Philadelphia Extreme Neighbor Feud Requires Video Cameras, Lawyers
The Clark and Butler families of Philly take neighbor bickering to new level.
July 12, 2011 — -- As long as there have been neighborhoods, there have been neighbor disputes. But the squabbles don't typically involve police, lawyers, counseling and video cameras for a trip down the driveway.
For the Clark and Butler families on Voigt Street in Philadelphia, however, this is their day-to-day routine.
The families have been arguing for at least three years, although they can't even agree on exactly how long. The battle apparently began with a parking issue, also a point of contention.
John Clark said neighbor Richard Butler parked his car in Clark's driveway. Butler said his car was never in the driveway and that the issue was about a parallel parking spot in front of the houses.
"They both don't like one another," said John Cerrone, commanding officer of Philadelphia's 5th Police District. "It's almost like a tit for tat."
Cerrone estimates that his police department has already been called 10 or 11 times this year regarding the dispute.
Even though the fighting began as a parking issue, it has escalated to allegations of vulgar name-calling, broken lawn ornaments, workplace informants, anonymous death threats and legal action.
Butler often goes outside with a video camera, per the advice of his lawyer. This began as a way to possibly discourage the alleged yelling and bad behavior. When it didn't, his lawyer told him to use it to capture the incidents in case evidence is ever needed.
On the phone, John Clark, 45, pardons his rambling and describes himself as "a little aggravated." But Clark is clearly more than just a little annoyed. Between stories, he pauses to take stifled deep breaths, seemingly in an attempt to keep his blood pressure down.
Aside from broken lawn ornaments and vulgar shout-outs, each man seems to have a point of contention that was the tipping point for them.
For Clark, it was when Butler complained about him to his employer. Clark is a firefighter and said Butler crossed a line when he did so. Clark said that Butler has even called the fire department five times in one night, "accusing me and my wife of all the things they were guilty of," Clark said.
Butler's lawyer, Joel Benecke, tells a different story. He said that after his client had contacted police multiple times to complain about Clark, he was told by police to contact the fire department. Benecke maintains that his client was only following a police suggestion.
The tipping point for Butler was when, he alleges, Clark called his 9-year-old son a derogatory name. Butler said it was one thing for his neighbor to verbally attack him, but it was another to attack his child.
Clark denies yelling at the child and said the derogatory name was directed at Butler.
"I can't even go outside without being screamed or hollered at," Butler said. "I'm afraid of this man. I'm afraid of what he'll do. I don't trust him."
Then there was the episode with a mediator, which neither man agrees on either.
The two couples met with the community relations division of the Philadelphia Commission on Human Relations. At the meeting, the couples were asked to take turns speaking and not interrupt each other.
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