Former Dallas City Council Member James Fantroy Has Died at 71

Former city council member James Fantroy In February, it took a federal jury all of 20 minutes to convict former Dallas city council member James Fantroy of embezzling $21,000 in federal funds from Paul Quinn College, where he'd been a member of the board of directors and the treasurer of...

By Robert Wilonsky

October 26, 2008

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Former city council member James Fantroy

In February, it took a federal jury all of 20 minutes to convict former Dallas city council member James Fantroy of embezzling $21,000 in federal funds from Paul Quinn College, where he'd been a member of the board of directors and the treasurer of Paul Quinn College Community Development Corporation. Three months later, Fantroy rather infamously declined to apologize for the theft, which would have kept him out prison, where he spent 30 days this summer before being confined to his home for six more months. Ultimately, no matter his controversies or accomplishments during his seven-year term as the District 8 council representative, it's the conviction and imprisonment -- and refusal to apologize -- for which Fantroy will likely be remembered by the public, as this morning, while serving out his sentence at home, Fantroy died after a very public and prolonged battle with kidney cancer. --Robert Wilonsky

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