NJ reps renew talk on escapee controversy

By: Phil Gregory

New Jersey lawmakers and police officials are urging the U-S government not to resume normal diplomatic relations with Cuba unless a convicted cop killer is returned to the Garden State.

By: Phil Gregory
pgregory@wbgo.org

New Jersey lawmakers and police officials are urging the U.S. government not to resume normal diplomatic relations with Cuba unless a convicted cop killer is returned to the Garden State.
Caption: Joanne Chesimard or Assata Shakur

Listen:
[audio: 090521pgcuba.mp3]

Joanne Chesimard is better known as Assata Shakur. In 1979, she escaped from a maximum security prison in Clinton, New Jersey, where she had been serving a life term for the murder of State Trooper Werner Forester. She fled to Cuba and was granted political asylum. The resolution calls for any easing of economic sanctions and travel restrictions to be delayed until Shakur is extradited.

State Police Benevolent Association president Tony Wieners says the rank and file won’t be satisfied until Shakur is back behind bars in the U.S.

Wieners: Cubans protection of this murderer is a mockery to the U.S. criminal justice system and an insult to Trooper Foerster’s family and police officers everywhere.

So far there has been no official response from Washington.