http://www.kfor.com/news/local/kfor-news-funeral-protest-felony-story,0,5206658.story?track=rss
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY, OK -- An Oklahoma Sheriff's Captain is hoping to diffuse a volatile situation involving members of the Westboro Baptist Church, based in Topeka, Kansas. He's urging legislators to give more teeth to a state law concerning protests at funerals.
Right now, it's a misdemeanor to disturb a funeral in Oklahoma.
Captain J.T. Palmer of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Department says if it were a felony, grieving family members would be better protected to mourn in peace because it would discourage protesters from showing up.
"You're a convicted felon," Palmer says. "Sometimes that has a way of changing people's thought process."
Palmer decided the law should be changed after the Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest the funeral of three relatives who died in a car wreck last week, north of Asher.
The victims were 16-year-old Leah Hanson, 19-year-old Andrew McBroom and 21-year-old Joshua McBroom.
The church was upset at Oklahomans after their tires were slashed at a protest in McAlester last month, and said fatal wrecks were God's curse against Oklahoma children.
But at the funeral, Palmer says he was approached by angry people who were ready to be arrested for attacking the protesters.
"My biggest fear is I am going to have to arrest a family member because of his actions towards one of these (protesters), if they show up," he says, "and I don't want to do that."
State Senator Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee) supports changing the law to a felony.
"That is one of the areas that we really need to make a statement," he says.
However, Laster says any new legislation cannot resemble a recent bill that would have allowed attacks on protesters.
"They (angry people) could have gotten in their car and run the protesters over and killed them under the language that was in the bill at the time."
On the phone, a Westboro Baptist Church member and attorney said a felony conviction would not discourage them.
"It would tell us that we need to be there more often," Margie Phelps says. "It would tell us that you haven't gotten the message yet."
Phelps personally attacked Palmer in a letter to the Shawnee News Star newspaper on Thursday.
But Palmer replied, saying "they threw out the challenge, they were going to come here and get away with it. I'm throwing a challenge out now to the governor, the attorney general. Let's change it (the law). Let's stand up to them. I'm not asking for them to stop (protesting), just stop at the funerals."
Right now, it's a misdemeanor to disturb a funeral in Oklahoma.
Captain J.T. Palmer of the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Department says if it were a felony, grieving family members would be better protected to mourn in peace because it would discourage protesters from showing up.
"You're a convicted felon," Palmer says. "Sometimes that has a way of changing people's thought process."
Palmer decided the law should be changed after the Westboro Baptist Church threatened to protest the funeral of three relatives who died in a car wreck last week, north of Asher.
The victims were 16-year-old Leah Hanson, 19-year-old Andrew McBroom and 21-year-old Joshua McBroom.
The church was upset at Oklahomans after their tires were slashed at a protest in McAlester last month, and said fatal wrecks were God's curse against Oklahoma children.
But at the funeral, Palmer says he was approached by angry people who were ready to be arrested for attacking the protesters.
"My biggest fear is I am going to have to arrest a family member because of his actions towards one of these (protesters), if they show up," he says, "and I don't want to do that."
State Senator Charlie Laster (D-Shawnee) supports changing the law to a felony.
"That is one of the areas that we really need to make a statement," he says.
However, Laster says any new legislation cannot resemble a recent bill that would have allowed attacks on protesters.
"They (angry people) could have gotten in their car and run the protesters over and killed them under the language that was in the bill at the time."
On the phone, a Westboro Baptist Church member and attorney said a felony conviction would not discourage them.
"It would tell us that we need to be there more often," Margie Phelps says. "It would tell us that you haven't gotten the message yet."
Phelps personally attacked Palmer in a letter to the Shawnee News Star newspaper on Thursday.
But Palmer replied, saying "they threw out the challenge, they were going to come here and get away with it. I'm throwing a challenge out now to the governor, the attorney general. Let's change it (the law). Let's stand up to them. I'm not asking for them to stop (protesting), just stop at the funerals."
Copyright © 2010, KFOR-TV
Replies
Twana, The current form of this Law is only to allow grieving families to have a little privacy while they say good-bye to a loved one. It is to make sure that groups like the WBC idiots are not allowed to be standing behind the family while the funeral is happening. Here is the summation of how the Bill happened and what it is about.
Oklahoma Gov. Brad Henry signed a bill today making it a misdemeanor to picket within 500 feet of a cemetery, mortuary or church from one hour before a funeral service until one hour afterward.
The Oklahoma House hurriedly passed the bill yesterday and sent it to Henry in a bid to prevent picketing by members of Westboro Baptist Church at the upcoming funeral of an Oklahoma soldier killed in Iraq.
The measure went into effect immediately upon Henry’s signature.
The funeral of 21-year-old Joshua Pearce, who was killed on Feb. 26 when his Army vehicle struck an explosive device near Baghdad, is tentatively scheduled for March 6 in the Oklahoma Panhandle city of Guymon, said Rep. Gus Blackwell, R-Goodwell.
Members of the Oklahoma House suspended their rules to bring the Senate-passed funeral-protest bill directly to the House floor for a vote and passed it without opposition. Under the measure, convictions are punishable by a fine of up to $500, a 30-day jail sentence or both. In addition, a district court can award damages, including punitive damages, against those convicted of protesting at a funeral.