Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme will be paroled from federal prison on August 16th.
A devoted follower of Charles Manson, the now 60-year-old Fromme has been incarcerated since she attempted to murder President Gerald Ford in 1975.
From Wikipedia:
“In 1979, Fromme 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, who she had heard had testicular cancer. She was captured again two days later.
“Fromme first became eligible for parole in 1985, and was entitled by federal law to a mandatory hearing after 30 years but could waive that hearing and apply for release at a later date. Fromme steadfastly waived her right to request a hearing. and was required by federal law to complete a parole application before one could be considered and granted.”
In addition to her Manson association, the attempted murder of a sitting President, her assault with a deadly weapon against a fellow inmate, and her escape from a federal prison, Fromme was a suspect in the 1972 murders of a couple in Stockton, California.
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Unbefuckinglievable
THis is what happens when the death penalty is not given or administered.
Hey Floyd,
legal question – can they give the death penalty for attempted murder? Not that I’m opposed to the death penalty, I just was wondering if there are cases where people get executed without a murder victim.
BarryO…. death penalty and attempted murder…. I’d have too look at the federal code to see if there’s a death penalty for attempted assassination.
However, if it were proven that she were part of a plot to overthrow the gov’t she could be executed if she were convicted of treason. All that being said… any state or the Congress could draw up a statute making death a penalty for attempted murder, see if anyone gets convicted and then see if it passes the appeal challenge.
This is why the idea that executions can be replaced by “life without parole” is a lie. Eventually some sap-heads are going to need to show “compassion” and people like Squeaky are going to be cut loose.
Once they’re dead, there’s no way they can come back and cause more trouble. (Unless, of course, the idea that they can cause more trouble is what you desire…)
This is why I go back and forth on capital punishment, and am what I would describe as “mildly” against the death penalty. If “life” meant life, I’d feel I was on firmer ground.
I hasten to clarify that I’m using Fromme’s case as an example of what happens too often when someone is sentenced to life in prison.
She was never convicted of killing anyone, so I’m not saying she should have been executed.
See, this is the kind of thing I’m talking about from the open thread. She needs to be gone, not paroled.
As a Brian Wilson fan, I’m on a number of Beach Boy related email lists, and even as recently as a couple years ago, whenever discussion turned to Manson (Dennis Wilson had a brief relationship with Manson some time before the Tate-LaBianca murders, when Manson was trying to break into Hollywood as a songwriter), there instantly would be a panicked shoutdown to shut up about that guy, as folks particularly in California worried that Manson Family members might pick up on the discussion and not take kindly to it. Freaky.
justjack,
I read in Deanna Martin’s book on her relationship with her father, Dino, that she met Manson through Wilson. Dean Martin was also on the Manson Family’s list. I don’t know if it was because of Manson’s earlier association with Deanna Martin, or if it was because Dean Martin and Sharon Tate were in the Matt Helm movie, The Wrecking Crew, together.
Matt, I once read a piece somewheres that made a strong argument that the reason Sharon Tate’s place was targeted was because of who used to live there, namely Terry Melcher. The story goes that Manson was serious about getting into the music biz; he was able to use his Dennis Wilson connection to meet a few people, but of course everyone rejected him. One of the people who shut the door on Manson’s music career was Terry Melcher, a big producer in the SoCal music scene and also a big shot at Columbia Records (Terry was also, btw, Doris Day’s son). Terry used to own that house where Sharon Tate was living at the time of the murder. So the choice of house was Charlie’s way of sending a message to the folks who had musically spurned him.
I didn’t know Dean Martin was on the list, but it could easily have been not because of Sharon Tate but because of Dean’s son Dino. Dino was in the Hollywood Royalty Boy Band Dino Desi & Billy (Dino son of Dean Martin, Desi son of Desi Arnaz & Lucille Ball, Billy Hinsche son of a major Hollywood Real Estate playa), and on the basis of blood ties and marginal musical talent were able to have a successful career and maybe that made Manson jealous or something. Who knows.
You mentioned the movie The Wrecking Crew; as another weird coincidence, the group of elite studio musicians who always were first called for Brian Wilson, Terry Melcher, and groups like Dino Desi & Billy, were known as “The Wrecking Crew.”
justjack, I forgot all about Melcher and the Hollywood Royalty Boy Band. They were all mentioned in both Deanna and Ricci Martin’s books. It’s a good thing for the Manson Family that they didn’t get around to Dino’s house. Dino Jr. and Ricci had some serious fire power in the basement, and a tank in the garage.
She can go to work for Obama. He has a soft spot for violent losers from the 60s.
Our society is very, very ill!
You know what’s weird? I spent a good twenty minutes searching for a photo of Fromme with a clear view of the “X” carved in her forehead. Nothing. I know I’ve seen her like that.
This one’s good too, though.
Here’s how Wikipedia describes what she’s wearing:
“…dressed in a nun-like red robe…”
I don’t know which Catholic-schooled Wikimaniac wrote that, but nuns in Connecticut sure never dressed like that!
Mike, isn’t it a swastika? That’s what her mentor has.
He turned it into a swatiska later on, when he joined up with the Aryan Nation in prison. It started out as an “X” and then he added the extra lines.
Hey Tracy… Squeaky is at Carswell in Fort Wort… maybe you can take her some cookies for her bus ride home. August 16.
How on earth did this happen in Tx?
Ah well. I wouldn’t waste my time. I take back my previous “she should be gone”, I got her mixed up with some of Manson’s that actually did those horrible things. I should read more carefully or comment more slowly. But then, that wouldn’t be me, would it?
She’s only imprisoned in Texas. (That was my first reaction, too!) She’s in the federal system.
Oh good. I was hoping for something like that.
I know it sounds like a long shot, but maybe she is rehabilitated. If so, and she’s done her time, then this is the correct procedure. It is very difficult for me to believe that Ms. Fromme is not mentally deranged, and if she is/was, that she could be cured, but we don’t know.
I think Patricia Krenwinkel is rehabilitated, and I think she should die in prison. It’s her just punishment.
I seem to remember reading, “go, and sin no more” somewhere…. Where was that? Boy, I can’t remember who said that…
I truly feel sorry for Krenwinkel, but she was sentenced to death which then became life in prison.
I don’t think I’m being a bad Christian in thinking that when you brutally murder people you should be permanently incarcerated. I think that indicates a recognition of the importance of life.
Maybe Jesus would say that I’m not empathetic enough. I don’t know. But neither do you.
Absolutely, Mike. I sincerely have no idea. I was not judging you, only letting you know that I personally want forgiveness and redemption to be part of our judicial system. I mentioned Bill Cosby earlier, as an example I doubt I could live up to. His only son (by all accounts a great kid) was murdered, in cold blood, by a Russian punk for no reason. If I were Bill I would have found a way to get a weapon into that trial and there would have been no suspect to sentence. But Bill Cosby handled it much better than I ever could. I have a feeling Gerald Ford would also not be disappointed if Ms. Fromme were released, if she truly is rehabilitated. When a crime is done that causes someone harm there is a victim. The perpetrator should be justly punished, and we, as citizens have a right to expect known threats will not be released into our midst, but if the perpetrator is punished beyond the point he or she is a threat aren’t there two victims, and aren’t we, then, guilty of a crime?
I honestly don’t know how I myself feel about this stuff Mike, so please don’t think I’m taking you to task. I read, ““How many times shall I forgive my brother? Seven times?“ “Not seven times but seventy times seven.” And look up in a daze. I don’t get it.
I think it is just as important for the individual victims of crimes to find some way to forgive the perpetrator as it is for the criminal to be punished. But it’s possible to do both.
You’re right that Bill Cosby is a good example of the right way to do it. I think Reginald Denny went too far the other way, but that was his choice.
Hey Rufus, justice and grace are not exclusive of each other. God does not take away the consequences for our sin, just the eternal punishment. I still have consequences for stuff I did when I was 18, the only difference is that I didn’t kill anyone.
I do admire those that can forgive people who murder someone close to them. But it really hacks me off when I see someone being put BACK into prison for killing/molesting/harming yet another person. I’d rather err on the side of caution in the case of some of the really heinous criminals.
Tracy,
Where it gets confusing for me is when it’s done as a society. Enforcing the sentence for a crime is, necessarily, a societal function. If there is blood, it is on our hands. Neither the penal system, or the perpetrator can take away the consequences you speak of, but what if our punishment exceeds what is necessary to rehabilitate, and does harm to the perpetrator. I know, boo-frickin’-hoo, but as Christians shouldn’t we be concerned about that? I am speaking of someone who is truly rehabilitated, and I know that’s always hard to gauge.
Rufus, are you saying there should be no such thing as a life sentence without parole? Then I’d have to become a supporter of the death penalty again—and even Pope John Paul II would seem to support capital punishment in that case.
From that photo it looks like if we can get her to say her name “Mxyzptlk” she’ll end up back in her own dimension.
Bizarre, very bizarre!
Rufus–
Just moving from the general to the specific. Notice that there was no hearing to determine if she was rehabilitated. She’s served thirty years (plus 15 months for her escape) so she’s out, rehabilitated or not. It’s the law.
Hold on, I might be wrong.
Sorry. She had the hearing, but didn’t want one. She’d repeatedly waived her right to a parole hearing until the federal government forced one upon her.
I suppose they figured with Ford dead now, she couldn’t really do much harm.
Manson also auditioned for The Monkees, by the way. Obviously, he didn’t make the cut, but what a freakin’ awsome show that would have been, right?
Davey: Mike, Mickey, Chuck, if the doorbell rings, and it’s a gorgeous girl in soft focus, let her know I’ll be right out.
Mike: Sure.
Mickey: Why is it him every week?
Chuck: Door? I’ll tell you about the door. I’m not gonna’ get the door, man, the door’s gonna’ get you! Yeah! The Door’s gonna’ rise up, right, and it’ll survive…
Davey: Ok, thanks guys, off to the bathroom…
Chuck: …the rise of the black man by…by hiding in the wilderness, in a barn or something, when the black man rises up and subjugates the white man, then…
[Doorbell rings]
Mickey: I’m engaged in something madcap, and Mike’s hand’s still broken from punching that hotel room wall when he was mad at Don Kirshner. Chuck, can you se who it is?
Chuck: …then the time will come when…FINE, I’LL GET IT, BUT YOU HAVE TO LEARN TO PLAY THE DRUMS LIKE A NORMAL RIGHT-HANDED PLAYER, DAMMIT!…then the time will come when the hands…
Mickey: Whatever. I’m watching Circus Boy reruns.
[Chuck opens the door. And is met by a beautiful, young Terri Garr]
Terri: Hi, my agent said this show was great exposure for young actresses and I wouldn’t need to sleep with anyone to get the part, unlike that damn Star Trek show. Is Davey here?
Chuck: …THEN THE TIME WILL COME WHEN THE DOORS WILL COME BACK FROM THE BARN IN WHICH THEY’VE STACKED THEMSELVES IN ORDERLY FASHION, AND THEY WILL RETURN FROM THE WILDERNESS AND LORD IT OVER THE BLACK MAN WHO SHALL IN TURN LORD IT OVER THE RIGHT-HANDED-DRUMMERS-WHO-INSIST-ON-PLAYING-AS-THOUGHT-THEY’RE-LEFTIES AND THEN THE FOUR HORSEMEN OF EMI RECORDS WILL…oh, cute! That’s a really nice pendant!
Terri: Uhm…thank you…is Davey here?
Chuck: Is it sharp? It looks sharp.
Terri: Not really, well, just along the bottom there.
Chuck: Can I have it, man? ‘Cuz I’ve been looking for something to carve a swastika in my forehead with…
Terri: Fine. I’ll sleep with that Roddenberry guy. [leaves. Chuck re-enters the house]
Mike: Who was it?
Chuck: Nobody there, man, nobody but the wind, the wind that calls my name, the wind that tells me to set fires that burn down the
Davey: Was it her?
Mike: Nope.
Davey: Hm. Unusually short episode this week.
[cue music: In this generation/ in this lovin' time /in this generation /we must make the world run red with blood/ we were born to love one another/ it is something we all need/ and if we're going to love one another/then a lot of people/ will have to bleed/ I wanna' see you bleed/ I wanna' see you bleed/ love is understandin' /I gotta' see you bleed/]
LOL! Very funny. I can picture it in my mind’s eye
What he said.
Thank you, thank you. I can’t take much credit, though, Manson is comedy gold. Anyone remember the “Manson” sketch they used to do on the old Ben Stiller show? It was Lassie, except with Charles Manson as the family pet, rather than a collie.
Dad: “Where’s Timmy?”
Manson: “you’d better be askin’ where you are, cuz you don’t know where you are and if you don’t know where your own self is, how you gonna’ know where you are when…”
Mom: “It’s like he’s trying to tell us something!”
“Manson is comedy gold”.I’m sure that Sharon Tate and her unborn child would agree.
Eight people butchered like hogs…what a laff riot
Oh, please.
It’s my belief that laughing at a monster is a good thing. It diminishes the fear that they hope to engender. We make fun of Hitler all we want. We tell Stalin jokes around my house all the time (Which started when The Tick cartoon in the 90s started telling Stalin jokes). I think we all can agree that Stalin and Hitler were far, far, far worse than crazy ol’ Chuck, so why should he get a free ride when the biggest monsters of the 20th century get mocked by me and mine?
Comedy is a defense mechanism, a way of coping with things that scare us. We laugh at them, they get less scary. We laugh at them some more, they get even more trivial. The added bonus being that turning monsters in to punch lines for jokes keeps them from having that eventual transformation from antichrist to misunderstood tragic hero that you get with, say, Napoleon.
For some reason, my rebutal to Scott M. is awaiting moderation…
Oh, now it’s up. Thanks, whoever jiggled the handle to let it come out.
Anyway, unrelated to that, I have a wildly half-assed theory about Manson and why the Beatles never resolved the whole “Paul is Dead” thing, if anyone’s interested.
Ooooh, ooooooh! Tell us, tell us!
Ok, we’re all familiar with the whole “Paul is Dead” thing, right? That the Beatles were knowingly putting references about his demise and replacement by an imposter in to their music, album art, and so on. Granted, some of these “Clues” are apocryphal, or just in the eyes of the beholders, and not intentional. Some others may not have been intentional, but subconsiously slipped through. Some of them, definitely, were intentional, though the Beatles themselves have always denied it.
So the questions are:
a) Why would they do this?
b) What was the payoff?
c) Why would they keep mum about it for forty-something years?
Well, it happened at a period in their career when Paul was becoming the breakout star in the band, and shortly after the whole “Bigger than Jesus” debacle. I’ve heard people suggest that the whole “Paul is Dead” thing was part of an elaborate gag John cooked up to prove they really were “Bigger than Jesus” by “Killing” Paul off and “Resurrecting” him at some later time. They dropped clues in to the album, the occasional subliminal message, that kind of thing. We got as far as them “Killing” him off and him being “Replaced” by the alleged imposter Billy Shears, but then the whole thing was simply and abruptly dropped, the “Paul is Dead” references more-or-less disappeared, and that was that.
If there was a plan to kill and resurrect Paul symbolicly, what could have happened to make them abandon it so abruptly?
Well, this was right around the time of the Manson murders, and Manson was pretty emphatic about how the Beatles were the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and how he was getting ‘messages’ from them. Now, if you’re the Beatles, and you hear on the news about how that super-hot Blonde chick from the final Matt Helm movie got brutally murdered by a crazy person who claims he’s getting secret messages from the Beatles, it’s not going to take long to realize that he MAY have been picking up somewhat on the real, actual secret messages you put in there as a joke. So you recoil in horror, and shut the whole thing down, and never admit it to anyone.
There you have it.
she better stay in cuz if Julie Busic catches up w/her on the outs she is gonna clean Fromes clock