Quanell X

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Quanell X

Quanell X (center) at Joe Horn protest, December 2, 2007
Born December 7, 1970 (1970-12-07) (age 37)
Los Angeles, California

Quanell X (born Quanell Ralph Evans on December 7, 1970 in Los Angeles, California) is a leader of the New Black Panther Party in Houston, Texas. His father, Brian Chris Evans, and mother were both Nation of Islam converts from Los Angeles. After his parents divorced, Quanell moved to Houston to live with his mother and younger brother in the South Acres neighborhood and had attended Worthing High School.[1]

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[edit] Early life

Quanell was a drug dealer in the Sunnyside community located in southern Houston, Texas.[2] In May 1989 he spent a brief time in jail and received 10 years probation for possessing and dealing crack cocaine. It was during this time that Quanell claims to have had a life changing conversion and decided he would devote his life to the betterment of African-Americans in Houston.

[edit] Entry and ejection from the Nation of Islam

In September 1990 Quanell was inspired by a Louis Farrakhan speech at Sam Houston Coliseum and joined the Nation of Islam. The newly dubbed Quanell X quickly became a spokesman in the organization.[3]

In July 1992 Quanell found his brother Quinten dead in his apartment with three others, all with bullets to their heads. He met State Representative Ron Wilson (D-Houston); he would eventually work for Wilson as an aide for a short while.[1]

In 1995, Quanell was quoted in the New York Daily News as saying,

"I say to Jewish America: Get ready … knuckle up, put your boots on, because we're ready and the war is going down. … The real deal is this: Black youth do not want a relationship with the Jewish community or the mainstream white community or the foot shuffling, head-bowing, knee bobbing black community. … All you Jews can go straight to hell."[4]

Quanell was forced out of the Nation of Islam for publicly inciting violence with his televised, and highly publicized, exhortation to Houston-area blacks:

"[i]f you feel that you just got to mug somebody because of your hurt and your pain, go to River Oaks and mug you some good white folks. If you’re angry that our brother is put to death, don’t burn down your own community, give these white folks hell from the womb to the tomb."[citation needed]

After leaving the Nation of Islam Quanell formed a paramilitary group named "MFOI", for "Mental Freedom Obtains Independence." The new faction did not attract significant membership.[5] After the MFOI failed Quanell joined the New Black Panther Party under the leadership of Khalid Abdul Muhammad and is now a local leader of the organization.[3]

[edit] In the public eye

Since becoming a leader of the New Black Panthers Quanell has made himself and his views heard through public demonstrations and assistance with the surrender of outstanding suspects to law enforcement agencies.

In 1999, at the trial of John William King for the 1998 slaying of James Byrd, Jr., Quanell and his entourage briefly disrupted proceedings.[6]

Jeffrey Battle served as a bodyguard for Quanell X in Houston during the late 1990s. Battle was notable as one of the Portland Seven, a group of American Muslims who tried to aid the Taliban in Afghanistan following the events of September 11, 2001. In October 2002 Quanell traveled to Portland, Oregon, to attend a court hearing for October Lewis, Battle's ex-wife. Lewis was released at the hearing. Battle was convicted of sedition, and is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence.[7]

On March 30, 2004 Quanell took the podium at a Houston City Council meeting and demanded that reparations for slavery be put on the council agenda. This demand had previously been denied by mayor Bill White. The exchange escalated enough that Houston police were called to remove Quanell forcibly from the chamber.[1]

In June 2004 Quanell was charged with evading arrest. He was on the phone with Executive Assistant Chief Charles A. McClelland of the Houston Police Department when arranging the surrender of cop shooter Derrick Forney. Quanell was convicted on a lesser charge of 'running from a police officer', a class-B misdemeanor in the State of Texas; on December 1, 2006 the State of Texas First Court of Appeals overturned the conviction.

Quanell X is credited with helping officers in the March 2007 murder investigation of Texas A&M University student Tynesha Stewart.[8] He helped obtain a confession from Timothy Wayne Shepherd, the suspect in the murder.[9] He also criticized the Harris County sheriff's decision not to search for Stewart's body in an Humble, Texas area landfill, which was later discovered to be unrecoverable due to suspect burning remains in two barbecue pits.[10][3]

Quanell X has called for Chuck Rosenthal's resignation following the email scandal has shown that he had sent and received racist messages, and has organized a rally to take place outside the county courthouse January 24, 2008.[11]

[edit] Joe Horn protest

Quanell X attempted to lead a protest in Pasadena, Texas on December 2, 2007, in front of Horn's house. Joe Horn shot and killed Hernando Riascos Torres (Miguel Antonio DeJesus) and Diego Ortiz, illegal aliens/immigrants and members of a burglary and fake ID ring from Colombia who broke into his neighbor's house. Horn, against the requests of the 911 operator he was on the phone with, exited his home to confront the robbers. On the tape of the 911 call, Horn is heard to say "Move, and you're dead", and fires his shotgun three times.[12] Quanell, who believes the shootings may have been racially motivated, approached Horn's house to speak to the media. He was greatly outnumbered by several hundred counter-protesters supporting Horn. The crowd of counter-protesters included bikers revving their motorcycles, many chanting "USA", "Go home" and "We love our country, what do you love?", and waving placards and US flags. Quanell could not be heard over the noise, even when using a bullhorn. Quanell left the area about 8 minutes later, having been unsuccessful in attempting to speak. He returned soon after with more supporters and attempted to speak again, but the counter-protests continued. Riot police were readied in case of violence between the two groups. Quanell believed that because Mr. Horn was white and not black, Mr. Horn was not prosecuted even though at the time the District Attorney had not made a ruling on that. Mr. Horn in turn left his home (at the age of 61) because of violence and threats against him and his family from Quanell and the New Black Panther organization. He has since relocated. [13][14] Quanell eventually made a speech on another street away from Horn's house. The speech included chants of "black power" and the exhortation for blacks to ignore "white law."

[edit] Apologies

On January 28, 2008, after taking a tour of the Holocaust Museum Houston, Quanell said he became enlightened and apologized for his past statements on Jews.

"I seek the forgiveness of every survivor who has heard the words I've said. I did not say them in the proper manner to make the point I was trying to get across. I can see and understand how they might be utterly paranoid (of) a person such as myself."

He has been challenging those within the community that sympathize with Osama bin Laden.[15]

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b Patterson, Randall. "Would You Buy a Revolution From This Man?", Houston Press, 1997-04-03. Retrieved on 2007-12-05. 
  2. ^ Crowe, Robert. "Destructive Force Mars Sunnyside's Rebirth", Houston Chronicle, 2001-01-27. 
  3. ^ a b c Freemantle, Tony. "Vitriolic Visionary", Houston Chronicle, 2001-03-01, pp. 33. 
  4. ^ "Quanell X statement, October 17, 1995", New York Daily News, October 17, 1995. 
  5. ^ Sallee, Rad. "Ex-Nation of Islam official to form 'paramilitary' group", Houston Chronicle, 1997-02-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-27. 
  6. ^ Gwynne, S.C.. "The Second Coming of a Nightmare", Time, 2001-03-01. 
  7. ^ Hegstrom, Edward. "Battle devoted to bin Laden, U.S. claims; Interviews cited at court hearing", The Houston Chronicle, 2002-10-11. 
  8. ^ Measley, Travis. "Students, friends mourn loss of Houston native", The Battalion, 2007-03-29. Retrieved on 2007-03-29. 
  9. ^ Crowe, Robert. "Officers Grateful to Quanell X", The Houston Chronicle, 2007-03-23, pp. B5. Retrieved on 2007-03-24. 
  10. ^ Hewitt, Paige; Villafranca, Armando. "Agony, Anger Over Decision Not to Hunt for Teen's Body", Houston Chronicle, 2007-03-23, pp. A1. 
  11. ^ Black leaders urge Rosenthal to step down
  12. ^ Horswell, Cindy. "Pasadena police give DA report on Horn", Houston Chronicle, 2007-12-18. 
  13. ^ Associated Press. "Pasadena Protest Over Slain Burglars Heats Up", Houston Chronicle, 2007-12-03. 
  14. ^ KTRK.com's video
  15. ^ Quanell X seeks to make amends

[edit] External links

McVicker, Steve. "Hanging with Mr. X: Quanell comes on strong at Graham's execution, then vanishes", Houston Press, 2000-06-29. Retrieved on 2007-12-26.