stigmatized by the Navy, who had known only too well the discrimination he had endured. He initially traveled to Upper Manhattan, where he joined the New York branch of the Black Panthers. Via his association with the New York Black Panthers, Essex became increasingly radicalized, and familiarized himself with the tactics of guerilla warfare. He soon began referring to himself as "Mata", and embraced the extremist content of the 1968 book Black Rage. Emporia Sometime around late-April 1971, Essex returned to his family in Emporia. Two months later, he purchased a Ruger .44-caliber semi-automatic carbine via mail-order from an Emporia Montgomery Ward outlet. Upon receiving the weapon several weeks later, he began incessantly target shooting in the countryside around Emporia in efforts to improve his marksmanship. That August, he abruptly left his family home without even informing his parents and drove to Louisiana. The precise reason for his relocation is unknown, although he may have chosen to relocate to this city to become reacquainted with Rodney Frank. New Orleans During his period of residence in New Orleans, Essex did not join a local chapter of the Panthers. He moved home four times between 1971 and 1972 before relocating to a two-room apartment at 2619 Dryades Street in Central City in early November 1972, and saw first-hand the poverty of those living in the city's housing projects. On August 22, 1972, he applied for admittance into the Total Community Action (TCA) federally funded program. He was accepted into the program, and chose to enroll in classes specializing in vending machine repair. Essex quickly rose to the top of his class. He also began a course of African studies in 1972, and would memorize African terms and dialects as he sat alone in his apartment sipping bottled orange juice. Many of the words, phrases and hate slogans he familiarized himself with—in English, Swahili, and Zulu—would be daubed across the walls and ceilings of his apartment. By the summer of 1972, Essex had acquired a further firearm: a Colt .38-caliber revolver. He was also living an increasingly solitary existence, and battling severe depression. In September 1972, the New Orleans Police Department (NOPD) announced the formation of the Felony Action Squad, aimed at reducing the number of violent crimes in the city. In a press statement, Superintendent Clarence Giarrusso stated that, if threatened in any way, members of this action squad were authorized to