Thanking the NecroTourist for sharing this photograph of this
"Cemetery Vandalism is a Felony" Sign
That is installed at the Woodlawn Cemetery
In Zanesville, Muskingum County, Ohio.
(A) No person shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to
an occupied structure or any of its contents.
(B)
(1) No person shall knowingly cause physical harm to
property that is owned or possessed by another, when either of the following
applies:
(a) The property is used by its owner or possessor in the
owner's or possessor's profession, business, trade, or occupation, and the
value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is one thousand
dollars or more;
(b) Regardless of the value of the property or the amount of
damage done, the property or its equivalent is necessary in order for its owner
or possessor to engage in the owner's or possessor's profession, business,
trade, or occupation.
(2) No person shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to
property that is owned, leased, or controlled by a governmental entity. A
governmental entity includes, but is not limited to, the state or a political
subdivision of the state, a school district, the board of trustees of a public
library or public university, or any other body corporate and politic
responsible for governmental activities only in geographical areas smaller than
that of the state.
(C) No person,
without privilege to do so, shall knowingly cause serious physical harm to any
tomb, monument, gravestone, or other similar structure that is used as a
memorial for the dead; to any fence, railing, curb, or other property that is
used to protect, enclose, or ornament any cemetery; or to a cemetery.
(D) No person,
without privilege to do so, shall knowingly cause physical harm to a place of
burial by breaking and entering into a tomb, crypt, casket, or other structure
that is used as a memorial for the dead or as an enclosure for the dead.
(E) Whoever violates
this section is guilty of vandalism. Except as otherwise provided in this
division, vandalism is a felony of the fifth degree that is punishable by a
fine of up to two thousand five hundred dollars in addition to the penalties
specified for a felony of the fifth degree in sections 2929.11 to 2929.18 of the Revised Code. If the
value of the property or the amount of physical harm involved is seven thousand
five hundred dollars or more but less than one hundred fifty thousand dollars,
vandalism is a felony of the fourth degree. If the value of the property or the
amount of physical harm involved is one hundred fifty thousand dollars or more,
vandalism is a felony of the third degree.
(F) For purposes of
this section:
(1)
"Cemetery" means any place of burial and includes burial sites that
contain American Indian burial objects placed with or containing American
Indian human remains.
(2) "Serious
physical harm" means physical harm to property that results in loss to the
value of the property of one thousand dollars or more.
Amended by 129th
General AssemblyFile No.29, HB 86, §1, eff. 9/30/2011.
Effective Date: 09-30-1998
Related Legislative Provision: See 129th General
AssemblyFile No.29, HB 86, §4
