Assata Shakur, Tupac's Godmother and FBI Fugitive, Dies in Cuba at 78

Assata Shakur, godmother of late rapper Tupac Shakur and former Black Panther and Black Liberation Army member, died at 78 in Havana, Cuba, from health complications related to advanced age. She was convicted in 1977 for the 1973 killing of New Jersey State Trooper Werner Foerster during a traffic stop that escalated into a gunfight, though she maintained her innocence regarding the charges. Shakur was sentenced to life in prison but escaped in a 1979 prison break orchestrated by the Black Liberation Army and fled to Cuba, where she was granted political asylum. Her case became a longstanding point of contention between the U.S. and Cuba, with U.S. authorities, including President Donald Trump during his first term, demanding her extradition. Shakur remained on the FBI's most wanted list for decades but lived freely in exile until her death. Her daughter publicly confirmed her passing, emphasizing Shakur's legacy as a symbol of resistance and liberation.