Today, the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs posted on X the following demand for justice to be done in this case.
“Today, 52 years after his brutal murder, we remember New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster. His killer, Joanne Chesimard, fled to Cuba and remains wanted in the U.S. The Cuban regime must stop celebrating known murderers and return both this murderous fugitive and all other U.S. fugitives immediately.”
They also posted the following graphic with a quote from Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
“The Cuban regime continues to provide safe haven for terrorists and criminals, including fugitives from the United States. The brutal killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster will never be forgotten, and we will never stop fighting for justice.”
Earlier today, Eric Shawn, a senior journalist for Fox News, reported on the growing clamor to send American fugitives back from Cuba to face justice in the United States, including convicted cop-killer Joanne Chesimard.
There are many other cases, in the United States, Latin America, and Europe.
For example, fifty years ago on January 24, 1975, the Havana-backed Puerto Rican terrorist group Armed Forces for National Liberation (FALN) carried out a bombing attack at lunch time at the Fraunces Tavern in New York City that claimed the lives of Alejandro Berger, 28; Frank Connor, 33; James Gezork ,32; and Harold Sherburne, 66; and injured more than fifty others. The FALN’s bombmaker William Morales, a fugitive from U.S. justice, is harbored today in Cuba by the communist dictatorship. Joseph Connor testified before a Congressional Subcommittee in December 2024 about the murder of his father, Frank Connor, in the 1975 terrorist attack.
“Fidel Castro helped the M-19 in many of its interventions in Colombia. It must even be said that M-19 troops were trained in Cuba, which separated the Cuban government from the Colombian government. Relations were broken,” said Gustavo Petro, a former member of the terrorist group M-19, and today president of Colombia, in 2016.
Cuba was included on the State Sponsors of Terrorism list in 1982 because of its ties to the Colombian terrorist organization M-19, its assistance in smuggling drugs into the United States, and its provision of weapons. The list was established in 1979.
Greater context is available in the 2024 Center for a Free Cuba short documentary “Terrorism: The Cuban Connection” that is available on YouTube.
At 12:01pm on X the FBI Most Wanted account posted the following graphic on the fugitive Chesimard with the following text.
The #FBI offers a reward of up to $1,000,000 for info directly leading to the apprehension of Joanne Chesimard, wanted for escaping from prison in Clinton, NJ, while serving a life sentence for the May 2, 1973, murder of a New Jersey State Police trooper: https://www.fbi.gov/wanted/wanted_terrorists/joanne-deborah-chesimard
From the archives
In Memoriam – 1970’s
They gave their lives upholding our tradition of Honor, Duty, Fidelity.
Trooper Werner Foerster
Badge: # 2608
Class: 82
Rank: Trooper
Age: 34
Died: 5-2-1973
DOB: 8-19-1938
Cause: Murdered/Gun
Site: NJ Turnpike M.P.# 83 SB East Brunswick, Middlesex Co.
Stationed: Troop “D” New Brunswick
Service Time: 2 years 10 months
Resided: Old Bridge, Middlesex Co.
Werner Foerster was born on August 19, 1938 in Leipzig, Saxony, Germany. He was a high school graduate and a veteran of the Vietnam War, serving in the U.S. Army from December 8, 1963 until December 8, 1965. He was also a member of the Deutscher Club of Clark, NJ. He resided in Old Bridge, Middlesex County, New Jersey.
Prior to his enlistment in the New Jersey State Police, Trooper Foerster was employed by Ross Engineering in New Brunswick, New Jersey as a welder.
Trooper Foerster joined the New Jersey State Police as a member of the 82nd State Police Class on July 24, 1970. During his short career, he was stationed at the Toms River, Colts Neck, Fort Dix and Keyport stations. His last assignment, beginning on November 13, 1972, was at Troop “D” Headquarters in New Brunswick. His service with the Division was characterized by loyalty, fearless performance of duty and faithful and honorable devotion to the principals of the New Jersey State Police.
The death of Trooper Foerster was a result of gunshot wounds sustained in the performance of his duty.
At 12:45 a.m. on May 2, 1973, Trooper James M. Harper, assigned to the New Brunswick station on the New Jersey Turnpike, stopped a Vermont registered vehicle approximately 200 yards south of the New Brunswick station. Trooper Foerster, patrolling nearby, backed-up Trooper Harper.
Trooper Harper approached the vehicle and asked the driver for his Driver’s License and Registration. Noting a discrepancy in the registration, the driver was asked to step out of his vehicle. The driver was then questioned by Trooper Foerster as Trooper Harper went to question the other occupants.
Shots were fired from within the vehicle at the troopers. There was an exchange of gunfire. In the exchange, Trooper Harper was wounded in the left shoulder and arm. Trooper Foerster was found near his patrol car, deceased. He died from multiple gunshot wounds to his chest sometime between 12:30 a.m and 1:30 a.m.
Trooper Foerster served two years and 10 months with the New Jersey State Police.
Trooper Foerster was survived by his wife and a 3 year-old son. He was 34 years old.