Police Gear Up For Expected Protest At Soldier's Funeral
POSTED: 11:30 am EST March 3, 2006
UPDATED: 12:27 pm EST March 3, 2006

KOKOMO, Ind. -- Police will have a new legal weapon as they prepare for the Monday funeral of a Kokomo soldier killed in Iraq.

State lawmakers on Thursday enacted a law curtailing protests at funerals ahead of an expected protest at the funeral of Army Sgt. Rickey Jones, 21. Jones died in a roadside bomb attack last week in Iraq.

Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the legislation late Thursday and it went into effect immediately. Disorderly conduct within 500 feet of a funeral, burial, funeral procession or viewing is now a felony offense.

The law was enacted because of a Kansas-based group's protests at the funerals of Indiana soldiers.

The protesters, from Westboro Baptist Church, claim soldiers are dying in Iraq because the United States supports homosexuals. The group plans to protest at Jones' funeral.

Vandals have targeted Jones' family's home and his family has been barraged with hateful phone messages within the past week.

Visitation for Jones is Sunday from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Shirley and Stout Funeral Home. The funeral is Monday at 10 a.m. at Crossroads Community Church at U.S. 31 and State Road 26.