Assata Shakur, also known as Joanne Chesimard, has re-emerged in the headlines after years of exile because the state of New Jersey raised the bounty on her head to $2 million while the FBI just decided to put the 65-year-old fugitive on its Most Wanted Terrorist list—the first woman to make the list of top terrorists.
Shakur, the step-aunt of rapper Tupac Shakur (her brother was Tupac’s stepfather), for decades has been a despised figure in law enforcement circles, where she is seen as a dangerous cop-killer and terrorist. But to many blacks Shakur is a hero for standing up to law enforcement while she was a leader of the Black Liberation Army in the 1970s and for her forceful writings and commentary on the conditions of black people after she fled to Cuba sometime around 1984. She has been the subject of films, documentaries and rap songs over the years.
The FBI already had been offering a reward of $1 million for information leading to the capture of Shakur, who was convicted of killing a New Jersey State Trooper during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973 and who became an underground legend in 1979 after she made a daring escape from prison—with the help of accomplices who took two guards hostage—and fled to Cuba, where she has been living in exile the last 30 years. The FBI and the New Jersey State Police announced today that the state of New Jersey was adding an additional $1 million bounty on the anniversary of the slaying of Trooper Werner Foerster.
Shakur left the Black Panther Party because she felt they weren’t educated enough on black history and joined the Black Liberation Army, which was even more radical than the Panthers. She became a well-known target of law enforcement and the subject of surveillance and stakeouts after she became wanted in connection with a string of felonies, including bank robberies in New York.
On May 2, 1973, Shakur was the front-seat passenger in a Pontiac LeMans heading south on the New Jersey Turnpike with other members of the BLA, an organization that advocated the overthrow of the U.S. government and the killing of police officers because of racist treatment of African Americans. There were many facts disputed at her trial, but the Pontiac was pulled over when Trooper James Harper spotted a broken taillight. They were stopped about 200 yards from state police headquarters, then in East Brunswick. Soon, Trooper Werner Foerster arrived as backup.
Shortly after the stop, the prosecution claimed Shakur opened fire with a 9mm pistol, hitting Harper in the shoulder, and then squeezed off two more shots at Foerster as she scrambled out of the car. After Harper shot Chesimard twice, she collapsed to the ground.
After Harper ran to headquarters for help, somebody fired two shots into Foerster’s skull. Shakur and an accomplice were arrested five miles down the turnpike.
After she was convicted of Foerster’s murder, carrying a mandatory life sentence, Shakur said the jury was “racist” and had “convicted a woman with her hands up.”
Incredible how people in this country are now demonized when an agency wants to get them….all they have to do is call you a terrorist. What utter bull…does anyone actually believe this garbage?
Great! the terrorist have udated there list of terrorist…THE LIES!
May God bless her to live out her life free from the unjust law of whitelaw.
You people need to grow up
Punish her family if we can't punish her !!! Now that's white man law.
White law, black law? Come on people, law is law, cant rob a bank and kill a police officer and then call racism in order to get a free pass.
White law, black law? Come on people, law is law, cant rob a bank and kill a police officer and then call racism in order to get a free pass.
You people !!! That is a racism …That word : You people : Black are not into racism if so White people made us that way ..Hating on black people for years ..
There was peace on our planet until the whiteman showed up from the caucus mountains in Europe!
She was found not guilty of the bank robberies, the FBI admitted anytime a female was involved with a bank robbery in the tristate area they would blame her without evidence. And a medical examiner testified that it would of been impossible for Assata to fire the fatal shots, because the wounds she suffered rendered her unable to lift her arms.
For more information on Assata Shakur and how Tupac Shakur headed The New Afrikan Panthers at 18, leading to the murderous targeting of him, see The FBI War on Tupac Shakur and Black Leaders.
Can I ask this…..since now America is after "domestic terrorists" as they've labeled Assata Shakur, why haven't the authorities gone after, & shut down PERMANENTLY the kkk/skinheads/neo nazis & idiots of the same cloth??? They're just mad that she got away, and because it's the anniversary of the troopers death, which they can't seem to let go (we're supposed to let slavery go though), she's somehow public enemy #1. She hasn't committed murder, she was just there… in fact, she was shot up @ the scene as well…self defense! She was part of the Black Liberation movement (yes I know the story, & read her autobiography), & we all know how J. Edgar Hoover's COINTELPRO organization treated black militants in the '60's & '70's…well some of us know the story. Ask Martin Luther King's family how they did him, & The Black Panther Party For Self Defense, yes 'SELF DEFENSE', how they got played. This is typical United States' white folks in power trying to flex their muscles once again…arrogance & hate in full effect here. I'm not even racist, but I sho nuff will call it as it is! …couldn't look myself in the mirror if I didn't.
Whitelaw? Are you kidding me? Please, do not perpetuate the stereotype that all black people are racist. She robbed banks and was, at least, an accomplice to an officers death. According to you, that is legal according to 'Blacklaw" (opposite of "Whitelaw"). And seriously, shame on the 2 people that "liked" his comment.
4 the record, when I said "self defense" referring 2 the trooper being shot, & Assata also being shot, I meant the dude she was w/defending her & himself…hence 'self defense'.
I sure hope that the residents of Cuba don't fall for the $$$ bait, same as the people of the Middle East didn't fall for it when there was a bounty on bin Laden's head. Not because bin Laden was innocent in my eyes, or I supported him in any way; that's the furthest from the truth. I say this only because it's sickening 2 me the way our government thinks that $$$ is the 'cure all' that'll make everybody ask 'how high' when they say 'jump'. …cut it out.
I can't figure out if this is an act of war against Cuba or trying to create a Black Messiah to instigate a race war/civil war in the US.
or if it's somehow connected to the ongoing prison uprising and hunger strike at Guantanamo. Guards have been firing on prisoners, more than half of whom have been cleared for release but then not released.
OMG!! Are they still after this woman??? They should just leave her alone!!
Tiffani Jones, you really need to do your research. 1. she was kneeling with her hands up and they shot her then shot her again in the back, then left her bleeding to death. Didn't call for ambulance till they thought she would die in transit.
2. She was targeted by the COINTELPRO program, a program that was set up by the Federal Bureau of Investigation to eliminate all political opposition to the U.S. government’s policies, to destroy the Black Liberation Movement in the United States, to discredit activists and to eliminate potential leaders, which is now used and aimed at leaders of Occupy Wallstreet. There was a memo discovered stating that those leaders were to be shot and has now been rescinded by the FBI.
3.She was convicted by an all white jury and middle aged folks (mostly) just assumed anytime that there was a car full of black were up to no good.
You really need to do your research before making comments about whitelaw. THAT was extremely prevalent during the civil rights movement when this so called shooting occurred.
Oh stfu. ASSATA Shakur was convicted by an all white jury in a trial completely set out to crush her and her organization. So yea, that IS white law. Only brainwashed fascists really believe Black and white people are treated the same under the law in the United States.
You stfu Caleb Grainger, I am so sick of people playing the race card. I am Jewish so does that mean because Hitler persecuted the Jews I get a free pass. Your an idiot. And even idiots don't get a free pass
Angela Lee Lydeen Nguyen blah blah blah… race card… blah blah… all white people ain't bad … blah blah blah… theres bad in every race …. blah blah blah blah
Wow it all makes sense why Tupac Shakur's murder was never solved or should I say it has been solved. The murder, the cover up, the accused, the scapegoat. Please if where you are is at peace, stay there and be happy. Thank you for your heroism that caused you great loss. May the Most High continue to bless you and yours. Love.
Tiffani Jones your reply is almost comical you obviously have no grasp of this history I would advise you to save your commentary until you have at least read the disturbing history on this matter
Angela Lee Lydeen Nguyen Yes you're Jewish, but you haven't no where near suffered the years of slavery like my people and then after slavery we we're left with no means to take care of our family, so please don't compare your history with Black history. A matter of fact didn't Jews get reparations, well guess what my ppl haven't and we're still getting lynched in the streets, it never stopped it's just the cameras appeared. SMDH
Let see how many will be willing to give up that white privilege….
Tiffani Jones its obvious you're not from that time. She was framed. The cops stopped her 172 times because she spoke the truth on how the e white man got away with murdering and hangings and the government didn't do nothing. So they sent undercovers (;lack people) in and when she wouldn't bite they framed her. They said that she was apart of the bank robberies yet had no proof, they said she had part or killed thepolice officer no proof but an all white jury didn't care they convicted her anyway. Same as today nothing has changed.
Caleb Granger tell the truth and shame the devil….
Facts
Who is u people?