In a quiet West Columbia neighborhood, a dispute over twenty dollars for cutting the grass tragically escalated, leading to the death of 66-year-old Michael Duane Funny. On the evening of August 25, 2022, Funny, a long-distance truck driver who had just returned home after several weeks on the road, drove to a residence on Glenn Road. He was there to pay the father of Cleveland Stone Jr.
for recent yard work.
Funny, while still seated in his vehicle in the driveway, inquired about Stone's father. At the time, Stone was in the yard with two friends and his sister. Following what was described as a brief conversation, Stone, who had been drinking for several hours, produced a pistol and shot Funny multiple times in the upper body. Even after being mortally wounded, Funny managed to return fire, striking both Stone and a bystander before succumbing to his injuries.
Cleveland Stone Jr., who was 21 at the time of the incident, was subsequently arrested and charged with murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. During his trial, Stone's defense team argued for immunity under South Carolina's 'Stand Your Ground' law, a motion that was ultimately denied by the court. A key piece of evidence presented by the prosecution was a recording of a survey Funny was participating in over the phone at the time of the shooting, which captured the fatal encounter.
In August 2024, a Lexington County jury deliberated for approximately two hours before finding Cleveland Stone Jr. guilty of the murder of Michael Duane Funny. He was sentenced to 48 years in prison. Prosecutors characterized the shooting as a senseless act of violence, emphasizing that the situation did not warrant the use of deadly force.
