It's about Time!!!!! - Westboro Baptist Church

Cyclist's picture

From Fox

BALTIMORE — A federal jury on Wednesday awarded the father of a fallen Marine $2.9 million in compensatory damages after finding a fundamentalist Kansas church and three of its leaders liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress for picketing the Marine's funeral in 2006.

The jury was to begin deliberating the size of punitive damages after receiving further instructions, although U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the compensatory award "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court.

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified monetary damages after members staged a demonstration at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

Church members routinely picket funerals of military personnel killed in Iraq and Afghanistan, carrying signs such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

A number of states have passed laws regarding funeral protests, and Congress has passed a law prohibiting such protests at federal cemeteries, but the Maryland lawsuit is believed to be the first filed by the family of a fallen serviceman.

Snyder's suit named the church, its founder the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46. The jury began deliberating Tuesday after two days of testimony.

The York, Pa. man claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

The church members testified they are following their religious beliefs by spreading the message that the deaths of soldiers are due to the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Their attorneys argued in closing statements Tuesday that the burial was a public event and that even abhorrent points of view are protected by the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

The judge said the church's financial statements, sealed earlier, could be released to the plaintiffs.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse, which is located on a busy thoroughfare a few blocks west of Baltimore's Inner Harbor, while passing motorists honked and shouted insults.

Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag while carrying a sign that read "God hates fag enablers." Members of the group sang "God Hates America,"' to the tune of "God Bless America."

Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict while members of the church greeted the news with tightlipped smiles.

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Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Wed, 10/31/2007 - 7:25pm.

This is outrageous. These people aren't Christians, they're lunatics.

God Bless Our Military


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Wed, 10/31/2007 - 6:28pm.

called dignity. A funeral of a fallen HERO is no place to make a statement other than saluting that HERO. How dare they!!!!!!
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muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Wed, 10/31/2007 - 6:07pm.

Amen, brother, amen!


Fyt35's picture
Submitted by Fyt35 on Wed, 10/31/2007 - 6:06pm.

I heard about this today, outstanding news! I have a hard time understanding there philosophy, not sure if they are even Christians. In any event, great news for those you have given the ultimate sacrifice to our country.

Unfortunately, and on a similar note, the Veterans Affairs dept now pulled a stupid pet trick. Someone has had their feelings hurt because one of the recitations was read incorrectly during a military funeral, talk about religious intolerance. The director of the National Cemetery Administration's field programs office, ordered cemetery directors to stop the readings and the VA agreed. these recitations, which may include religious passages, are read while the American flag is being folded thirteen times.

The passage in question was " in the eyes of a Hebrew citizen, represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and King Solomon, and glorifies, in their eyes, the God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob" .


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