Title 11
Criminal Offenses

Chapter 20
Graves and Corpses

R.I. Gen. Laws § 11-20-3

§ 11-20-3. Removal of marker on veteran’s grave.

(a) Every person who maliciously or without authorization removes an American Flag in the vicinity of a veteran’s grave or from a flag staff in a cemetery shall be imprisoned not exceeding sixty (60) days or fined not exceeding one hundred dollars ($100).

(b) Every person who shall, without right, remove from any grave a marker that was authorized to be placed by the cemetery to designate that the grave was the grave of a deceased veteran shall be imprisoned not exceeding one hundred and twenty (120) days or fined not exceeding five hundred dollars ($500) for a first offense, and shall be imprisoned not exceeding one hundred and twenty (120) days or fined not exceeding one thousand dollars ($1,000) for a second offense.

(c) Every person, firm, partnership or corporation who shall purchase, sell or destroy any veteran’s grave marker shall be subject to the same penalties provided in subsection (b) of this section.

History of Section.
G.L. 1896, ch. 279, § 46; G.L. 1909, ch. 345, § 49; G.L. 1923, ch. 397, § 49; G.L. 1938, ch. 608, § 49; G.L. 1956, § 11-20-3; P.L. 1982, ch. 219, § 1; P.L. 1990, ch. 490, § 1; P.L. 1991, ch. 66, § 1; P.L. 2000, ch. 109, § 6.