Fromme, Lynette (1948–)

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Fromme, Lynette (1948–)

American murderer and attempted assassin. Name variations: Squeaky Fromme. Born Oct 22, 1948, in Santa Monica, California; dau. of William Millar Fromme and Helen Benzinger Fromme.

Met Charles Manson (1967) and joined Manson commune; arrested for murders of James and Lauren Willett but charges were dropped; pointed .45 Colt automatic at President Gerald Ford in Sacramento (Sept 5, 1975) but, with no bullet in firing chamber, gun never went off; convicted of attempted assassination and sentenced to life imprisonment; made prison break from Alderson Federal Prison for Women (Dec 23, 1987) and recaptured 2 days later; serving sentence in Carswell, Texas. Another attempt was made on Ford's life 17 days later by Sara Jane Moore (Sept 22, 1975), who like Fromme also made prison break from Alderson (1979).

See also Jess Bravin, Squeaky: The Life and Times of Lynette Alice Fromme (St. Martin, 1997).

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