Westboro, USA - They protest against those who serve and die for our country and now the U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear a case regarding their actions. We're talking about a group of protesters from a Baptist church in Kansas that picket outside military funerals.
The Supreme Court refused Monday to consider Missouri's appeal of a court order. That order bars the state from enforcing a law restricting protesters near funerals; meaning, they must allow the protesters to be there.
Now we hear from one military mom who lost a son in Iraq and had to face this group's messages.
Fran Marshall lost her son Sgt. Bradley Marshall two years ago in Iraq. She explains, "It was a missile attack on his base."
The day of his funeral, she had to face the possibility that this group would show up.
Marshall says, "The sheriff came to my house and said they were determined to not let them come around."
The group, made up of members from one family from Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas, protests at military funerals. Some states and cities have tried to ban them. The U.S. Supreme Court Monday decided not to rule on a case out of Missouri, meaning a lower court decision stands, which allows the protesters at funerals.
Little Rock city attorney Tom Carpenter's opinion on the move, "If I were somebody who wanted to protest, then I would cite this case saying the Missouri court said you can't do it and the court hasn't looked at it and that would be persuasive, but it's not binding."
Carpenter says the city won't make any changes; they will still allow protesters at funerals, but keep them at a distance.
Carpenter says, "The First Amendment, especially on sidewalks and parks, is one of the most protected areas under the law, but even so, you can still keep people from blocking traffic or creating traffic jams."
Military mom Fran Marshall can't stand the thought of them around, but understands the importance of free speech. "I believe people should be able to state what they're opinion is," she says, "but there's a time and place for everything and we don't need it at our sons' funerals."
We contacted a group known as the Patriot Riders that typically goes to military funerals to block the Westboro group from sight to see how any court matters might affect their actions. That group chose not to comment.