Assata Shakur, Former Black Liberation Army Member, Has Died

Joanne Chesimard, also known as Assata Shakur, who was part of the Black Liberation Army, passed away on Friday, as announced in a statement. She was convicted of killing a New Jersey state trooper and later fled to Cuba.

In 1977, Chesimard, at the age of 29, was found guilty of first-degree murder for the death of Trooper Verner Forster and received a life sentence, according to the New York Times. Cuba’s Foreign Ministry confirmed her death, citing issues related to her health and age. “On September 25th, 2025, American citizen Joanne Deborah Byron, known as Assata Shakur, died in Havana due to health complications and advanced age,” the statement said.

According to the New York Times, the incident began on May 2, 1973, when Trooper James Harper stopped a white Pontiac with Vermont plates on the New Jersey Turnpike. He called for backup, and during this process, Trooper Forster was fatally shot. At that time, Chesimard was a passenger in the car alongside the driver and another individual, James Costan.

The FBI had previously listed Chesimard as wanted for her involvement in multiple serious crimes, including bank robbery. During her trial in 1973, she accused the judge of racial bias, claiming she felt “humiliated” during the proceedings.

Chesimard escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey in 1979. Reports suggest that two men aided her escape by overpowering guards. Following her escape, she made her way to Mexico and later arrived in Cuba in 1984, where the government granted her political asylum.

In 2013, the FBI added her to their list of most wanted fugitives, offering a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to her capture. According to CBS News, Chesimard published an autobiography in 1987 and had been teaching in Cuba, living under a degree of protection from extradition.