3 Democrats mourn convicted cop-killer Assata Shakur, REFUSED to honor Charlie Kirk

Three Democratic lawmakers mourned the death of Assata Shakur, a convicted cop killer, while refusing to support a resolution honoring conservative activist Charlie Kirk after his recent assassination.

Representatives Summer Lee, Ayanna Pressley, and Yvette Clarke all expressed public tributes to Shakur following her revealed death. Lee posted a quote from Shakur on X, writing,  “We have nothing to lose but our chains.” Clarke shared on X, “As we face the great fight for freedom of our day, may we find strength and purpose in these enduring words from Assata Shakur. If there is a single truth in this world, it is that Assata died a free woman. May she rest in power and paradise for all eternity.”

Pressley, during a Friday speech, quoted Shakur in a call-and-response with an audience, later posting the video on X and adding, “Rest in Peace and Power, Assata Shakur.”

Cuban officials confirmed Friday that Shakur, born Joanne Deborah Byron, died in Havana at the age of 77. She had lived in Cuba since the 1980s after escaping from a New Jersey prison in 1979.

Shakur, whose birth name was Joanne Deborah Byron, was convicted of murder in 1977 for the 1973 killing of a state trooper in New Jersey. The trooper, Werner Foerster, was killed during a shootout, leaving behind a wife and young son. Shakur was convicted in 1977 of first-degree murder, armed robbery, and other charges before her escape.

Shakur was a member of the Black Liberation Army, which the FBI described as "one of the most violent militant organizations of the 1970s." She had been on the FBI’s most wanted list and had a $1 million reward for her capture. 

While honoring Shakur, the three lawmakers opposed a House resolution earlier this month recognizing Charlie Kirk after his assassination by a left-wing gunman. All three voted against the measure intended to honor Kirk’s legacy.