Browse, borrow, and enjoy titles from the Minuteman Library Network digital collection. . She surfaced in Cuba in 1984, where she was granted political asylum. [62] Shakur, in her autobiography, and Williams, in Inadmissible Evidence, both claim that it was difficult to find expert witnesses for the trial, because of the expense and because most forensic and ballistic specialists declined on the grounds of a conflict of interest when approached because they routinely performed such work for law enforcement officials. [70] Ball's questioning ended with the following exchange: On that night of May 2[n]d, did you shoot, kill, execute or have anything to do with the death of Trooper Werner Foerster? [205] The book does not give a detailed account of her involvement in the BLA or the events on the New Jersey Turnpike, except to say that the jury "[c]onvicted a woman with her hands up! Assata Shakur, or JoAnne Chesimard as the media and authorities continued to call her, was acknowledged to be the soul of the BLA. "[159], Dr. David Spain, a pathologist from Brookdale Community College, testified that her bullet scars as well as X-rays supported her claim that her arms were raised, and that there was "no conceivable way" the first bullet could have hit Shakur's clavicle if her arm was down. 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." Director and Others to Testify on Program Aimed at Harassing Activists". Seller with a 100% positive feedback. Exploring her well-read autobiography last year changed my life. Dos aos despus de ser condenada, Assata Shakur escap de la crcel y obtuvo asilo poltico en Cuba, donde vive en la actualidad. [81] A contemporary New York Times editorial criticized Williams for failing to maintain courtroom "decorum," comparing her actions to William Kunstler's recent contempt conviction for his actions during the "Chicago Seven" trial. (December 15, 1973). Assata Olugbala Shakur is an Black civil rights activist who was a member of the Black Panther Party (BPP) and Black Liberation Army (BLA). The film premiered at the San Diego Black Film Festival and starred Assata Shakur herself. On May 2 1973, Black Panther activist Assata Shakur (fsn) Joanne Deborah Chesimard, was pulled over by the New Jersey State Police, shot twice and then charged with murder of a police officer. But one issue not raised during his visit was the fate of Assata Shakur, the legendary figure within the Black Panther Party and the Black Liberation Army who now lives in Cuba, where she has political asylum. James, Joy, and Sharpley-Whiting, T. Denean (2000). [81], Sundiata Acoli, Assata Shakur, Trooper Harper, and a New Jersey Turnpike driver who saw part of the incident were the only surviving witnesses. [12], She was booked on charges of attempted robbery, felonious assault, reckless endangerment, and possession of a deadly weapon, then released on bail. [83] In protest, the lawyers stayed mute, and Shakur and Sadiki conducted their own defense. Assata Shakur, Joanne Byron, Barbara Odoms, Joanne Chesterman, Joan Davis, Justine Henderson, Mary Davis, Pat Chesimard, Jo-Ann Chesimard, . Farley, Anthony Paul (March 2001). (December 13, 1973), "Chesimard Trial Goes To The Jury". [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. Between 1971 and 1973, Shakur was accused of several crimes and made the subject of a multi-state manhunt. They have called us gangsters and gun molls and have compared us to such (February 20, 1974). [87] White and Rivers, although having pled guilty, had not yet been sentenced for the robbery and were promised that the charges would be dropped in exchange for their testimony. Between 1971 and 1973, she was charged with several crimes and was the subject of a multi-state manhunt. [236] Rutgers University professor H. Bruce Franklin, who excerpts Shakur's book in a class on 'Crime and Punishment in American Literature,' describes her as a "revolutionary fighter against imperialism". 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. [17] In Oakland, Shakur worked with the BPP to organize protests and community education programs. [164] Three other defendants were indicted in relation to the same holdup: Melvin Kearney, who died in 1976 from an eight-floor fall while trying to escape from the Brooklyn House of Detention, Twymon Myers, who was killed by police while a fugitive, and Andrew Jackson, the charges against whom were dismissed when two prosecution witnesses could not identify him in a lineup. [29][30][31][32] Law enforcement officials in Atlanta, Georgia, said that Shakur and Jackson had lived together in Atlanta for several months in the summer of 1971. The name of Assata Shakur, a woman convicted in the 1973 killing of a New Jersey state trooper, has been used by Black Lives Matter to illustrate what the group called Cuba's "solidarity with. Assata Olugbala Shakur is best known for her civil rights activism in the Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army. Quick Reference. "Mistrial Declared in Chesimard Case as Jury Splits 11-1". [93], The retrial was delayed for one day to give the defendants more time to prepare. [158] Additionally, in his autobiography, Kunstler alleged that he later learned from a law enforcement agent that a New Jersey State Assembly member had addressed the jury at the hotel where they were sequestered, urging them to convict Shakur. [105] New Jersey Superior Court Judge Leon Gerofsky ordered a change of venue in 1973 from Middlesex to Morris County, New Jersey, saying "it was almost impossible to obtain a jury here comprising people willing to accept the responsibility of impartiality so that defendants will be protected from transitory passion and prejudice. [196] In particular, one pre-dawn April 20, 1980, raid on 92Morningside Avenue, during which FBI agents armed with shotguns and machine guns broke down doors and searched through the building for several hours while preventing residents from leaving, was seen by residents as having "racist overtones". & the Militant". [25] In 1987, Shakur confirmed to a journalist that there was a drug connection in this incident but refused to elaborate. See Kirsta, Alix (May 29, 1999), "A black and white case Investigation Joanne Chesimard". [144] According to Kunstler's autobiography, the sizable contingent of New Jersey State Troopers guarding the courthouse were under strict orders from their commander, Col. Clinton Pagano, to completely shun Shakur's defense attorneys. [76], During an interview, Assata Shakur discussed her treatment by the police and medical staff at Middlesex General Hospital. New Jersey v. Chesimard, 555 F.2d 63 (3d Cir. (May 3, 1973), "2 Die in Shootout; Militant Seized". In her autobiography, Shakur claims that she was beaten and restrained by several large female officers after refusing a medical exam from a prison doctor shortly after giving birth. Jones, Robert A. negras y a sus lderes, Shakur pas cuatro aos en la crcel antes de su condena en 1977, sustentada en pruebas poco slidas. [134], Shakur's attorneys sought a new trial on the grounds that one jury member, John McGovern, had violated the jury's sequestration order. Trooper Harper was wounded in the left shoulder, reported in "good" condition, and given a protective guard at the hospital. [148] Her lawyers also claimed that their offices were bugged. ", 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. [195][200] In 1985, her daughter, Kakuya, who had been raised by Shakur's mother in New York, came to live with her. [107], Before jury selection was complete, it was discovered that Shakur was pregnant. For the book, see, Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, Howell, Ron (October 11, 1987) "'On the Run With Assata Shakur' -, "Hands Off Assata Shakur: Angela Davis Calls for Radical Activism to Protect Activist Exiled in Cuba. [78], On the charges related to the New Jersey Turnpike shootout, New Jersey Superior Court Judge Leon Gerofsky ordered a change of venue in 1973 from Middlesex to Morris County, New Jersey, saying "it was almost impossible to obtain a jury here comprising people willing to accept the responsibility of impartiality so that defendants will be protected from transitory passion and prejudice. [58] Acoli was captured after a 36-hour manhuntinvolving 400 people, state police helicopters, and bloodhounds. The National Conference of Black Lawyers and Mos Def are among the professional organizations and entertainers to support Assata Shakur; the "Hands Off Assata" campaign is organized by Dream Hampton.[221]. Johnston, Richard J. H. (March 9, 1974). [227], A documentary film about Shakur, Eyes of the Rainbow, written and directed by Cuban filmmaker Gloria Rolando, appeared in 1997. [9] 781 likes, 20 comments - Jermaine (@therealblackhistorian) on Instagram: "Tupac Shakur was under the radar because of his life long connection with the Black Panther Party." Jermaine on Instagram: "Tupac Shakur was under the radar because of his life long connection with the Black Panther Party and other militant revolutionaries. 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). Wilfredo, Cancio Isla (December 18, 2007). [244], In July 2017, the Women's March official Twitter feed celebrated Shakur's birthday, leading to criticism from some right-wing media outlets. [232] As of April 7, 2010, the presiding judge has ruled that the issues of students' free speech and administrators' immunity from suit "deserve a trial". They financed this by stealing $105,000 from a Bamberger's store in Paramus, New Jersey. The New York Amsterdam News section is an ad in support of Assata Shakur. She said that the police beat and choked her and were "doing everything that they could possibly do as soon as the doctors or nurses would go outside". [86] The prosecution called four witnesses: Avon White and John Rivers (both of whom had already pled guilty to the robbery) and the manager and teller of the bank. to Aid Search for Miss Chesimard; Jersey Authorities Tell Magistrate She Apparently Fled the State After Her Prison Escape Visitors Were Not Searched Drove Across a Field Visitation Policies Under Review Official Account of Escape". [98] In the retrial, White testified that the six alleged robbers had saved their hair clippings to create disguises, and identified a partially obscured head and shoulder in a photo taken from a surveillance camera as Shakur's. [100] Shakur was immediately returned to Morristown, New Jersey, under a heavy guard following the trial. [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. [62][133] During the trial, hundreds of civil rights campaigners demonstrated outside of the Middlesex County courthouse each day. [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. Hepp, Rick (October 31, 2004). [104], The Turnpike shootout proceedings continued with Judge John E. Bachman in Middlesex County. Their married life ended within a year; they divorced in December 1970. [5][6], Assata Shakur was born Joanne Deborah Byron, in Flushing, Queens, New York City, on July 16, 1947. "Black Liberation leaders indicted". Kaufman, Michael T. (January 30, 1973). [133], Shakur was identified as a political prisoner as early as October 8, 1973, by Angela Davis,[180] and in an April 3, 1977, The New York Times advertisement purchased by the Easter Coalition for Human Rights. Assata Shakur expresses her concerns about how her fellow people have been treated in America. 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