(a) A person is guilty of interference with a cemetery or burial ground when such person: (1) Intentionally destroys, mutilates, defaces, injures or removes any tomb, monument, gravestone or other structure placed or designed for a memorial of the dead, or any portion or fragment of such tomb, monument, gravestone or other structure, or any fence, railing, curb or other enclosure for the burial of the dead, in or from any cemetery or burial ground that is (A) an abandoned cemetery, as defined in § 19a-308a, or (B) a cemetery or burial ground other than an abandoned cemetery and such person takes any such action without authorization of the owner of the burial lot, or a lineal descendant of the deceased, or of the municipality, cemetery association or person or authority responsible for the control or management of the cemetery or burial ground; or (2) wantonly or maliciously disturbs the contents of any tomb or grave in any cemetery or burial ground that is (A) an abandoned cemetery, as defined in § 19a-308a, or (B) a cemetery or burial ground other than an abandoned cemetery and such person takes any such action without authorization of the owner of the burial lot, or a lineal descendant of the deceased, or of the municipality, cemetery association or person or authority responsible for the control or management of the cemetery or burial ground.

Attorney's Note

Under the Connecticut General Statutes, punishments for crimes depend on the classification. In the case of this section:
ClassPrisonFine
Class C felonyup to 10 yearsup to $10,000
For details, see Conn. Gen. Stat.53a-35a

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Terms Used In Connecticut General Statutes 53a-218

  • Lineal descendant: Direct descendant of the same ancestors.
  • Person: means a human being, and, where appropriate, a public or private corporation, a limited liability company, an unincorporated association, a partnership, a government or a governmental instrumentality. See Connecticut General Statutes 53a-3

(b) Interference with a cemetery or burial ground is a class C felony and any person found guilty under this section shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars.