STABBER GETS SEVEN YEARS FOR CHINATOWN SLAYING April 1, 2009 A 52-year-old man convicted of stabbing a friend to death during an argument over drugs was sentenced to a term of five to seven years in state prison, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley announced. Superior Court Judge Regina Quinlan sentenced ANTHONY CHAMBERS (D.O.B. 1/15/57) following his conviction yesterday for the Feb. 10, 2008, homicide of 28-year-old Edward “Red” Quiles during an argument at a mutual friend’s apartment on Nassau Street in Chinatown. “Edward Quiles’ death attracted little public notice, perhaps because he lived a life different from those glamorized in movies and on TV,” Conley said. “But he was a family man. He loved and was loved. His loss was mourned and is still mourned today. His life was no one else’s to take, and this defendant has to pay the price for his actions.” Prior to sentencing, Assistant District Attorney Ian Polumbaum requested a sentence of 10 to 15 years in prison, noting the defendant’s extensive criminal record and the “callousness of his conduct and an indifference and disregard for the consequences of what he did.” Three family members then addressed the court, and spoke about Quiles, who died from a stab wound that punctured his carotid artery and caused him to bleed to death. Jamie Torres, Quiles’sister-in-law, spoke first, using the victim’s nickname. “Red was a son, a grandson, a father, a brother, a cousin, an uncle and a friend,” she began. “Our lives will be forever changed since that dreadful day of Feb. 10, 2008. Now each Valentine’s Day, instead of Red bringing Mom flowers, she has to bring him flowers to his grave.” “Although he was depicted as junkie in this trial, he was something so much more and meant so much to this family,” she said. “He had a huge heart, always making jokes, always making us laugh. He had so much more to give, so much life to live. He was too young. His life was cut short.” “A piece of our family, our hearts, was ripped away that day when Red’s life was taken,” Torres said. A second sister-in-law, Sara Crowley, spoke of the difficulty of the family’s loss. “Ever since that unforgettable day when our family found out that a life of our loved one was taken from us, it has been extremely difficult to continue to go on with out lives knowing that a life was cut short.” The victim’s aunt spoke last, between tears. “Our family will never be the same,” she said. “He was only 28 years of age when he died, leaving behind three loving children and a grieving family.” Polumbaum introduced evidence and testimony proving that Chambers and Quiles, who were both homeless, were acquaintances who bought and used drugs together in the weeks and months preceding the Feb. 10, 2008, incident at One Nassau St. in Chinatown, where both men sometimes stayed with a mutual friend. Polumbaum proved that the two men became involved in an argument when Quiles accused Chambers of stealing his drugs. Chambers called 911 in the course of that argument, stating that Quiles was “flipping out,” and the building’s concierge soon made a second 911 call when the apartment’s tenant observed the two in physical combat and heard Quiles shout, “You stabbed me, you bastard!” Chambers left the apartment at that point, the evidence showed, passing a uniformed Boston Police officer responding to the first call. That officer detained Chambers and demanded to see his hands, which were still covered in the victim’s blood. Additional officers made their way up to the apartment, where they found Quiles bleeding to death from a wound to his neck. The blade and handle of a steak knife were recovered separately nearby. Quiles was transported to a nearby hospital but died of his injury. Chambers first stated that he was defending himself against two attackers, one of whom had a gun. He later said that Quiles had attacked him with a knife and that he had grabbed Quiles’ hand and turned the knife back toward him. Chambers had no injuries. He was represented by attorney John Sinsheimer. Return to the Press Releases page.