Anderson, Mo. ? An anti-gay group that often protests at the funerals of slain U.S. soldiers did not show up for Saturday’s funeral of a southwest Missouri man.

However, a member of the Westboro Baptist Church says the group can challenge a new Missouri law in court based on a letter the Topeka, Kan., church received from the McDonald County prosecutor.

A Missouri law that recently went into effect bans picketing and protests “in front of or about” any church, cemetery or funeral establishment from one hour before a funeral until one hour after it ends.

More than 50 law enforcement officers were prepared to deal with protesters at the funeral and graveside service of Army Pfc. Christopher L. Marion, who was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq. The funeral was at a funeral home in Anderson, and Marion, 20, of Pineville, was buried in Jane Cemetery.

Shirley Phelps-Roper, the daughter of the Rev. Fred Phelps, who founded Westboro Baptist, earlier had said the group would be in southwest Missouri for Marion’s funeral. However, she told the Springfield News-Leader on Saturday that the group’s presence wasn’t necessary.

“We can sue them,” based on the contents of the prosecutor’s letter, Phelps-Roper said. “We don’t need to get arrested to do that. … They’re interpreting the law in a way contrary to the way the Supreme Court interpreted the law.”

The nondenominational church claims God is allowing soldiers, coal miners and others to be killed because the United States tolerates homosexuals.

In his letter, prosecutor Stephen Geeding said the new Missouri law would be interpreted to mean protesters could not be “any place that is reasonably established as a parking area for funeral attendees” and would also apply to areas along the route of the funeral procession to and from the cemetery.

“Where are we supposed to be – Kansas City?” Phelps-Roper told the News-Leader.

“They … underscored the vagueness of it,” she said. “They’ve created a problem for themselves.”

Missouri lawmakers were spurred to action after the church protested in St. Joseph last August at the funeral of Spc. Edward Myers.

The law makes the violation a misdemeanor, with fines and possible jail time that increase for repeat offenders.