'Wait, WHAT?!' Can John Hinckley be charged with homicide in death of James Brady?

BREAKING: sources confirm death of ex Reagan press secretary James Brady ruled a homicide stems from the 1981 shooting outside Hilton hotel

— Jennifer Donelan (@ABC7Jennifer) August 8, 2014

BREAKING: D.C. authorities determine James Brady was the victim of a homicide — from John Hinckley's gunshot in 1981 – @PeteWilliamsNBC

— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) August 8, 2014

#BREAKINGNEWS DC Police sources confirm to @nbcwashington that James Brady's death has been ruled a homicide. @PeteWilliamsNBC joins us at 5

— Scott Trabandt (@ScottTrabandt) August 8, 2014

#BREAKING: Sources confirm to FOX 5 fmr White House press secretary James Brady's death has been ruled a homicide.

— FOX 5 DC (@fox5newsdc) August 8, 2014

more: office of chief medical examiner in va said autopsy was completed but case under investigation now by DC POLICE.

— Jennifer Donelan (@ABC7Jennifer) August 8, 2014

What? MT @ScottTrabandt: Police sources confirm that James Brady's death has been ruled a homicide. @PeteWilliamsNBC joins us at 5

— T. Becket Adams (@BecketAdams) August 8, 2014

Omg is that real? RT @Matthops82: WTF?! pic.twitter.com/rSEsWPEh3q"

— LaurieAnn (@mooshakins) August 8, 2014

? RT @BreakingNews: Death of Reagan press secretary James Brady ruled a homicide, stemming from 1981 shooting – @NBCNews

— Jonathan Blake (@blakeffm) August 8, 2014

Wow MT @BreakingNews: Death of James Brady ruled a homicide, stemming from 1981 shooting – @NBCNews http://t.co/sJ895dHk2U/s/W5-C

— Laurie Schechter (@laurieschechter) August 8, 2014

WTF??? ==> RT @NBCNews JUST IN: James Brady’s death ruled homicide – from John Hickley’s gunshot in 1981 http://t.co/N81ayC62qf @seanagnew

— SpatialAwareness(HM) (@die_mich_zwei) August 8, 2014

What?! MT @ABC7Jennifer: BREAKING: sources confirm death of James Brady ruled a homicide stems from the 1981 shooting outside Hilton hotel

— Matilda (@mfortuin11) August 8, 2014

James Brady died…from John Hickley's gunshot. Wait, WHAT?!

— Kevin Grüssing (@KevDGrussing) August 8, 2014

MORE: Homicide ruling has the potential to open the door to federal murder charges against John Hinckley – @PeteWilliamsNBC

— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) August 8, 2014

This dying of the same gunshot for 33 years thing seems legally problematic. Poor prosecutor tasked with getting a conviction on that one.

— Noah Rothman (@NoahCRothman) August 8, 2014

@NoahCRothman Technically not hard to prove if the cause of death is related to a complication from the shot but selling it to a jury…?

— Only4RM (@Only4RM) August 8, 2014

I understand this is a medical ruling not a legal one. But, arguendo, any lawyers want to weigh in on how likely a prosecution would be?

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 8, 2014

Also, as Hinkley was found not guilty by reason of insanity, doesn’t that make any conviction unlikely?

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 8, 2014

The law has changed since then, yes. What governs which rule applies: when he fired the shots or when he is charged?

— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) August 8, 2014

Hinckley's not being charged, is he? It's a medical ruling, isn't it? Let's not overreact just yet, hmm?

— Neal Dewing (@Neal_Dewing) August 8, 2014