University Park man slain after dog urinates on lawn

Chicago Tribune ^ | May 11, 2010 | Steve Schmadeke and Lolly Bowean

[ConservativeStatement]

A former Marine who neighbors say obsessed over his University Park lawn is being held on $3 million bail, accused of gunning down a neighbor whose puppy urinated on the man's well-manicured grass.

Charles J. Clements, 69, had won the south suburb's beautification and lawn upkeep award but also was known for threatening people who dared to set foot in his yard, neighbors said.

Joshua Funches, a 23-year-old father of two, was walking his fox terrier Gucci in the 500 block of Landau Road on Sunday night when the dog lifted its leg and went on Clements' lawn, said Funches' mother Patricia, 53.

[martin_fierro]

lol

[ConservativeStatement]

When I concluded the article, my first thought was that the “no criminal past” should have been in the lead. It is more significant to the article than the ex-Marine. Dopey journalism.

[hoosierham]

I'm guessing 2nd degree,i.e. ,murder without pre-meditation.

The law and jurors usually impose a higher standard of restraint on the armed person in a confrontation;if you escalate a situation knowing you are armed when the other person has not displayed any weapon nor attempted to strike you ,then your lawyer is going to have a tough time getting you off.

[historyrepeatz]

The Chicago suburb version of "Mr. Clean"

[mlizzy]

I remember a crabby old guy who gave me some verbal warnings too about walking on his lawn. I think I was 5 or 6. I am 63 today as a matter of fact. I guess I’m now the crabby old guy!

Being a crabby old guy ain't so bad, but following it up with weaponry as the guy in this post did seems a bit much. We, by the way, have a neighbor that has asked us not to allow our dogs to pee on his yard because there are all these brown spots/hardened earth in it. Of course, our yard doesn't have brown spot one and they pee on it all the time, while our neighbor literally has chemicals poured on his lawn every week, but I don't have the courage to tell him that's where I believe his lifeless grass comes from. For now, I'll just keep the dogs off his lawn.:):)

[skeeter]

I had a confrontation with a guy in a driving incident this last weekend - the other guy was willing to escalate the incident beyond all proportion, I had to be the one to back off.

If you want to win such an altercation today you need to be prepared to go all the way.

If you aren't its best to grow some thicker skin and keep your eyes forward.

[downtownconservative]

Interesting points, but what if Gucci was a large snarling and mean-looking Pitbull?

[tnlibertarian]

Well, Happy Birthday.

[AngelesCrestHighway]

Well said....Go to the wall or get to go home...

[hoosierham]

Then you keep your distance and call the cops;take a picture from a distance.

Engaging in needless confrontations is not a survival trait.

If the incident had started with the old man out in his yard and the young man and dog attacked ,then he would be justified.This way,the old man just gave all gun owners a black eye in the press.

[null and void]

For now, I'll just keep the dogs off his lawn.:):)

Good thinking...

[downtownconservative]

I totally agree with you. I’m just a tiny bit sympathetic because he’s a “former Marine”. The MSM used that tidbit pejoratively, I know, to make all veterans and particularly Marines seem quasi-dangerous. But as a former Jar-head myself... I’m looking for exculpatory elements to what is most likely an inexplicable crime.

[willk]

Exactly. What the hell does being a former marine have to do with the story?

[12Gauge687]

Same here. As far as I know, I am the only hunter on my block in Chicago and word has gotten around.

In 1997, 2 Puerto Rican kids broke into my garage. One of my neighbors called at 3 AM to let me know what was happening. I immediately ran out to the garage with a loaded 12 Ga. Ithaca pump Police Special and caught one of the miscreants (I have never seen the whites of anybody’s eyes so big). Dragged the kid into the alley, where neighbors gathered and informed me they had called the cops. They assured me they would make certain he wouldn’t go anywhere as I ran inside to put the gun away. By the time the cops showed up, the kid had been “worked over” a bit. I pressed charges (cops were happy) and eventually got some restitution.

After that incident, few bother me (no Jehovah’s Witnesses, no trick or treaters and no grafitti although I had a susequent break-in while at an afternoon meeting 2 years ago) and I like it just fine.

[NormsRevenge]

think they’ll let him take his lawn award with him?

[ZX12R]

think they’ll let him take his lawn award with him?

I don't know, but he should quickly rise to lead groundskeeper for the prison grounds. That is, if he can refrain from hacking other inmates to death with a shovel, for not using the right fertilizer.

[BJClinton]

[Pecos]

Supid is as stupid does.

[longfellow]

guilty.

[Retired Greyhound]

BAN LAWNS!