Coventry man threatens neighbors with gun

COVENTRY – Chenango County Sheriff’s Deputies arrested a Coventry man for allegedly pointing a gun at two men who claim they had prior permission to be on his property.

James G. Clendening, 61, was charged with second degree criminal menacing and endangering the welfare of a child after he allegedly pointed a shotgun at his neighbors as they cut wood on his property.



Police said they could not confirm if the weapon was loaded at the time.

“The issue isn’t if the gun was actually loaded, it’s if the victims were under the impression that it was. There was obviously an intent on the part of the defendant to cause a fear that the gun was loaded and that’s what matters here,” said Sheriff’s Detective Sergeant Richard Cobb.

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Reader Response

3 comments on this story

issylu
September 9th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Just yesterday we were informed there was a strange vehicle, with NJ plates parked on our property across the road from our house. When someone went to check ,it was no longer there but also gone was a high priced tree stand someone had left in the woods before we bought the property a year ago. Posted signs up and everything. All they had to do was come and ask and they could have had the darn thing back. I guess it takes all kinds!!!!
NedRoberts
September 5th, 2008 at 12:00 pm
Why is running tresspassers off your land with a gun a crime anyway? The laws in this country are all backwards.
issylu
September 5th, 2008 at 11:05 am
This year fire wood is like that "black gold"!! Of course there are legal ways to stop someone from poaching wood.
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