Editing Assata Shakur (section)

===Bronx bank robbery retrial===
The retrial was delayed for one day to give the defendants more time to prepare.<ref>''The New York Times'' (December 18, 1973). "2d Chesimard Trial Delayed", p. 45.</ref> The new jury selection was marked by attempts by Williams to be relieved of her duties, owing to disagreements with Shakur as well as with Hilton's attorney.<ref name="nyt12191773">''The New York Times'' (December 19, 1973). "Second Chesimard Jury Being Picked", p. 47.</ref> Judge Arnold Bauman denied the application, but directed another lawyer, Howard Jacobs, to defend Shakur while Williams remained the attorney of record.<ref name="nyt12191773"/> Shakur was ejected following an argument with Williams, and Hilton left with her as jury selection continued.<ref>''The Hartford Courant'', (December 19, 1973). "Court Ejects Defendant Again", p. 74B.</ref> After the selection of twelve jurors (60 were excused), Williams was allowed to retire from the case, with Shakur officially representing herself, assisted by lawyer [[Florynce Kennedy]].<ref>''The New York Times'' (December 20, 1973). "Jury Picked for New Chesimard Trial", p. 43.</ref> In the retrial, White testified that the six alleged robbers had saved their hair clippings to create disguises, and identified a partially obscured head and shoulder in a photo taken from a surveillance camera as Shakur's.<ref name="prial3">Prial, Frank J. (December 21, 1973). "Mrs. Chesimard Is Ousted Again as 2d Trial for Robbery Begins", ''The New York Times'', p. 8.</ref> Kennedy objected to this identification on the grounds that the prosecutor, assistant United States attorney Peter Truebner, had offered to stipulate that Shakur was not depicted in any of the photographs.<ref name="prial3"/> Although both White and Rivers testified that Shakur was wearing overalls during the robbery, the person identified as Shakur in the photograph was wearing a jacket.<ref name="c"/> The defense attempted to discredit White on the grounds that he had spent eight months in [[Matteawan State Hospital for the Criminally Insane|Matteawan Hospital for the Criminally Insane]] in 1968, and White countered that he had faked insanity (by claiming to be Allah in front of three psychiatrists) to get transferred out of prison.<ref>''The New York Times'' (December 22, 1973). "U.S. Witness Tells Of Faking Insanity", p. 29.</ref>

Shakur personally cross-examined the witnesses, getting White to admit that he had once been in love with her; the same day, one juror (who had been frequently napping during the trial) was replaced with an alternate.<ref>''The New York Times'' (December 25, 1973). "Robbery Defendant Questions Witness", p. 19.</ref> During the retrial, the defendants repeatedly left or were thrown out of the courtroom.<ref>Chambers, Marcia (December 27, 1973). "Mrs. Chesimard, in Summation, Terms Holdup Case Contrived". ''The New York Times'', p. 41.</ref> Both defendants were acquitted in the retrial; six jurors interviewed after the trial stated that they did not believe the two key prosecution witnesses.<ref name="c">Chambers, Marcia (December 29, 1973). "[https://www.nytimes.com/1973/12/29/archives/mrs-hesimard-wins-acquittal-hilton-her-codefendant-also-cleared-of.html Mrs. Chesimard Wins Acquittal]", ''The New York Times'', p. 16.</ref> Shakur was immediately returned to [[Morristown, New Jersey]], under a heavy guard following the trial.<ref name="c"/> Louis Chesimard (Shakur's ex-husband) and Paul Stewart, the other two alleged robbers, had been acquitted in June.<ref>Chambers, Marcia (December 28, 1973). "2d Jury Here Begins Weighing Chesimard Bank-Robbery Case", ''The New York Times'', p. 24.</ref>