Joanne Chesimard- New Jersey- 1973

I agree with Pakman a "compromise" would be giving her a new trial. I'd be all for it. Right now, she was convicted, she's guilty to me. This isn't Sarah Pender. No one who was involved in bringing her to justice has said they no longer believe she's guilty. But if a new trial happened with new evidence or circumstances not revealed from the first trial and a jury cleared her based on that, I'd accept that as well as harsh as I am based on the current conviction. But she should be back on U.S. soil for that trial.

I don't normally share my politics on this forum, but while I think opening lines of communication with Cuba might be worth trying, if they're still going to be uncooperative regarding fugitives, it does feel like they're getting a lot more from us than we are from them.

For the first time in a long time, I am encouraged. I don't usually like to get political in non off-topic threads. But during President Obama's State of The Union speech, he said, regarding U.S.-Cuba relations, that if you're something you're doing doesn't work for fifty years, it's time to try something new. I agree with him on that. However, Cuba still harboring Chesimard and other fugitives is what makes me weary.

Now it seems like there is some hope at least as opposed to no hope. I still say if worse comes to worse, at least give Chesimard a new trial. But she has to come back here for it.

She used to hide out in plain sight. I think now she's a little more low key but still believed there. As far as going to even more extremes, I understand she is considered a terrorist on the FBI's website. However, in most cases you can't send snipers after a fugitive obviously. That's not how the justice system works and I don't condone shooting and killing a fugitive unless in self-defense, a prison escapee who disobeys a command, or a hostage situation. However, if one wants to claim some sort of legal gray area because she's considered a terrorist like Bin Laden I guess they can make somewhat of an argument although my personal opinion is it's far-fetched.

In any case, the U.S. would never do that because it would set back U.S.-Cuba relations they are now trying to improve- to likely no relations at all anymore after that, not to mention it would meet with a lot of protest in the U.S. itself.

They seem to be making some progress and are now at least "talking" about her it seems with the improved relations.

I believe the FBI mentioned on Twitter that some of this week's featured cases would be related to crimes against law enforcement since it was Police Week.

I usually don't like to get too political on here but since it's been mentioned in the media, Pope Francis is in Cuba and helping to deepen diplomatic ties between them and the U.S.

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has criticized this, citing Cuba is still refusing to give up Joanne Chesimard.

So here's my take:

While I certainly understand Governor Christie's argument, I do think that thanks to the somewhat improved relations in the past year, the odds of us ever seeing the day of Chesimard being sent back here is probably better than they were before 2014.

If we were still in the cold war era of relations, there would be no chance of getting Chesimard sent back here. And in my opinion, even though admittedly the odds are against it, the odds are now better with improved relations. (In other words, it went from no chance in hell to slight chance in hell).

The U.S. and Cuba relationship is still thawing and there are still a lot of areas that need work, and need progress. Hopefully Chesimard will come up in due time. But in my opinion, while I understand Governor Christie's frustrations, you have a better chance if you're friendly or getting friendly with your "enemy" or former enemy, than you do if you're not friendly with them. (Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, if you want to call it that.)

www.cnn.com/2015/09/20/politics/chris-christie-pope-francis-cuba/

Cuba wants Ana Montes, a convicted spy imprisoned here in the U.S., released in a prisoner swap. This perhaps will open the door to discussions about Chesimard.

www.nbcnews.com/storyline/u-s-cuba-relations/cuba-wants-convicted-spy-released-u-s-prisoner-swap-n585601

Sorry to be bluntly political here, but if our president was a half-decent negotiator then maybe we would have a better shot at getting Chesimard, and all of these other monsters back here.