HOUSTON – A high-profile local civil rights activist is facing a lawsuit from a Harris County woman who claims he committed barratry.
In court documents filed on July 9 in the Harris County 127th District Court, Mahalia John alleges Quanell X misrepresented himself as an attorney.
John and the defendant, whose real name is Ralph Evans, reportedly entered into a contract in which the latter agreed to have John’s son’s record expunged.
The suit says X told John to remit $2,500 so he could replace her son’s current attorney.
Asserting X “has never been and was not an attorney,” as well as “wrongfully held himself out to be an attorney,” the original petition states that the respondent “provided zero services to Ms. John at any time, and specifically no services related to the contract and payment for services to him.”
“The defendant committed theft by taking a fee for services that he did not perform and that the defendant was not entitled to,” the suit says.
Consequently, John seeks at least $10,000 in damages.
She is represented by Drew Willey of Houston.
Harris County 127th District Court Case No. 2018-45309