Gov. Chris Christie Tells Trump: Make Cuba Return Escaped Cop-Killer Joanne Chesimard
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is calling for President Trump to push for the extradition of Joanne Chesimard.
Gov. Chris Christie Wants Joanne Chesimard Brought To Justice
Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie took to FOX News this weekend, to call on the Trump administration to bring justice to fugitive cop-killer, Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur. The plea came on the eve of the 40th anniversary of her conviction for the murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster.
In what would become one of the most notorious brutal killings of a New Jersey law enforcement officer, Trooper Werner Foerster was gunned down on May 2nd, 1973, when he responded to assist a fellow officer on the New Jersey Turnpike.
The troopers encountered three members of the Black Liberation Army, a radical group that was responsible for the deaths of at least 10 police officers and multiple injuries to others.
The three BLA members began fighting with the Troopers and were able to disarm Trooper Foerster and kill him with his own service weapon. Trooper James Harper was wounded but was able to return fire and kill one of the three suspects.
The two remaining killers were captured and convicted in 1977 for the murder of Foerster. Joanne Chesimard, who was also a member of the Black Panther Party, escaped from prison in 1979 and fled to Cuba in 1984.
Chesimard has since received political asylum from the communist Cuban government.
More recently, Chesimard has become a darling of the far-left who ignore the fact that she’s a killer and refer to her as a “freedom fighter” and “escaped slave.”
Days before leaving office, Obama signed a new understanding with Cuba but agreed not to call for the return of our fugitives as part of the agreement.
Now, Gov. Christie wants to make sure that no further agreements are made without including the return of this violent criminal.
“I hope that what the Trump administration is going to do is, before we take any further steps with the relationship with Cuba, first and foremost, return this fugitive from justice so that she can rightfully serve the rest of her term for murdering a police officer,” Gov. Christie said.
In February, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said they would conduct a full review of all US-Cuban policies, according to NJ.com and Gov. Christie has since called specifically on the Secretary of State to make the return of Chesimard a must.
“This is something that Secretary of State Tillerson and others in the Trump administration should make a top priority,” Christie said.
Gov. Christie used a platform like FOX News and Twitter to make it known that this issue matters, rather than just calling President Trump. It showed that he wanted the spotlight back on this fallen hero, his brutal murder, and the injustice that occurred in part because the Cuban government harbored Chesimard for all of these years.
“[Foerster] gave his life. And his family has lived for the last 40 years with the knowledge that his murderer has been living with impunity in an island protected by that government,” said Christie. “It’s outrageous.”
Thank you Governor Christie for bringing attention back to Officer Foerster and his sacrifice. We hope that the Trump administration makes bringing back ths killer a top priority.
