Lynette Fromme
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| Lynette Alice Fromme | |
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 Lynette Fromme
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| Born | October 22, 1948 Santa Monica, California, USA |
| Charge(s) | Attempted assassination of a U.S. President |
| Penalty | Life sentence |
| Status | Incarcerated |
| Parents | William Millar Fromme Helen Benziger Fromme |
Lynette Alice "Squeaky" Fromme (born October 22, 1948) is a former member of Charles Manson's "Family", convicted of attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975. The nickname "Squeaky" was given to her by Charles Manson because of her "tiny and high-pitched" voice. She is serving life in prison.
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[edit] Early life
Fromme was born in Santa Monica, California, to Helen Benziger Fromme, a homemaker, and William Millar Fromme, an aeronautical engineer. The family pronounces their surname with a long "e", e.g. fromi.
As a child, Fromme was a performer for a popular local dance group called Westchester Lariats [1], which performed on The Lawrence Welk Show and at the White House. However, Fromme's home life was troubled, as her father was known to be both rough and cold, and this extended to his treatment of his daughter. In the end, he refused to speak to her, or even in some cases to stay in the same room with her. In 1963, the family moved to Redondo Beach, a suburb of Los Angeles, and Fromme began drinking and taking drugs. Her grades in high school dropped, but she managed to graduate in 1966. She moved out of her parents' house for a few months before her father convinced her to attend El Camino Junior College. This lasted only for about two months before an argument with her father left her homeless.
[edit] Charles Manson and Manson Family involvement
Fromme went to Venice Beach, where she ended up depressed and crying on a bench. Charles Manson, who had been recently released from federal prison at Terminal Island near Long Beach, saw her in this state and struck up an acquaintance with her. Fromme found Manson's philosophies and attitudes appealing, and became friends and traveled with him, and other young people. She lived in southern California, and in the desert near Death Valley.
After Manson and some of his followers were arrested for committing what would become known as the Tate-LaBianca murders in 1969, Fromme and the remaining "Family" camped outside of the trial first with X's, and later swastikas carved into their foreheads, proclaiming Manson's innocence and preaching his apocalyptic philosophy to the news media, as well as to anyone else who would listen. She was never charged with involvement in the murders, but was convicted of attempting to prevent Manson's imprisoned followers from testifying, as well as contempt of court when she herself refused to testify. She was given short jail sentences for both offenses.
Fromme moved to Stockton, California, with friends Nancy Pitman and Priscilla Copper, a pair of ex-cons named Michael Monfort and James Craig, and a couple, James and Lauren Willett. When the Willetts died within days of each other, the housemates were taken into custody. However, she was released due to a lack of evidence. She then moved into a Sacramento apartment with her friend, fellow Manson family member Sandra Good. The two wore robes on occasion and changed their names to symbolize their devotion to Manson's new religion. Lynette became "Red" in honor of her red hair and the redwoods, and Sandy became "Blue" for her blue eyes and the ocean.
Despite her lengthy incarceration, she still remains a devoted follower of Charles Manson (as does Sandra Good). The other Manson 'girls' have long since renounced him.
[edit] Assassination attempt
On the morning of September 5, 1975, she went to Sacramento's Capitol Park (purportedly to plead with President Gerald Ford about the plight of the California redwoods) dressed as a nun and armed with a .45 Colt automatic, which she pointed at Ford. The weapon was loaded with four rounds, but none were in the firing chamber. She was immediately restrained by Secret Service agents, and while she was being further restrained and handcuffed, managed to say a few sentences to the on-scene cameras, emphasizing that the gun did not "go off".[1] Fromme is reported to have subsequently told the Sacramento Bee that she had deliberately ejected the round in her weapon's chamber before leaving home that morning, and a .45 ACP round was later found in her bathroom by investigators.[2]
After a lengthy trial in which she refused to cooperate with her own defense, she was convicted of the attempted assassination of the president and received a life sentence under a 1965 law (prompted by the assassination of President John F. Kennedy) which specified a maximum sentence of life in prison for attempted presidential assassinations. When U.S. Attorney Duane Keyes recommended severe punishment because she was "full of hate and violence," Fromme threw an apple at him, hitting him between the eyes. "If you find a apple that has a little spot on it. You cut out that spot."~ Lynette Fromme
[edit] Aftermath
In 1979, she was transferred out of the women's prison in Dublin, California, for attacking a fellow inmate, Julienne Busic, with the claw end of a hammer. On December 23, 1987, she escaped from the Alderson Federal Prison Camp in Alderson, West Virginia, attempting to meet up with Manson, whom she had heard had testicular cancer. She was captured again two days later and is now serving time in Texas at the Federal Medical Center, Carswell. Though she has been eligible for parole since 1985, Fromme has consistently waived her right to a hearing.
[edit] Trivia
- During the opening credits of the Sidney Lumet film, Network, producers at the fictional news network UBS discuss how much time to devote to Squeaky Fromme's assassination attempt during the evening broadcast.
- In Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's musical Assassins, the Squeaky Fromme character (portrayed by actress Annie Golden) sings "Unworthy of Your Love" to an absent Manson, in a duet with the character of attempted Ronald Reagan assassin John Hinckley. While preparing to play the would-be assassin in the 2004 revival of the musical, actress Mary Catherine Garrison corresponded with Fromme.
- Fromme was a classmate of comedian Phil Hartman at Orville Wright Junior High School and the two took an acting class together.
- Early in their career, before they were signed to a major label, the Indigo Girls performed a song titled "The Ballad of Squeaky Fromme". The song doesn't appear on any of their commercial recordings, and is considered a rarity.
- She is mentioned in Richard Linklater's independent film, Slacker, as the one who should be put on the one-dollar bill.
- Fromme was portrayed by original Saturday Night Live cast member Laraine Newman during a first season sketch (1975). During the short segment, Jane Curtin plays a TV talk show host who questions Fromme. Newman responds to each question by saying something apocalyptic and cosmically vague and pulling the trigger on an unloaded .38 pistol, as if to shoot the interviewer for being "part of the system".
- "Squeaky Fromme" appeared as a name on the high scores list of the arcade game, Presidential Assassin, that was being played by Jerri Blank on the show Strangers with Candy (episodes "Blank Stare: Part 1" and "Part 2"). The purpose of the game was to assassinate presidents.
- Squeaky Fromme is mentioned in "Young Shields", a song by Casiotone for the Painfully Alone: "there's a shield around us/we're invincible & boundless/& we're on the run from I don't know/we're Patty Hearst & Squeaky Fromme/asleep on subways far from home/you'd think we'd never seen a comb"
- Filmmaker John Waters, who notoriously jokes about the Manson Family, has made a number of references to Fromme in his films. Also, in a 1970's interview, when asked about the anti-homosexuality campaigns of Anita Bryant, Waters famously replied "Squeaky Fromme, where are you when we need you?"
[edit] Notes
[edit] References
Bravin, Jess (1997). Squeaky: The Life and Times Of Lynette Alice Fromme. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 0312187629.
