IV

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 244

Calling on the Government of Cuba to extradite Joanne Chesimard from

Cuba to the United States.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 17, 1998

Mr. FRANKS of New Jersey submitted the following concurrent resolution;

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Calling on the Government of Cuba to extradite Joanne

Chesimard from Cuba to the United States.

Whereas on May 2, 1973, Joanne Chesimard and 2 friends

were stopped in their vehicle by New Jersey State Troopers James Harper and Werner Foerster on the New Jersey Turnpike;

Whereas while being questioned, Ms. Chesimard and the driver opened fire with automatic pistols striking Trooper

Werner Foerster twice in the chest and Trooper James

Harper in the left shoulder;

Whereas the suspects then turned Trooper Foerster’s own

weapon on him firing an additional two bullets into his

head execution style;
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•HCON 244 IH

Whereas this heinous and premeditated act resulted in the

tragic death of New Jersey State Trooper Werner

Foerster;

Whereas Trooper Foerster left behind a wife, Rose Foerster,

and family;

Whereas in 1977, after a 6 week trial, a jury found Ms.

Chesimard guilty of first-degree murder for the slaying of

Trooper Foerster, a respected New Jersey State Trooper;

Whereas as a result of this conviction Ms. Chesimard was

sentenced to life in a New Jersey State prison;

Whereas in 1979, Ms. Chesimard broke free from a maximum security cell at the Reformatory for Women in Clinton, New Jersey, with the help of 4 men who took a

guard and prison van driver hostage;

Whereas after escaping prison, Ms. Chesimard fled to Cuba

for political asylum, a country which has no extradition

treaty with the United States;

Whereas there are currently more than 90 other United

States fugitives living in Cuba under political asylum;

Whereas these fugitives have been convicted of crimes in the

United States and have not paid their debt to society;

Whereas countries should respect each other’s justice systems

and not provide safe-harbor to felons who murder law enforcement officers;

Whereas people in New Jersey were shocked and outraged to

see television interviews showing Ms. Chesimard living

freely in Cuba, portraying herself as the victim and denying any crimes against Trooper Foerster;
3

•HCON 244 IH

Whereas the Governor of New Jersey, Christine Whitman,

has requested Federal assistance from Attorney General

Janet Reno for the return of Ms. Chesimard; and

Whereas Members of Congress have petitioned Secretary of

State Madeleine Albright requesting that the Department

of State do everything in its power to get Joanne

Chesimard returned to the United States to live out the

rest of her life behind bars: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the Government of Cuba should extradite

4 convicted murderer Joanne Chesimard to the United

5 States in order for her to complete her life sentence

6 for the murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner

7 Foerster; and

8 (2) the United States should not ease any re9 strictions currently in place with respect to Cuba be10 fore Ms. Chesimard is extradited to the United

11 States.

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