Kelley: Concerning Yesterday's Execution and Funeral Protests

Twenty years after kidnapping, raping, and killing an 11 year old girl, Martin Link was put to death by lethal injection. According to witnesses present at the execution, the condemned man showed no remorse and died alone. He also showed no remorse for his actions right up to the end. In a written statement he said, ‘The state says killing is wrong, so why do they do it’? This is coming from a person who not only was convicted of the crime he died for, but was also convicted of raping a 13 year old and accused of raping and beating a 15 year old. Revenge was not a factor; this person simply did not deserve to continue living in a civilized society.

We are again considering a bill in the House to ban protesting at funerals as HB276 was heard in committee. This issue hits particularly close to home as we saw firsthand the ugliness of such action right here in the 126^th District. This past October members of Westboro Church from Topeka, Kansas came to Lamar to protest the funeral of Army Pfc. Dylan T. Reid. I have to admit that I use the term ‘church’ quite loosely.


In 2006 the General Assembly passed two pieces of legislation specifically aimed at the actions of this group of hate mongers. One bill banned protesting at funerals from one hour before and two hours after the service. The other created a buffer zone of 300 feet and would not take effect unless the first law was struck down. As it turned out, both laws were nullified by U.S. District Judge Fernando Gaitan.

This year’s legislation contains a time restraint and a buffer zone, but does not ban protests along public streets. I suspect challenges will also be raised against this bill when it passes, but as one legislator remarked, ‘It feels like common sense you should show respect for the family and the deceased’.

Until our next update, I am, and remain, in your service,