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<span style="font-weight: bold">News Source: OTGNR - </span>
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : 69 - year - old man ge...o Sun Times)...</span>
A University Park grandfather who gunned down a dog owner after the man's pet urinated on his lawn escaped a prison term Wednesday when a Will County judge sentenced him to four years of probation. The penalty imposed on 69-year-old Charles Clements drew groans from relatives of 23-year-old Joshua Funches, who was shot to death during a clash that erupted after his fox terrier wet Clements' carefully-tended front yard."This is certainly not justice. This is not justice," said Gail Williams, Funches' aunt.Clements did not speak to the media gathered outside the hearing. His attorney, Daniel Collins, said Clements "is absolutely relieved, and very thankful to the judge for his consideration.'' Noting his client had no criminal record, Collins said "the judge did the right thing. We believe the judge made the right decision.''Clements, a Marine Corps veteran and retired truck driver, faced up to 20 years behind bars after being convicted earlier of second-degree murder for the May 9 shooting outside his home.A Will County jury, however, refused to convict Clements of a more serious charge of first-degree murder for the shooting, which occurred after Funches punched Clements in the face while the men argued about the dog's actions.For his part, Judge Daniel J. Rozak rejected a prison term.Funches, the father of three young children, was walking his dog in the 500 block of Landau Road in the far south suburb when his pet wandered onto Clements' yard and relieved itself.Clements confronted him about the dog's actions and at one point took a .45-caliber pistol out of his pocket.But Clements didn't fire the weapon until after Funches cursed at him, then punched him in the face, according to testimony during his October trial.Clements told police he shot Funches once in the abdomen because he feared the younger man would harm him.http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...66446853398544
<span style="font-weight: bold"> Confirmed : 69 - year - old man ge...o Sun Times)...</span>
A University Park grandfather who gunned down a dog owner after the man's pet urinated on his lawn escaped a prison term Wednesday when a Will County judge sentenced him to four years of probation. The penalty imposed on 69-year-old Charles Clements drew groans from relatives of 23-year-old Joshua Funches, who was shot to death during a clash that erupted after his fox terrier wet Clements' carefully-tended front yard."This is certainly not justice. This is not justice," said Gail Williams, Funches' aunt.Clements did not speak to the media gathered outside the hearing. His attorney, Daniel Collins, said Clements "is absolutely relieved, and very thankful to the judge for his consideration.'' Noting his client had no criminal record, Collins said "the judge did the right thing. We believe the judge made the right decision.''Clements, a Marine Corps veteran and retired truck driver, faced up to 20 years behind bars after being convicted earlier of second-degree murder for the May 9 shooting outside his home.A Will County jury, however, refused to convict Clements of a more serious charge of first-degree murder for the shooting, which occurred after Funches punched Clements in the face while the men argued about the dog's actions.For his part, Judge Daniel J. Rozak rejected a prison term.Funches, the father of three young children, was walking his dog in the 500 block of Landau Road in the far south suburb when his pet wandered onto Clements' yard and relieved itself.Clements confronted him about the dog's actions and at one point took a .45-caliber pistol out of his pocket.But Clements didn't fire the weapon until after Funches cursed at him, then punched him in the face, according to testimony during his October trial.Clements told police he shot Funches once in the abdomen because he feared the younger man would harm him.http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fb...66446853398544