Gerald Ford on Crime President of the U.S., 1974-1977; Republican Rep. (MI)

Survived 1975 assassination attempt by Squeaky Fromme

As Fromme pulled the trigger, a Secre Service agent jumped in front of Ford to shield him. The agent then grabbed the gun and wrestled her to the ground. Fortunately, there was no bullet in the firing chamber. There were four in the gun's magazine.

Fromme was a disciple of Charles Manson, who had been convicted of the ritualistic murders of actress Sharon Tate and six others. Two months before the assassination attempt, Fromme had issued a statement saying she had received letters from Manson blaming Nixon for his imprisonment.

Survived 1975 assassination attempt by Sara Jane Moore

Secret Service agents quickly pushed Moore to the sidewalk and arrested her. As bystanders screamed, the agents pushed the uninjured Ford into his limousine and onto the floor, covering his body with theirs.

Moore is the only presidential assailant who was listed as a possible threat in the Secret Service data bank before the assassination attempt. Two days before the attempt, police interviewed her & confiscated her gun. Secret Service agents concluded she did not pose a threat. evaluating intentions is an inexact science. The next morning, she purchased another weapon.

To be effective, punishment must be swift and certain

My recommendations on how to control violent crime [have a] strong emphasis on protecting the innocent victims of crime. To keep a convicted criminal from committing more crimes, we must put him in prison so he cannot harm more law-abiding citizens. To be effective, this punishment must be swift and it must be certain.

Too often, criminals are not sent to prison after conviction but are allowed to return to the streets. My new budget proposes the construction of four new Federal facilities. To speed Federal justice, I propose an increase in the US attorneys prosecuting Federal crimes and the reinforcement of the number of US marshals.

More mandatory sentencing; more focus on victims

I do not seek vindictive punishment of the criminal but protection of the innocent victim. The victims are my primary concern. I listed my specific proposals with this new emphasis. People convicted of violent crimes should have to go to jail. I urged the imposition of mandatory sentences for them and for "career "criminals as well. Second, I suggested less delay in bringing those arrested to trial, less plea bargaining and more courtroom determination of guilt or innocence.

[We should] amend the Federal code to make more sentences mandatory. We could also supply funds to add judges, prosecutors and public defenders.

Death sentence only after separate sentencing hearing

• Provides that a person shall be subjected to the penalty of death for any offense prohibited by the laws of the United States only if a hearing is held in accordance with this Act.
• States that when a defendant is found guilty of or pleads guilty to an offense for which one of the sentences provided is death, the judge who presided at the trial or before whom the guilty plea was entered shall conduct a separate sentencing hearing for the purpose of determining the sentence to be imposed.
• The jury or the court shall return a special verdict as to the existence or nonexistence of each aggravating or mitigating factor.
• If the jury or the court finds that no aggravating factors exist, or finds that one or more mitigating factors exist, the court shall not sentence the defendant to death.