, Brady directed a campaign in the same district for Phyllis Schlafly.<ref name="biodata" />
Brady served in various positions in both the private sector and government, including service as special assistant to Secretary of Housing and Urban Development James Thomas Lynn; special assistant to the director of the Office of Management and Budget; assistant to the Secretary of Defense; and staff member of Senator William V. Roth, Jr. (R-DE). He served as press secretary in 1979 to presidential candidate John Connally.<ref name="biodata" />
After Connally withdrew his candidacy, Brady became the director of public affairs and research for the Reagan–Bush Committee, then spokesperson for the Office of the President-elect. After Reagan took office, Brady became White House press secretary.<ref name="biodata">[http://www.bradycampaign.org/jim-and-sarah-brady Jim Brady biodata], bradycampaign.org; retrieved August 7, 2014.</ref>
== Shooting == {{Main|Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan}}
thumb|Official portrait, 1981|left On March 30, 1981, 69 days into his presidency, Ronald Reagan and his cabinet members and staff, including Brady, were leaving the Washington Hilton hotel when a gunman opened fire at the president. The first of six bullets hit Brady. The gunman was 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr., who thought that killing the president would impress actress Jodie Foster, with whom Hinckley had an unhealthy obsession.
Secret Service and police officers forced Hinckley to the ground and arrested him. He had fired six shots from a .22 caliber Röhm RG-14 revolver. The bullet hit Brady in the head above his left eye, passing underneath his brain and shattering his brain cavity. Later shots also wounded Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, Metropolitan Police officer Thomas Delahanty, and President Reagan himself, who was hit and seriously wounded by a bullet that ricocheted off the presidential limousine. Of the four men wounded, Brady suffered the worst injuries. He, Reagan, and McCarthy were taken to George Washington University Hospital in Washington, D.C.
During the confusion that ensued from the shooting, all major media outlets reported that Brady had died. At the time, he was 40 years old.<ref>{{Cite web|title = Remembering The Day James Brady Was Shot|url = https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2014/08/04/337879220/remembering-the-day-james-brady-was-shot|website = NPR|date = August 4, 2014|access-date = August 4, 2014|last1 = Schiavone|first1 = Louise}}</ref> When ABC News anchorman Frank Reynolds, a personal friend of Brady, was later forced to retract the report, he angrily said on-air to his staff, "C'mon, let's get it nailed down!",<ref name="grossfeld">{{cite news|author=Stan Grossfeld|title=Brady's had bear of a time – Reagan aide fights back from shooting|work=Daily News of Los Angeles (reprinted from the Boston Globe)|date=November 1, 1987<!-- |format=U.S. World section -->|page=USW1}}</ref><ref name="minute">{{cite web|title=Reagan Shooting Is Gripping 'Minute'|url=http://articles.nydailynews.com/2002-06-25/entertainment/18195035_1_cell-phones-reagan-assassination-attempt-glaring-omission|work=New York Daily News|access-date=June 21, 2012|author=David Bianculli|date=June 25, 2002|archive-date=August 8, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808044230/http://articles.nydailynews.com/2002-06-25/entertainment/18195035_1_cell-phones-reagan-assassination-attempt-glaring-omission|url-status=dead}}</ref> as a result of the miscommunication.
During the hours-long operation on Brady at the George Washington University Hospital, surgeon Arthur Kobrine was informed of the media's announcement of Brady's death, to which he said, "No one has told me and the patient."<ref name="25_years">{{cite web|title=Jim Brady, 25 Years Later|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/jim-brady-25-years-later/|work=CBS News|access-date=June 21, 2012|author=Stephen Smith|date=February 11, 2009}}</ref><ref name="odyssey">{{cite news|author=Victor Cohn|title=James Brady and his odyssey|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=November 23, 1981|page=A1}}</ref>
Although Brady survived, the wound left him with slurred speech and partial paralysis that required full-time use of a wheelchair.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/03/26/134878570/Jim-Brady-30-Years-Later|title=Jim Brady, 30 Years Later (radio interview)|work=NPR Radio|author=Scott Simon|date=March 26, 2011|access-date=June 21, 2012}}</ref> Kobrine, his neurosurgeon, described him as having difficulty controlling his emotions while speaking after the shooting, saying that "he would kind of cry-talk for a while", and having deficits in memory and thinking, such as failing to recognize people.<ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110111/full/news.2011.9.html|title=Anatomy of a brain surgery|date=January 11, 2011|journal=Nature News|publisher=Nature Publishing Group|access-date=January 11, 2011|author=Erika Check Hayden|doi=10.1038/news.2011.9|url-access=subscription}}</ref>
Brady was unable to work as White House press secretary but remained in the position until the end of the Reagan administration with Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater performing the job on an "acting" or "deputy" basis.
== Gun control advocacy == With his wife Sarah Brady, who served as chairman of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, Brady lobbied for stricter handgun control and assault weapon restrictions. The Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, also known as "the Brady Bill", was named in his honor.<ref name="biodata" />
==Awards and honors== [[File:SevenWhiteHousePressSecretaries.jpg|thumb|President George W. Bush hosts six White House Press Secretaries, including James Brady (second from the right) with his wife Sarah Brady (far right), before the Press Briefing Room underwent renovation, August 2, 2006.]]Brady received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from McKendree College, Lebanon, Illinois in 1982. He and his wife, Sarah were each awarded a doctorate degree of Humane Letters by Drexel University in 1993.
They received the S. Roger Horchow Award for Greatest Public Service by a Private Citizen in 1994, which is given out annually by the Jefferson Awards Foundation.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national |title=Jeffersonawards.org |access-date=August 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101124043935/http://jeffersonawards.org/pastwinners/national |archive-date=November 24, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref> That same year, Brady received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement.<ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=American Academy of Achievement|url= https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#public-service}}</ref> He received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Bill Clinton in 1996, the highest civilian award in the United States.
The White House press briefing room was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in his honor in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imperialvalleynews.com/index.php/news/national-news/10309-president-barack-obama-on-the-passing-of-james-brady.html|title=President Barack Obama on the Passing of James Brady|publisher=Imperial Valley News.com|access-date=August 8, 2014}}</ref>
== Personal life == Brady married Sue Beh in 1960. The marriage ended in divorce seven years later. They had one daughter together. He married Sarah Jane Kemp in 1972 and they joined an Episcopal church.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/goodfight00brad/mode/2up?q=episcopal|isbn = 9781586481056|title = A good fight|year = 2002|publisher = PublicAffairs}}</ref> He had a son from his second marriage, born in 1978.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Valerie |date=2014-08-04 |title=James Brady dies at 73; former Reagan spokesman, gun-control advocate |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-james-brady-story.html |url-status=live |access-date=2026-04-27 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
== Death == Brady died at age 73 on August 4, 2014, in Alexandria, Virginia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/james-brady-reagan-spokesman-and-anti-gun-activist-dies-at-73/|title=James Brady, Reagan spokesman and anti-gun activist, dies at 73|publisher=CBS News|date=August 4, 2014}}</ref> Four days later, the medical examiner ruled that his death was a homicide,<ref name="Peter Hermann" /> caused by the gunshot wound and consequent brain damage that he sustained in 1981.<ref>{{cite web|title=James Brady death ruled a homicide, 33 years after Washington shooting|website=CBC News|date=August 8, 2014|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/james-brady-death-ruled-a-homicide-33-years-after-washington-shooting-1.2731765|access-date=March 26, 2026}}</ref> Hinckley did not face any charges for Brady's death because he had been found not guilty by reason of insanity.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/john-hinckley-wont-face-murder-charges-james-bradys-death-n278561|title=John Hinckley Won't Face Murder Charges in James Brady's Death|publisher=nbcnews.com|date=January 2, 2015|access-date=January 2, 2015}}</ref> In addition, since Brady's death occurred more than 33 years after the shooting, prosecution of Hinckley was barred under the year and a day law in effect in the District of Columbia at the time of the shooting.<ref>{{cite news| url= https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/02/hinckley-wont-face-murder-charge-in-death-of-james-brady-prosecutors-say/| newspaper= The Washington Post| title= 'Hinckley won't face murder charge in death of James Brady, prosecutors say'| first= Eugene| last= Volokh| date= January 2, 2015| access-date= November 28, 2017| archive-date= December 1, 2017| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171201044714/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2015/01/02/hinckley-wont-face-murder-charge-in-death-of-james-brady-prosecutors-say/| url-status= live}}</ref>
== Portrayals in film == Brady's recovery after the shooting was dramatized in the 1991 HBO film ''Without Warning: The James Brady Story'', with Brady portrayed by Beau Bridges.<ref>{{cite news|last=Vick|first=Karl|title=James Brady, After the Bullet: HBO film follows press secretary's struggles since the Reagan shooting|date=June 16, 1991|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-06-16-tv-1199-story.html|access-date=September 4, 2017}}</ref> Brady was portrayed by John Connolly<ref>{{IMDb name | id=nm1388901 | name=John Connolly (II)}}</ref> in the 2001 Showtime film ''The Day Reagan Was Shot''.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fries|first=Laura|title=Review: 'The Day Reagan Was Shot'|date=December 5, 2001|magazine=Variety|url=https://variety.com/2001/tv/reviews/the-day-reagan-was-shot-1200552399/|access-date=September 4, 2017}}</ref> Michael H. Cole portrayed him in the 2016 television film ''Killing Reagan''.<ref>{{cite web|last=de Moraes|first=Lisa|title=Kyle More Cast As John Hinckley Jr. In Adaptation Of Bill O'Reilly's 'Killing Reagan' For NatGeo|date=May 23, 2016|website=Deadline Hollywood|url=https://deadline.com/2016/05/kyle-more-john-hinckley-killing-reagan-bill-oreilly-national-geographic-channel-1201761351/|access-date=September 12, 2017}}</ref>
Season 1, Episode 4, "In Control" of the television series ''The Americans'' takes place on the day of Reagan's assassination attempt, as the main characters try to figure out what is happening. The episode depicts the media misreporting Brady having died, before issuing the correction that he is still alive.
==Notes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{reflist}}
== External links == {{Commons category}} * [http://bolesblogs.com/2010/01/11/a-final-walk-with-jim-brady/ A Final Walk with Jim Brady] * {{C-SPAN|13004}} * [http://channelsurflive.blogspot.com/2014/08/medical-examiner-james-brady-death.html Brady Death Ruled Homicide] * [https://www.latimes.com/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-james-brady-gun-safety-laws-20140806-story.html Opinion James Brady and the case for gun safety laws]
{{s-start}} {{s-off}} {{s-bef|before=Jody Powell}} {{s-ttl|title=White House Press Secretary|years=1981}} {{s-aft|after=Larry Speakes<br />{{small|Acting}}}} {{s-end}}
{{White House Press Secretaries}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Brady, James}} Category:1940 births Category:2014 deaths Category:American gun control activists Category:Attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan Category:Blind activists Category:American activists with disabilities Category:American blind people Category:Crimes in Washington, D.C. Category:Deaths by firearm in Virginia Category:Illinois Republicans Category:People from Centralia, Illinois Category:Politicians with paraplegia Category:People with traumatic brain injuries Category:Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients Category:Reagan administration personnel Category:University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumni Category:White House press secretaries Category:American civil servants Category:American blind politicians Category:American wheelchair users