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KANSAS CITY, MO. -
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear Missouri's appeal to allow the state to enforce it's law restricting protests near funerals. The law targeted a Topeka Baptist church that protests military funerals.
The Westboro Baptist Church filed a lawsuit against the state after it passed two laws creating a no protest buffer zone around funerals and processions.
Westboro Baptist Church out of Topeka protests the funerals saying soldiers deaths are God's punishment because of U.S. policy toward homosexuals.
The Phelps filed suit saying the laws violate free speech and the federal appeals court in St. Louis ruled that the state could not enforce the law until this legal matter is resolved.
Now, that the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the state's appeal. The Phelps can continue to protest and Missouri can't do anything about it.
One mother who laid her son to rest while the Phelps protested outside the funeral home says she wants the Supreme Court to get involved in this case and settle it once and for all.
She's tired of Phelps causing military families so much pain.
"Do it in the church. Don't come near us. We have that right as Americans to say whether we want him there and none of us want him there," said Debbie Shanahan.
Shanahan said she has her own way of honoring her son's memory while also counter-protesting the Phelps.
The Westboro Baptist Church filed a lawsuit against the state after it passed two laws creating a no protest buffer zone around funerals and processions.
Westboro Baptist Church out of Topeka protests the funerals saying soldiers deaths are God's punishment because of U.S. policy toward homosexuals.
The Phelps filed suit saying the laws violate free speech and the federal appeals court in St. Louis ruled that the state could not enforce the law until this legal matter is resolved.
Now, that the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear the state's appeal. The Phelps can continue to protest and Missouri can't do anything about it.
One mother who laid her son to rest while the Phelps protested outside the funeral home says she wants the Supreme Court to get involved in this case and settle it once and for all.
She's tired of Phelps causing military families so much pain.
"Do it in the church. Don't come near us. We have that right as Americans to say whether we want him there and none of us want him there," said Debbie Shanahan.
Shanahan said she has her own way of honoring her son's memory while also counter-protesting the Phelps.
