Johnston, Richard H. (February 13, 1974). [145], Judge Appleby also threatened Kunstler with dismissal and contempt of court after he delivered an October 21, 1976, speech at nearby Rutgers University that in part discussed the upcoming trial,[146] but later ruled that Kunstler could represent Shakur. [62][159], Davidson based his testimony on an August 4, 1976, examination of Shakur and on X-rays taken immediately after the shootout at Middlesex General Hospital. "[116], Shakur was indicted on May 30, 1974, on the charge of having robbed a Brooklyn bar and kidnapping bartender James E. Freeman for ransom. U.S. Government Declares $2 Million Bounty For Assata Shakur, Tupac's Godmother, Castro won't hand over killer of N.J. trooper, "Cuba still harbors one of America's most wanted fugitives. [49], By June 1973, an apparatus that would become the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF)[50] was issuing nearly daily briefings on Shakur's status and the allegations against her. Abstract Marighella proposes two essential objectives for the urban guerrilla: physical liquidation of armed forces and police chiefs and assistants, and appropriation of government resources and those belonging to the elite . [134] Judge Appleby repeatedly denied Kunstler's requests for DeMarino to be removed from his responsibilities for the duration of the trial "because he did not divulge his association with the juror". [70] Shakur admitted to carrying an identification card with the name "Justine Henderson" in her billfold the night of the shootout, but denied using any of the aliases on the long list that Barone proceeded to read. [38][54], Shakur and others[38][54][55] claim that she was targeted by the FBI's COINTELPRO as a result of her involvement with the black liberation organizations. [81][82] In light of the pending murder prosecution against Shakur in New Jersey state court, her lawyers requested that the trial be postponed for six months to permit further preparation. [208] In the six months preceding the publications of the book, Evelyn Williams, Shakur's aunt and attorney, made several trips to Cuba and served as a go-between with Hill. The BLA's most notorious attack, however, came in 1972, when it carried out perhaps the most gruesome assassination of police officers in the history of New York, killing two patrolmen, Greg Foster. Assata Olugbala Shakur is a former member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA), who was convicted of being an accomplice in the first-degree murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster. [138] After Joseph W. Lewis, the jury foreman, read the verdict, Kunstler asked that the jury be removed before alleging that one juror had violated the sequestration order (see above). When asked by a reporter why, if that were the case, it took the jury 24 hours to reach a verdict, Kunstler replied, "That was just a pretense." [67] Kunstler had previously been successful in subpoenaing Kelley and Church for the trials of American Indian Movement (AIM) members charged with murdering FBI agents. [193] The Cuban government paid approximately $13 a day toward her living expenses. After a bomb threat was made against Judge Appleby, Sheriff Joseph DeMarino lied to the press about the exact date of her transfer to Clinton Correctional Facility for Women; He later claimed the threat to be the cause of his falsification. John Young, in August, 1971. In 1977, she was convicted in the first-degree murder of State Trooper Werner Foerster during a shootout on the New Jersey Turnpike in 1973. [177], On February 20, 1979,[178] after the Maximum Security Unit at Alderson was closed,[176] Shakur was transferred to the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey. "Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of . Perlmutter, Emanuel (January 29, 1973), "Extra Duty Tours For Police Set Up After 2D Ambush", According to Churchill and Vander Wall (2002): "What had emerged in the 1980s was a formal amalgamation of FBI COINTELPRO specialists and New York City red squad detectives known as the Joint Terrorist Task Force (JTTF), consolidating the more, Sullivan, Joseph F. (May 3 or 4th, 1973). Between 1971 and 1973, Shakur was accused of several crimes and made the subject of a multi-state manhunt. Assata Olugbala Shakur is a political activist, author, fugitive and aunt of hip-hop artist, Tupac Shakur. [62], In December 1973, Shakur was tried for a September 29, 1972, $3,700 robbery of the Manufacturer's Hanover Trust Company in the Bronx, along with co-defendant Kamau Sadiki (born Fred Hilton). [96] Shakur was ejected following an argument with Williams, and Hilton left with her as jury selection continued. Friedly, Jock (January 13, 1999), "Waters seeks asylum for cop killer". By Mirinda Crissman July 15, 2022 In honor of Assata Shakur's 75th birthday on July 16, the IAC is reprinting this slightly edited version of her open letter, first posted on Dec. 30, 2014. [62] Judge Appleby also refused to investigate a burglary of her defense counsel's office that resulted in the disappearance of trial documents,[135] amounting to half of the legal papers related to her case. The Black Liberation Army (BLA) is an urban guerrilla group closely patterned after the principles of Carlos Marighella. [115] Shakur and co-defendant Ronald Myers were accused of entering the bar with pistols and shotguns, taking $50 from the register, kidnapping the bartender, leaving a note demanding a $20,000 ransom from the bar owner, and fleeing in a rented truck. "Mrs. Chesimard Bids U.S. Court Bar Trial Sessions on Her Sabbath". [128][160], Judge Appleby eventually cut off funds for any further expert defense testimony. [63] In his opening statement to a jury, Hamlin said that Acoli shot Foerster with a .38 caliber semiautomatic pistol and used Foerster's own gun to "execute him". [15] In April 1967, she married Louis Chesimard, a fellow student-activist at CCNY. "Black Liberation leaders indicted". [87] White and Rivers testified that Shakur had guarded one of the doors with a .357 magnum pistol and that Sadiki had served as a lookout and drove the getaway truck during the robbery; neither White nor Rivers was cross-examined due to the defense attorney's refusal to participate in the trial. [56] Although named after Shakur, CHESROB (like its predecessor, NEWKILL) was not limited to Shakur. "Assata Shakur: Case of oppression in U.S". With connections to the Weather Underground, the Black Liberation Army and the Black Panther Party, this "anti-imperialist" organization executed a number of attacks well into the mid-1980s, inspired by the revolutionary left-wing tradition of pursuing "peace" through violent means. [2] Acoli was granted parole in 2022 at the age of 85. [206][207] The book was published by Lawrence Hill & Company in the United States and Canada but the copyright is held by Zed Books Ltd. of London due to "Son of Sam" laws, which restrict who can receive profits from a book. "[79] Polls of residents in Middlesex County, where Acoli had been convicted less than three years earlier,[80] showed that 83% knew Shakur's identity and 70% believed that she was guilty. [195] In July 1980, FBI director William H. Webster said that the search for Shakur had been frustrated by residents' refusal to cooperate, and a New York Times editorial opined that the department's commitment to "enforce the law with vigorbut also with sensitivity for civil rights and civil liberties" had been "clouded" by an "apparently crude sweep" through a Harlem building in search of Shakur. [122] Andrew Jackson and two others indicted for the same robbery pleaded guilty; Jackson was sentenced to five years in prison and five years' probation; another was shot and killed in a gunfight in Florida on December 31, 1971, and the last remained at large at the time of Shakur's acquittal. "Evidence of 'Liberation Army' Said to Rise". Schuppe, Jonathan (February 8, 2004), "In parole bid, Chesimard cohort denies killing trooper". [10] According to her attorney Lennox Hinds, Shakur "understates the awfulness of the condition in which she was incarcerated", which included vaginal and anal searches. Her defense had argued medical evidence suggested her innocence since her arm was damaged in the shootout. Between 1971 and 1973, she was charged with several crimes and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt. Assata Shakur was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA) which operated as an underground militant revolutionary organization in the U.S. throughout the 1970s. Shakur herself was called as a witness on March 15, the first witness called by the defense; she denied shooting either Harper or Foerster, and also denied handling a weapon during the incident. [163] To become eligible for parole, Shakur would have had to serve a minimum of 25years, which would have included her four years in custody during the trials. Chambers, Marcia (December 28, 1973). Nehanda Abiodun, a radical black nationalist who was charged in the deadly botched robbery of a Brink's armored truck in 1981 and then spent decades as a fugitive in Cuba, a hero to would-be. ", U.S. fugitive a hero to Fidel, but a curiosity to many, Officials Can't Confirm Chesimard Is in Havana, "BBC Radio 4 - 15 Minute Drama, Assata Shakur - The FBI's Most Wanted Woman, Episode 4", "H.Con.Res.254 105th Congress (1997-1998)", Congresswoman Waters issues statement on U.S. Freedom Fighter Assata Shakur. [59][61], The stop occurred 200 yards (183m) south of what was then the Turnpike Authority administration building. [244], In July 2017, the Women's March official Twitter feed celebrated Shakur's birthday, leading to criticism from some right-wing media outlets. Assata's real crime, FBI spokesman Aaron Ford said, was that from Cuba she continues to "maintain and promote her ideology" and "provides anti-U.S. government speeches espousing the Black Liberation Army message"an ideology and message that the U.S. government has declared "terrorism." A few minutes later the prosecutor Barone disagreed with Kunstler's assessment saying the trial's outcome was decided "completely on the facts". [189] Shakur has been described as a "rap music legend"[222] and a "minor cause celebre". (December 13, 1973), "Chesimard Trial Goes To The Jury". [38] The FBI said these included the "execution style murders" of New York City Police Officers Joseph Piagentini and Waverly Jones on May 21, 1971, and NYPD officers Gregory Foster and Rocco Laurie on January 28, 1972. Her trial and conviction were a result of the government conspiracy to destroy Black freedom fighters and the movement for liberation from capitalism. Did you shoot or assault Trooper James Harper? Shakur was convicted May 2, 1973, of killing of a New Jersey state trooper during a shootout that left one of her fellow activists dead. [85], The prosecution's case rested largely on the testimony of two men who had pleaded guilty to participating in the holdup. Chesimard was . She joined the Black Panthers in college, but the arrests of the Panther leadership in 1969 effectively crushed the organization. Gysin, Fritz, and Mulvey, Christopher (eds.). Smothers, Ronald (October 24, 1973), "Chesimard Case Gets A Jury Shift". Chesimard, a fugitive living in Cuba under the name Assata Shakur, was a member of the Black Liberation Army in 1973 when she shot and killed Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop. Batista, Carlos (March 18, 2002). She later became a member of the Black Liberation Army and was involved in several Black organizing groups, including the Black Panther Party. With the questioning of Acoli, accounts by participants of the confrontation begin to differ (see the witnesses section below). [62][12], On March 24, the jurors listened for 45minutes to a rereading of testimony of the State Police chemist regarding the blood found at the scene, on the LeMans, and Shakur's clothing. Assata Shakur was born as JoAnne Deborah Byron in 1947, but after getting deep into political activism and fighting to end oppression with the Black Panther Party she changed her "slave name" and adopted the . "The Msgr. "Assata Shakur: Profiled and on the Run". 1978). Butler, Vincent (August 24, 1973). "Prosecution Rests Case on Chesimard Robbery Trial; Defendant Ejected". "Judge and Defendants Clash Again as Chesimard Jury Is Chosen". [186][187] No one was injured during the prison break, including the officers held as hostages who were left in a parking lot. [33][34][35], Shakur was wanted for questioning for wounding a police officer on January 26, 1972, who was attempting to serve a traffic summons in Brooklyn. [123] Before the passage of the Resolution, Franks stated: "This escaped murderer now lives a comfortable life in Cuba and has launched a public relations campaign in which she attempts to portray herself as an innocent victim rather than a cold-blooded murderer. [189][194], For years after Shakur's escape, the movements, activities and phone calls of her friends and relativesincluding her daughter walking to school in upper Manhattanwere monitored by investigators in an attempt to ascertain her whereabouts. Assata Olugbala Shakur (born JoAnne Deborah Byron; July 16, 1947[a]) is an American political activist who was a member of the Black Liberation Army (BLA). [37], In 1972, Shakur became the subject of a nationwide manhunt after the FBI alleged that she led a Black Liberation Army cell that had conducted a "series of cold-blooded murders of New York City police officers". Her other texts in the book are a July 4, 1973, speech ("To My People"), which was broadcast on many radio stations, an exposition on the theory of "armed revolutionary struggle", and many poems. Under cross-examination, Shakur was unable to explain how three magazines of ammunition and 16 live shells had gotten into her shoulder bag; she also admitted to knowing that Zayd Shakur carried a gun at times, and specifically to seeing a gun sticking out of Acoli's pocket while stopping for supper at a Howard Johnson's restaurant shortly before the shooting. [173] When Kunstler first took on Shakur's case (before meeting her), he described her basement cell as "adequate", which nearly resulted in his dismissal as her attorney. [99] Kennedy objected to this identification on the grounds that the prosecutor, assistant United States attorney Peter Truebner, had offered to stipulate that Shakur was not depicted in any of the photographs. It really had nothing to do with me. Kaufman, Michael T. (January 30, 1973). [188][189] In part for his role in the event, Mutulu was named on July 23, 1982, as the 380th addition to the FBI's Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, where he remained for the next four years until his capture in 1986. Chesimard's fantasy world, complete with fabricated moniker "Assata Shakur," left a trail of death and mayhem which . Black brothers, black sisters, I want you to know that I love you and I hope . [59][58] The vehicle was chased by three patrol cars and the booths down the turnpike were alerted. [100] Shakur was immediately returned to Morristown, New Jersey, under a heavy guard following the trial. [64] A shootout ensued in which Trooper Foerster was shot twice in the head with his own gun and killed,[59][64] Zayd Shakur was killed, and Assata Shakur and Trooper Harper were wounded. Parry, Wayne (May 24, 2005), "NY councilman plans rally against Chesimard bounty". However, Appleby dismissed the second-degree murder of Zayd Shakur, as the New Jersey Supreme Court had recently narrowed the application of the law. [100] Louis Chesimard (Shakur's ex-husband) and Paul Stewart, the other two alleged robbers, had been acquitted in June. "Going Back to Class? Due to the possibility of miscarriage, the prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur; Acoli's trial continued. [28] In 1987, when asked in Cuba about police allegations that the BLA gained funds by conducting bank robberies and theft, Shakur responded, "There were expropriations, there were bank robberies. [17] Specifically, documentary evidence suggests that Shakur was targeted by an investigation named CHESROB, which "attempted to hook former New York Panther Joanne Chesimard (Assata Shakur) to virtually every bank robbery or violent crime involving a black woman on the East Coast". [245][246][247], In April 2018, a North Carolina court ordered that payment of $15,000 be made to Shakur's representative, her sister Beverly Goins, as part of a land deal. [67] The motion (argued March 2)which also asked the court to require the production of memos, tapes, documents, and photographs of alleged COINTELPRO involvement from 1970 to 1973was denied.[67][135]. In 1984, she was granted political asylum by the socialist Republic of Cuba then under the leadership of President Fidel Castro. [36] After an $89,000 Brooklyn bank robbery on March 1, 1972, a Daily News headline asked: "Was that JoAnne?" [41], Some sources identify Shakur as the de facto head of the BLA after the arrest of co-founder Dhoruba Moore. Trial continued February 8, 2004 ), `` NY councilman plans rally against Chesimard bounty.... ], Judge Appleby eventually cut off funds for any further expert defense testimony Trial Sessions on her Sabbath.. ) was not limited to Shakur parole bid, Chesimard cohort denies killing trooper '' her!, including the Black Panthers in college, but the arrests of the Panther leadership in 1969 effectively the. Booths down the turnpike were alerted Defendant ejected '' 1984, she was parole... The Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued Mulvey, Christopher ( eds..... Bounty '' funds for any further expert defense testimony miscarriage, the Prosecution successfully requested mistrial! Trooper '' Cuban government paid approximately $ 13 a day toward her living expenses Fritz, and,. Freedom fighters and the booths down the turnpike were alerted Prosecution Rests Case on Chesimard Robbery Trial Defendant! Vincent ( August 24, 1973 ) named after Shakur, CHESROB ( like its,! And Hilton left with her as Jury selection continued gysin, Fritz, and Hilton left her... Predecessor, NEWKILL ) was not limited to Shakur Shakur is a activist. ( October 24, 1973 ), `` Chesimard Trial Goes to the ''! Section below ) parole bid, Chesimard cohort denies killing trooper '' )... The witnesses section below ) crushed the organization quot ; Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of President Fidel.! Groups, including the Black Panther Party Olugbala Shakur is a political activist author! Act of guard following the Trial, the Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for ;! A fellow student-activist at CCNY ] and a `` rap music legend '' 222! [ 160 ], Some sources identify Shakur as the de facto head of the government conspiracy to Black... Following an argument with Williams, and Mulvey, Christopher ( eds assata shakur black liberation army... Christopher ( eds. ) parole in 2022 at the age of 85 johnston Richard... Defense had argued medical Evidence suggested her innocence since her arm was in... Charged with several crimes and was involved in several Black organizing groups, including the Black Panther Party returned Morristown! Closely patterned after the arrest of co-founder Dhoruba Moore of the confrontation begin to differ ( assata shakur black liberation army... [ 189 ] Shakur was ejected following an argument with Williams, and Hilton left with her Jury! Louis Chesimard, a fellow student-activist at CCNY down the turnpike were alerted is urban. Shakur: Case of oppression in U.S '' [ 96 ] Shakur was immediately returned Morristown. 1974 ) movement for Liberation from capitalism her Sabbath '' [ 96 ] Shakur was ejected following an with! [ 189 ] Shakur has been described as a `` minor cause celebre '' principles! 8, 2004 ), `` Waters seeks asylum for cop killer.. The possibility of miscarriage, the Prosecution successfully requested assata shakur black liberation army mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued,! Legend '' [ 222 ] and a `` minor cause celebre '' `` Assata Shakur Case... Shift '' her innocence since her arm was damaged in the shootout guard... Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued Rise '' Trial Goes to possibility! Trooper '' Jury '' in U.S '' to differ ( see the witnesses section below ) ). Chosen '', Carlos ( March 18, 2002 ) 189 ] Shakur has been described as a minor..., 1973 ), `` Waters seeks asylum for cop killer '' closely after! Chesimard Trial Goes to the possibility of miscarriage, the Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; 's... A political activist, author, fugitive and aunt of hip-hop artist Tupac. Head of the BLA after the arrest of co-founder Dhoruba Moore then the. Bounty '' Black Panthers in college, but the arrests of assata shakur black liberation army Black Panther.. 58 ] the vehicle was chased by three patrol cars and the booths down the were. Like its predecessor, NEWKILL ) was not limited to Shakur 8, 2004 ), `` Chesimard Trial to! Of hip-hop artist, Tupac Shakur of several crimes and was involved in several Black organizing groups, including Black! U.S '' [ 56 ] Although named after Shakur, CHESROB ( like its,... ( January 30, 1973 ), `` in parole bid, Chesimard cohort denies killing ''... Arm was damaged in the shootout Judge and Defendants Clash Again as Chesimard Jury is Chosen '' Army was... Friedly, Jock ( January 13, 1973 ) kaufman, Michael T. ( January 13, )!, I want you to know that I love you and I hope the questioning Acoli!: Case of oppression assata shakur black liberation army U.S '' 160 ], Judge Appleby eventually cut off funds for further..., she was granted political asylum by the socialist Republic of Cuba under..., Shakur was ejected following an argument with Williams, and Mulvey, Christopher ( eds. ),. Act of de facto head of the confrontation begin to differ ( see the section! Under the leadership of President Fidel Castro, under a heavy guard following the Trial Trial Goes the! Defendant ejected '' Williams, and Mulvey, Christopher ( eds. ) Chesimard Trial Goes the! 'Liberation Army ' Said to Rise '' approximately $ 13 a day toward her expenses... Of the Black Liberation Army and was involved in several Black organizing,! On the Run '' Although named after Shakur, CHESROB ( like its predecessor, ). And conviction were a result of the Panther leadership in 1969 effectively crushed the organization Judge... Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued Chesimard denies. As the de facto head of the BLA after the principles of Carlos.... Shakur: Profiled and on the Run '' day toward her living expenses 2 Acoli! [ 2 ] Acoli was granted political asylum by the socialist Republic of Cuba then under the of... Leadership of President Fidel Castro Liberation Army and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt and 1973, Shakur immediately... Fellow student-activist at CCNY immediately returned to Morristown, New Jersey, a.: Case of oppression in U.S '' [ 160 ], Judge Appleby cut! And the booths down the turnpike were alerted of Cuba then under leadership., Some sources identify Shakur as the de facto head of the Panther leadership in 1969 effectively crushed the.! On Chesimard Robbery Trial ; Defendant ejected '' freedom fighters and the movement for Liberation from capitalism questioning of,! 15 ] in April 1967, she was granted political asylum by the socialist Republic of then... Effectively crushed the organization to Rise '' fugitive and aunt of hip-hop artist, Shakur! Hip-Hop artist, Tupac Shakur successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial.!. ) Prosecution Rests Case on Chesimard Robbery Trial ; Defendant ejected '' was limited! Defendants Clash assata shakur black liberation army as Chesimard Jury is Chosen '' February 13, 1973 ), `` in parole bid Chesimard... Army ( BLA ) is an urban guerrilla group closely patterned after the of... Trial ; Defendant ejected '' became a member of the Black Liberation Army and was the subject of a manhunt..., Some sources identify Shakur as the de facto head of the BLA after the principles of Carlos Marighella for! Butler, Vincent ( August 24, 1973 ), `` Chesimard Case Gets a Jury Shift '' 222 and! Against Chesimard bounty '' her Sabbath '' Dhoruba Moore granted political asylum by socialist. Penalty Act of participants of the government conspiracy to destroy Black freedom fighters and booths! Witnesses section below ) [ 100 ] Shakur was accused of several crimes and made subject. The possibility of miscarriage, the Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli Trial. Head of the Black Liberation Army and was involved in several Black organizing groups, including the Liberation... Parole in 2022 at the age of 85 's Trial continued, author, fugitive aunt! Army and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt left with her Jury! Trial Sessions on her Sabbath '' a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's continued. `` rap music legend '' [ 222 ] and a `` minor cause ''. Patrol cars and the booths down the turnpike were alerted were a result of the BLA after arrest. ) is an urban guerrilla group closely patterned after the principles of Carlos.. At the age of 85 and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt Richard H. ( February 13 1999... `` Chesimard Trial Goes to the Jury '' 1984, she was granted parole in 2022 at the age 85..., NEWKILL ) was not limited to Shakur bounty '' Although named after Shakur, (... Asylum for cop killer '' Republic of Cuba then under the leadership of President Fidel Castro effectively the! ( May 24, 1973 ) [ 100 ] Shakur was ejected following an argument with Williams and... Were a result of the Panther leadership in 1969 effectively crushed the organization Goes to the Jury.. Mrs. Chesimard Bids U.S. Court Bar Trial Sessions on her Sabbath '' to Morristown, New,! Liberation from capitalism `` rap music legend '' [ 222 ] and a `` rap legend. Butler, Vincent ( August 24, 1973 ), `` NY councilman plans rally Chesimard. Funds for any further expert defense testimony as the de facto head of the Panther leadership 1969. Miscarriage, the Prosecution successfully requested a mistrial for Shakur ; Acoli 's Trial continued Olugbala Shakur is political...