Defendant's Father 'Played Significant Role' in Neighbor Dispute-Turned-Shooting, Prosecutor Says

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A Baltimore City Circuit Court judge agreed to move forward with a plea offer of time served for 24-year-old attempted homicide defendant Daykai Quarles after the prosecution revealed Quarles’ father “played a significant role” in the dispute that turned into a shooting with the family’s neighbor in 2022.

Represented by defense attorney James Sweeting III, Quarles accepted the prosecutor’s plea offer of 25 years, suspending all but time served, and four years of supervised probation for first-degree assault on Oct. 16 before Judge Levi S. Zaslow. Quarles is also required to receive mental health treatment and stay away from the victim.

The defendant has been incarcerated for about two years and two months. Counsel agreed to push his sentencing to Oct. 21 to give the victim time to prepare an impact statement as required by law.

Quarles was also initially charged with attempted first and second-degree murder, firearm use in a felony or violent crime, discharging firearms, reckless endangerment and second-degree assault in connection to the shooting on Aug. 10, 2022.

During Wednesday’s proceeding, the prosecutor said jail calls between Quarles and his father led to the prosecution’s offer, noting that the defendant’s father was behind the reason “why [Quarles did what he did].” Quarles’ father died during his son’s incarceration, she added.

According to the prosecutor, the incident began during an argument between the defendant’s father and the family’s neighbor over the latter’s missing lawnmower outside their homes on the 4400 block of Elderon Avenue. Quarles fired a gun multiple times at the victim from a second-story window, shattering the victim’s front storm door.

The victim was not injured.

Defendant’s Father ‘Played Significant Role’ in Neighbor Dispute-Turned-Shooting, Prosecutor Says