Kenneth Quarles, who is accused of shooting Marque Fricks on East First Street in October, was arraigned in Christian Circuit Court Wednesday afternoon.
Quarles is charged with first-degree assault, wanton endangerment, tampering with evidence and intimidating a participant in the legal process after he allegedly shot the 49-year-old Fricks in the upper torso on East First Street on October 17. Defense attorney Sands Chewning requested a reduction in Quarles’ bond, saying he has no felony record and they intend to prove that the shooting was the result of self-defense.
Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney Jerad Smith argued that Quarles has admitted to the shooting and to tampering with evidence, so it can’t be said that he’s not a danger.
Judge Andrew Self ruled that the bond reduction was denied and accepted a not-guilty plea on Quarles’ behalf. A pretrial conference was set for December 8.
A Hopkinsville Police Department arrest citation alleges that Quarles confronted Fricks in the 700 block of East First, shot him in the upper-torso with a 9 mm handgun and then pointed the gun at a woman who was nearby, telling her it was something she didn’t want to get involved in.
He reportedly fled in a pickup that was located behind apartments on McHenry Street and police say he emerged from the apartments when officers arrived and claimed he shot Fricks because Fricks reached for a gun while the two were talking.