South Carolina § 16-17-525 - Wilfully, knowingly or maliciously disturbing funeral service; penalties.

§ 16-17-525. Wilfully, knowingly or maliciously disturbing funeral service; penalties.

(A) It is unlawful for a person to wilfully, knowingly, or maliciously disturb or interrupt a funeral service. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days. This subsection applies to a wilful, knowing, or malicious disturbance or interruption within:

(1) one thousand feet of the funeral service; and

(2) a time period of one-half hour before the funeral service until one- half hour after the funeral service.

(B) It is unlawful for a person to undertake an activity at a public or privately owned cemetery, other than the decorous participation in a funeral service or visitation of a burial space, without the prior written approval of the public or private owner. A person who violates this subsection is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, must be fined not more than one hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty days.

(C) For purposes of this section, "funeral service" means any ceremony, procession, or memorial held in connection with the memorialization, burial, cremation, or other disposition of a deceased person's body.

HISTORY: 2006 Act No. 391, SECTION 1, eff June 14, 2006.