Biography
Assata Shakur (birth name Joanne Chesimard) was a leader of the BLA and the Black Panthers alleged to be the culprit in countless armed robberies and murders of police officers in and around New York City. In 1977 she was sentenced to over 20 years in prison for assault, robbery, and aiding a murder in a 1973 shootout with state troopers on the New Jersey Turnpike.
The trial was very much publicized with crowds of civil rights activists around the courthouse each day. All 15 jurors in the trial were white, and five of them had personal ties to state troopers. Her lawyers were frequently held in contempt of court which was cited as an instance of systemic bias. Her chief lawyer was also forced to strip naked and undergo a body search every time he visited Shakur, in which she was shackled to a bed. Additionally, it was hard to cite expert anatomical testimonies in the trial (which were the key component of Shakur's defense) because most experts cited conflict of interest as they had frequently testified for law enforcement officials, as well as because the judge cut off funds for any further expert testimony. After the conviction, Shakur said "I am ashamed that I have even taken part in this trial" due to the fierce racism.
