Many of us at different points in our lives can recall or reflect upon moments when something happened to alter the course of our lives. These events would leave an imprint on the psychology of the human mind and the soul. In recent years we have been forced to stomach and witness the wrongfully accused and framed released. After having spent many years in prison or on death row. Many of these men/women would still be confined to a prison cell if people on the streets hadn't intervened. The freedom loving Humanity compelled good people to help. By donating money, doing legal research, investigating the evidence, and distributing the info on these peoples cases. Many still remain in prison on Political or manufactured trumped up charges without the meaningful support from freedom loving people in society.
Leonard McQuay A/K/A Bro. Khalfani Malik Khaldun from Gary, Indiana is one of those men lacking such support. He was born and raised in Gary, Indiana to John and Sonora McQuay in the cities 5th Avenue area. He at the time of his arrest had (6) sisters and (2) other brothers. Like many young men he got involved in gangs early, but he did finish elementary school and middle school. In 1987 he was a senior at highschool when he ended up in the middle of a shootout. He was arrested and later sentenced to a 25 year sentence.
At 17 years old, he was thrown into a whirlwind of troubled waters. Prison, an uncertain reality where trouble lurked around every corner. From 1987 to 1994 he went through a lot of changes, growing older and maturing into manhood. He obtained his GED and went on to transform his criminal behavior abandoning many of his old reactionary ways, and discovering positive purpose. But in prison while remaining positive doesn't mean trouble will not be forced upon you. While preparing for his release, which was scheduled for 1997 and no later than 1999, an event would occur to alter his life and stop his release from prison.
In the winter of December 1994 on the 13th day, a prison guard was stabbed and would later die from his wounds. This incidence occurred in the area of the prison called D-cell house at the Indiana State Prison, located in Michigan City, Indiana. Leonard McQuay and (Mario Ward) one of his comrades were immediately sent for by the Indiana State Police and the prison's internal affairs unit. Both men were interrogated, Mario Ward was sent back to his assigned cell. They were convinced at this point that they were going to force a confession out of McQuay or some other usable information.
He refused and asked to see his attorney. They immediately threatened to charge McQuay with murder and had him transferred to another prison. Prison investigators were true to their threats, on January 31, 1995 McQuay was charged/finger printed with this murder of the prison guard.
This injustice would not only stop McQuays release from prison, it would cause his family unjustified stress, worry and pain. While doing his best to oppose this injustice he would launch a local, national, and international letter writing campaign meant to expose the root nature of the case, while at the same time seeking help to obtain financial assistance for competent legal counsel. During this time McQuay would experience several person losses; his baby brother Ben (found dead,murdered in Fort Wayne Indiana), his oldest brother John (murdered in Gary, Indiana Sept. 1997), and also mother Sonora (heartbroken and cancer ridden). From the time of these tragedies and up and until 2001, McQuay would be engaged in a war for his freedom.
On July 27th, 2000 McQuay/Khalfani would be paroled from the Indiana Dept. of Corrections. His family, female friend and children were all posted outside of the prison to embrace him. As he exited the prison front doors, he was surrounded by State Police officers who read the same murder warrant to him and placed him into their custody to stand trial.
The murder trial was scheduled to start for March 26th, 2001. McQuay's attorney moved the court to dismiss the case and release his client. The judge denied the request. The trial lasted (6) days ending on March 31, 2001 in South Bend, Indiana. The all white jury of someone else's peers found Leonard McQuay AKA Khaldun guilty of a murder he didn't commit. The case, a purely circumstantial and manufactured conspiracy to prevent a good man from returning home to his family.
* If you have access to computers, scanners and websites and want to help contact him directly.
* Anyone wanting to help sponsor resources to obtain him real competent legal counsel please contact him right away
* Anyone willing to devote their time join his freedom committee and help to recruit new people locally can express this to him in a letter of committment.
* Anyone who is good at organizing fundraisers and would like to use their expertise to help free McQuay/Khalfani should contact him and let him know.
* If you have access to copy machines we can use this outlet to help circulate info packets.
* If you want to call attorneys to explain his case to them with hopes they can assume responsibility for this case.
* All conscious positive exchanges are welcomed.
* Anyone who wants to meet McQuay/Khalfani should contact him so that he can arrange to have you put on his visitors list. A visit to the prison would be required.
* If you want to read many of his writing you can do so by visiting his website at: www.prisonactivist.org/Khalfani or http://home4.inet.tele.dk/lepan/lene/indiana/kxkinfo.htm
* If anyone would like to join the fight and prison struggles to expose the violations existing in Indiana's prison system, please write to McQuay/Khalfani and express your solidarity and commitment.
Khalfani has been in prison now since 1987, he needs the support to expose his case and receive his freedom from prison. If you believe in freedom, you will not just sit back and do nothing. Tomorrow, it could be your brother, uncle, or father if you fail to act. Please write to Khalfani at:
Indiana - Mark Thiel at elsapo37@yahoo.com
Chicago - Anthony Rayson at: (708) 534-1334
Portland Oregon - Elizabeth Richardson at: (503) 740-9996
Denmark - Lene Pantawapirom at: lepan@post4.tele.dk
Europe - Marcel Cartier at: flamableRecords@hotmail.com
Belgium - Roberto at: abcgent@yahoo.com
Or e-mail me here, but be sure to put my name in your letter, I share the box with several others.
