His chuckling was a crime. Why?
No.
He chuckled, and there was a homicide. Did the two events occur separately?
Is the manner of his chuckling relevant? (As in “ha ha ha” or “hee hee hee”)
Did the chuckler commit a felony?
A misdemeanor?
Did he commit the crime while he was chuckling?
Before he chuckled?
After he chuckled?
Did he chuckle while conversing with another person?
Did he laugh his ass off and get arrested for littering?
(by the way Biotop, IT’S NOT AS OBVIOUS AS YOU THINK!)
I think this, and the fact that the chuckler must be male, is the key.
Not that I’ve solved it, but it is clearly wordplay, and involves a male pronoun of some sort. The actual situation is not relevant, it’s the words we use to describe the situation.
**reply to KnowedOut **
He chuckled, and there was a homicide. Did the two events occur separately? No
Is the manner of his chuckling relevant? (As in “ha ha ha” or “hee hee hee”) No
Did the chuckler commit a felony? No
A misdemeanor? No
Did he commit the crime while he was chuckling? No
Before he chuckled? No
After he chuckled? No
Did he chuckle while conversing with another person? NR
Did he laugh his ass off and get arrested for littering? No
(by the way Biotop, IT’S NOT AS OBVIOUS AS YOU THINK!) I hope you will chuckle at the solution. If you get it you will know it without even asking.
You are on the right track.
Are the three rocks mentioned in your imaginary Nancy comic relevant?
ETA or the tree or the house?
I feel like I’ve heard this, or something very like it, I just can’t quite remember.
Uhhhh… did he chuckle and somebody thought he said “chug chug chug” and he got slapped with underage drinking?
That’s all I got. I’m just spinning my chuckwagon wheels at this point. I say we chuck this and give up. He who chuckles last chuckles loudest. He was Chuckley, the killer ventriloquist dummy. It was Chuckles the Clown from that Mary Tyler Moore episode where an elephant thought he was a peanut and shelled him. It was Chuckles Yeager, and he got arrested for speeding. Do these puns make you want to up-chuckle?
No that was all an aside.
I am ok with leaving this unsolved and moving onto the next puzzle. All the relevant questions have been asked and answered.
You know that scene in It’s A Wonderful Life where George and Mary are dancing and the floor opens up over the pool? They keep dancing closer and closer to falling in, but then they start moving in the other direction just at the last moment? You all were that close.
At some point someone will solve this and post the answer. Mahaloth is right. You never know which puzzle will be solved quickly and which one not. The solution I am looking for is exactly one word.
Oh dear… I think the ‘one word’ hint was a big one…
manslaughter?
Yes!!!
His chuckling is a crime because it is manslaughter. Hurrah Folly!
Special thanks to Harper’s puzzlemaster Richard Maltby who had the clue (or something like it) in his cryptic puzzle a few years ago and I really struggled to get the answer then. That monthly variety cryptic is always a treat.
Groan… 
Ugh.
Okay, I thought of one. It’s not a pun and it should be simple enough.
Jeff wanted to stop his children from watching their favorite show. Why?
Were the kids spending to much time watching tv?
Was there something specific he did not want them to see?
Jeff wanted to stop his children from watching their favorite show. Why?
Is everyone human in this puzzle?
Is their favorite show a TV show?
Is their favorite show hurting them?
Is there anything embarrassing for Jeff in the show? (or anyone else?)
Is this situation well known?
Is this situation fictional or nonfictional?
Was their favorite show on tv?
Was there something he did not want the kids to hear?
Human children, right?
Jeff wanted to stop his children from watching their favorite show. Why?