Manson follower ‘Squeaky’ Fromme to go free
 

60-year-old woman tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford in 1975
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WASHINGTON - The woman who tried to assassinate President Gerald Ford is expected to be released from prison on Aug. 16 after serving her sentence, a U.S. Justice Department official said on Wednesday.

Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme, a one-time follower of mass murderer Charles Manson, has been serving a life sentence but was eligible for parole almost 25 years ago. She had waived her right to parole previously and chose to remain in prison.

The 60-year-old Fromme is scheduled to be released on August 16, according to Felicia Ponce, a spokeswoman for the Federal Bureau of Prisons. Fromme has been incarcerated at a prison in Fort Worth, Texas.

Ford was unharmed when a Secret Service agent grabbed a semi-automatic .45-caliber pistol aimed at him by Fromme on Sept. 5, 1975.

Fromme had told her defense attorney she staged the attack because she "wanted to get some attention for a new trial" for Manson and members of his gang.

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