Bill Text: NJ AJR97 | 2020-2021 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Urges Congress to pass resolution calling for extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and other fugitives from Cuba to U.S.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-02-20 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee [AJR97 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2020-AJR97-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Urges Congress to pass resolution calling for extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and other fugitives from Cuba to U.S.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
A Joint Resolution urging Congress to pass the resolution calling for the extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and other fugitives from Cuba to the United States.
Whereas, Joanne Chesimard, named on the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) most wanted terrorist list, was convicted of the May 2, 1973 murder of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster; and
Whereas, William Morales, leader and chief bomb-maker for the terrorist organization Fuerzas Armadas de Liberación Nacional, committed numerous terrorist attacks on United States soil, including the bombings of Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan on January 24, 1975, and the Mobil Oil employment office in New York on August 3, 1977, which killed five people and injured over 60 others; and
Whereas, More than 70 fugitives from the United States, charged with offenses ranging from hijacking to kidnapping to drug offenses to murder, are believed to be receiving safe haven in Cuba; and
Whereas, Other fugitives from United States justice who are receiving safe haven in Cuba include Charles Hill who is wanted for the killing of a State trooper in New Mexico and Victor Manuel Gerena who is on the FBI's list of the ten most wanted fugitives for carrying out a brutal robbery of a Wells Fargo armored car in Connecticut; and
Whereas, According to the treaty between the United States and Cuba for the Mutual Extradition of Fugitives from Justice, signed in Washington on April 6, 1904, and the Additional Extradition Treaty between the United States and Cuba, signed in Havana on January 14, 1926, the United States has a bilateral extradition treaty with Cuba; and
Whereas, In January 2002, the government of Cuba deported to the United States Jesse James Bell, a United States fugitive wanted on drug charges; and
Whereas, In March 2002, the government of Cuba extradited drug trafficker Luis Hernando Gomez Bustamante to Colombia, and Gomez Bustamante was subsequently extradited to the United States in July 2007 to face drug trafficking charges; and
Whereas, United States Senator Robert Menendez, the United States Senator for New Jersey's 13th congressional district, introduced Senate Resolution No. 232 calling for the immediate extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and all other fugitives from justice who are receiving safe haven in Cuba in order to escape prosecution or confinement in the United States; and
Whereas,
It is imperative that the government of Cuba abide by its extradition treaty
with the United States and immediately extradite or expel to the United States
those legally indicted or convicted of serious criminal offenses in the United
States; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. The Governor and the Legislature of the State of New Jersey
respectfully urge the United States Congress to pass United States Senate Resolution No. 232 calling for the immediate extradition or expulsion to the United States of convicted felons Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and all other fugitives from justice who are receiving safe haven in Cuba in order to escape prosecution or confinement for criminal offenses committed in the United States.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State,
shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to the President of the United States, the Majority and Minority Leaders of the United States Senate, the Speaker and Minority Leader of the United States House of Representatives, and every member of Congress elected from this State.
3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This joint resolution urges the United States Congress to pass United States Senate Resolution No. 232 calling for the immediate extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and all other fugitives from justice who are receiving safe haven in Cuba in order to escape prosecution or confinement in the United States.
United States Senator Robert Menendez of New Jersey and United States Senator Marco Rubio of Florida recently introduced United States Senate Resolution No. 232 calling for the immediate extradition of Joanne Chesimard, William Morales, and all other fugitives from justice.
State authorities have made numerous efforts to extradite Joanne Chesimard and in 2013, Joanne Chesimard was the first woman named to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's most wanted terrorist list.
In 2015, President Obama restored diplomatic relations that the United States severed with Cuba more than 50 years ago. In light of this re-establishment of relations, Cuba is urged to immediately extradite all fugitives.
