[Josh Grimes]

There’s a reason I hate fraternities. This story is one of them. The same year and month I left my job to live in a van in Colorado, Josh Grimes, a former Oregon State University student and fraternity member (Alpha Gamma Rho for all you proud frat rats) shot a homeless man, Dennis Sanderson, for sport. The man was in the alley behind the fraternity house looking for cans in the dumpster. This wasn’t the first time a fraternity member shot a homeless man, but it was the first time one got caught.

Josh Grimes was eventually sentenced to 150 days in jail, 400 hours of community service at a homeless shelter, and three years of supervised probation for shooting Dennis. My guess is, unless Grimes’ rich daddy was able to get him his own cell, was that there was also some sort of “prison justice” that went unreported, since many of those in prison have been homeless. But still….less than four months time for a crime in a state where the MINIMUM time for committing a crime with a gun is FIVE YEARS? Disgusting. At least the fraternity was forced to pay $41,000 in damages and costs to the man. That’s pocket change and a slap on the hand for an assault on a man. But that’s Corvalis, Oregon for you.

Benton County Circuit Court Judge David Connell was the judge on the case. He had to impose some sort of sentence. Back in March, Grimes did plead guilty to unlawful use of a weapon and third-degree assault for shooting Sanderson in the leg.

According to the Associated Press, District Attorney John Haroldson asked the court to impose a sentence of five years in prison. Because Grimes had no prior criminal record (what a surprise) the court could impose a shorter sentence than the mandatory five year term. Haroldson said he asked for the mandatory gun minimum because Grimes shot Sanderson for sport.

“In Benton County, if you shoot a person for sport,” Haroldson said, “you go to prison.”

Grimes, pig that he is, continued to maintain he did not intend to hit Sanderson. Yet, after hitting him he and his friends left the frat house to go out for pizza. He did not call 911, or even make an anonymous call to police. And then he lied about his involvement in the shooting. So, he’s a liar, a convicted assailant and a general all round dirt-bag….I’m surprised the fraternity kicked him out…he has all the qualities one usually finds in frat boys, except he didn’t get the homeless man drunk before he shot him.

The really sad thing is that crimes against the homeless have reached such epidemic proportions that many states are making crimes against the homeless “hate” crimes. What could possibly drive anyone to attack, beat, shoot or even set fire to a helpless, homeless person - usually one who is sleeping or trying to find food or cans? Who knows. I only hope that the 400 hours of community service changes him more than prison.