872.02 Injuring or removing tomb or monument; disturbing contents of grave or tomb; penalties. - Florida Statutes

872.02 Injuring or removing tomb or monument; disturbing contents of grave or tomb; penalties.

   (1) A person who willfully and knowingly destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures, or removes any tomb, monument, gravestone, burial mound, earthen or shell monument containing human skeletal remains or associated burial artifacts, or other structure or thing placed or designed for a memorial of the dead, or any fence, railing, curb, or other thing intended for the protection or ornamentation of any tomb, monument, gravestone, burial mound, earthen or shell monument containing human skeletal remains or associated burial artifacts, or other structure before mentioned, or for any enclosure for the burial of the dead, or willfully destroys, mutilates, removes, cuts, breaks, or injures any tree, shrub, or plant placed or being within any such enclosure, commits a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

   (2) A person who willfully and knowingly disturbs the contents of a tomb or grave commits a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084.

   (3) This section shall not apply to any person acting under the direction or authority of the Division of Historical Resources of the Department of State, to cemeteries operating under chapter 497, or to any person otherwise authorized by law to remove or disturb a tomb, monument, gravestone, burial mound, or similar structure, or its contents, as described in subsection (1).

   (4) For purposes of this section, the term “tomb” includes any mausoleum, columbarium, or belowground crypt.

History. s. 27, ch. 1637, 1868; RS 2626; GS 3546; RGS 5447; CGL 7590; s. 1134, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 84-230; s. 2, ch. 87-154; s. 1408, ch. 97-102; s. 11, ch. 98-268.