Charles Clements Fatally Shoots Neighbor, Joshua Funches, because His Puppy Urinated on his Lawn

I have heard of some crazy things in the news, but this one is the worst. A University Park, Chicago man, Charles Clements, is behind bars for shooting his neighbor, Joshua Funches, in a fight that started over his dog urinating on his well-manicured front lawn. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Clements, 69, normally mows the lawn every other day, if not every day.

Sorry, but it is a travesty that this man lost his life over something as inconsequential as a front lawn. Mr. Clements obsession borders on lunacy. I live in a subdivision and I am always pissed off when I see dog droppings near my backyard by neighbors too lazy to grab a bag from the waste stations that decorate the property. Still, I don't get outraged to the point of committing a crime. Though I think Mr. Clements should be applauded for taking such pride in his home and property, such vigilante justice should not be tolerated in any community.

This is a sad turn of events, but Mr. Clements has found himself on the wrong side of the law. He will, most likely, spend a long time in prison, unless he can plead insanity, but even that seems shaky. There was some premeditation because he allegedly went back into his house to get the gun and returned to shoot Joshua Funches. That will certainly undermine any claims of self-defense.

Read more:  Tiny lawn leads to big trouble | Chicago Sun-Times