Rubio Slams Cuba for Sheltering NJ Trooper’s Killer Joanne Chesimard

In a tragic echo from May 2, 1973, the cold-blooded killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a routine traffic stop on the New Jersey Turnpike still haunts the state’s law enforcement community. Joanne Chesimard, a member of the radical Black Liberation Army, was among the armed militants in the car that opened fire, leaving Foerster dead with four bullets. Decades later, her escape from a New Jersey prison in 1979 and her subsequent refuge in Cuba have reignited demands for justice.

Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, has lived freely in Cuba, shielded by a regime that Secretary of State Marco Rubio condemns for harboring terrorists and criminals. "The Cuban government’s protection of fugitives like Chesimard is an affront to justice," Rubio declared, pointing to the estimated 70 U.S. fugitives, including murderers and hijackers, who enjoy safe haven in Havana. New Jersey State Police Superintendent Colonel Patrick J. Callahan keeps Foerster’s handcuffs ready, vowing, "I want her back yesterday."

The push for extradition has gained momentum under President Donald Trump, who in 2017 demanded Cuba return Chesimard and others. His administration’s re-designation of Cuba as a state sponsor of terrorism and new sanctions signal a harder line. Senator Rick Scott, sponsoring the Frank Connor and Trooper Werner Foerster Justice Act, calls Cuba’s actions "disgusting" and urges stronger economic pressure to force the return of fugitives.

The bill also honors Frank Connor, killed in a 1975 bombing at New York’s Fraunces Tavern by the Puerto Rican terrorist group FALN. Its chief bombmaker, Willie Morales, also fled to Cuba. Connor’s son, Joe, insists the U.S. has the economic leverage to bring these fugitives back, saying, "Justice for my dad would mean everything."

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy and Colonel Callahan emphasize that Foerster’s death remains an "open wound" for the state police, who have lost 78 troopers in their 104-year history. As Callahan puts it, "Not a day goes by that I’m not working to bring her back." The fight for justice, it seems, is far from over.