James Brady

James Brady
Brady in 1986
17th White House Press Secretary
In office
January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989
On leave: March 30, 1981 – January 20, 1989
PresidentRonald Reagan
Preceded byJody Powell
Succeeded byLarry Speakes (acting)
Personal details
BornJames Scott Brady
(1940-08-29)August 29, 1940
DiedAugust 4, 2014(2014-08-04) (aged 73)
Cause of deathGunshot wound
PartyRepublican
Spouses
Sue Beh
(m. 1960; div. 1967)
(m. 1972)
EducationUniversity of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (BA)
NicknameBear

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 in 1981.