"Squeaky" Fromme To Be Released

It looks like Fort Worth is about to lose one of its most high-profile prisoners. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has announced that Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, now 60 years old, will be released from the federal prison at Carswell on August 16. She has been incarcerated since 1975, and in the Fort Worth facility since 1987. The picture above is of Fromme in 2000.

At the time of the Tate-La Bianca murders in Los Angeles, Fromme was a member of the Charles Manson clan that lived Spahn Ranch. She was not involved in those murders, but she did demonstrate at the trial with other members of the "family", asking for Manson's release.

In 1975, she was apprehended after pointing a gun at President Gerald Ford in San Francisco. There was no bullet in the chamber, but the gun's clip was loaded. Fromme said she just wanted to "talk" with the president about Manson and the environment. I think she learned that day that was not the way to do it. The Secret Service quickly disarmed and arrested her, and a federal court sentenced her to life in prison.

At the time she was sentenced, life in a federal prison meant that parole was possible after 30 years. She is to finally be released after spending 34 years in prison (most of it in maximum security).

I'm pretty comfortable with her being released after serving 34 years. She has not actually hurt anyone. If she had really wanted to shoot President Ford, she could have done it. She had a loaded gun and a perfect opportunity. I think she has probably served enough time.

It will be interesting to see what she does with what remains of her life.