Rep. Scott Garrett Makes Statement on Terrorist Joanne Chesimard
May 3, 2013
Ridgewood, NJ – Rep. Scott Garrett (R-NJ), issued the following statement after the FBI added Joanne Chesimard to the Most Wanted Terrorist list for her 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster:
“New Jersey officials have made several attempts to have Ms. Chesimard extradited, but their efforts have been unsuccessful. In the wake of the 40th anniversary of the cold-blooded murder of Trooper Forester, I once again implore the Obama Administration to make Ms. Chesimard’s extradition a top priority. By aiding a convicted murderer, Cuba has insulted not only the state of New Jersey but also the U.S. legal system and U.S. law enforcement officers. Joanne Chesimard robbed Rose Foerster of a husband, Eric Forester of a father, thousands of state troopers of a beloved colleague, countless others of a dependable friend, and the state of New Jersey of an outstanding public servant. Good conscience cannot allow her crimes to continue to go unpunished.”
Background: According to court testimony, New Jersey State Troopers stopped James Costan in 1973 for driving a vehicle with a broken taillight and slightly exceeding the speed limit. When Mr. Costan was asked to exit the vehicle to explain a discrepancy on his photo identification, passenger Joanne Chesimard pulled out a gun and shot Trooper Foerster. In the ensuing firefight, Trooper Foerster was killed.
In 1977, Ms. Chesimard was convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. After serving only two years of her sentence, she successfully escaped from the Clinton Correctional Facility for Women in New Jersey. She eventually reappeared in Cuba in the 1980s. According to authorities, she had been granted political asylum by the former Cuban president, Fidel Castro.
On May 2, 2013, the 40th anniversary of the cold-blooded murder of a New Jersey state Trooper, Joanne Chesimard, was named a Most Wanted Terrorist by the FBI—the first woman ever to make the list.