Would-Be Ford Assassin Released

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, the disciple of serial killer Charles Manson who tried to kill President Gerald Ford in 1975, was released from a federal prison in Texas Friday morning. Fromme took aim at Ford with a semi-automatic .45-caliber pistol 34 years ago before a Secret Service agent wrested the gun from her. The would-be assassin, now 60, reportedly targeted Ford because she wanted to attract attention for a new trial for Manson, who was serving a life sentence for killing actress Sharon Tate and nine others. Fromme's release has raised questions among law enforcement officials about whether time in prison can lessen the impulses of serious criminals. "The greatest predictor for potential violence is a history of violence," explained a professor of law and police science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice. "Any time you release someone with a violent past it's a gamble. We just have to keep our fingers crossed." Fromme had completed her sentence for the assassination attempt last summer, but was ordered to serve more time for a 1987 prison escape.