(AllHipHop News) Who didn’t see this coming? Chris Christie has already jumped into the political furor as U.S. President Obama and Cuba’s Rubio Castro seem to be easing political tensions between the neighboring nations.
Christie, a who is vying to be Donald Trump’s running mate, has called for the extradition of Assata Shakur, an activist that was convicted of killing a New Jersey State trooper in the 1970’s. Shakur managed to escape prison and found political asylum in Cuba.
In an op-ed piece, Christie wrote, “For more than three decades, the Cuban government has given safe harbor and refuge to a domestic terrorist – a cop killer who was duly tried and convicted by a jury of her peers, sentenced to imprisonment, and who fled justice rather than pay for her crimes. Every day that she remains at large from justice has been a travesty to her victims’ families and the memory of Trooper Foerster.”
To many, Shakur has been a symbol of the injustice and criminality of the United States government which has owned up to clandestine operations like COINTELPRO. More recently, a aid to president Nixon admitted to a war against African Americans by the disgraced president.
Autumn Marie, who is a member of Black Lives Matter NYC and the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, countered Christie’s claims, citing highly ignored facts.
“There was no evidence Assata committed a crime that night. In fact the evidence and ballistics reports show otherwise. She was put in a men’s facility, her well being was not safe and she was by no means guaranteed a just trial in this country,” Marie told AllHipHop exclusively. “She has lived a peaceful existence since she arrived in Cuba and inspired people around the world with her story. She has not been a threat to anyone. The case needs to be re-examined not just to exonerate Assata but also to bring charges against the police for their excessive force and other wrong doings.”
For more, Marie encourages people to read http://assatateachin.com/factsofhecase, for facts of the case.
Last year, a representative for Cuba stated on the record that they would not extradite Assata.
“I can say it is off the table,” said Gustavo Machin, the deputy director for American affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Like Marie, Machin questioned the case down to the core of Assata Shakur’s 1977 criminal trial. “There are very serious doubts about that case. We consider that a politically motivated case against that lady,” Machin said last March.
Over the weekend, Chris Christie became the subject of more foolery when he was photographed double-f###### bags of M&M candy.
