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GodHatesFags church owes a Marine's family $2.9mil
fishermanben
Member Posts: 15,370
They just lost the lawsuit, and a judge awarded the deceased Marine's family 2.9mil for emotional damages, and invasion of privacy.
Ben
Here you go...
quote: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.
Ben
Here you go...
quote: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.
Comments
rider
Man, that was one righteously pissed jury!
When this case first came up, didn't somebody mention that these wackos (wackoes?) had already been sued a bunch of times, to no avail?
IMO, this is great news. Maybe that'll shut'em up for good.
The KKK of America lost a lot of money and properties due to lawsuits.
I hope this puts the freaks out of business......[}:)][}:)]
rider
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Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.
The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.
Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to determine an amount "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."
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.
The church and three of its leaders - the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46 - were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress.
Even the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court, U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted.
Maybe it will change what they have been doing.
They deserve to rot for what they have done, IMHO.[xx(]
The Bitches are already saying you can't stop them, Jail and fine them and throw away the key. I saw the sorry Bturds in Topeka with their signs and several were just kids with no clue what they were doing.
Well now...........
I would not mind spending just a couple of minutes in a closet with all of them, one at a time for a butt thumping that would change their perspective for a long time to come.
Now keep in mind that this country is all about freedom of speech, freedom of religion, Second Amendment, etc.
Sure don't see things their way at all.
Hit them in the pocketbook....seems to be where they live.
Now, the "Rev." Phelps is saying they don't have to pay unless the Fed. Government sez they have to.
Likely the reason for those "tighlipped smiles" beforementioned....
I feel for the guy, I really do. But I seriously don't see 11 million dollars worth of damage. Wow.
I'm glad he won his case. Mrs_Rogue pledged them 50 bucks to their legal fund, then a week later, they win 11 million. lol Wonder if we'll get a refund haha
First off I am very happy for how this worked out and in no way do I agree with what the members of this church have done, in fact it sickens me. But just to stir the pot and get a debate out of this, was there protesting/picketing funerals freedom of speech?
In case anyone thinks to question why I was listening, since I have a fairly negative opinion of this particular venue -- "morbid fascination" might describe it. I actually did switch the program off, but then decided I needed to hear just how crazy this guy actually was. I read Maureen Dowd, Tom Teepen, and Nicholas Kristof for pretty much the same reason.
SARCASM ALERT: the following should not be taken (too) seriously.
There should be a once-a-year "eat your words" day decreed for both TV and radio talk show hosts, as well as newspaper commentators, on which day not only the past year's foot-in-mouth demonstrations but similar displays from further back, if relevant, would be raised from the dead to haunt these people. I doubt it would change the style of very many, since the worst offenders operate with no noticeable sense of shame or discretion whatsoever.
There should be a once-a-year "eat your words" day decreed for both TV and radio talk show hosts...
Around here, we call it "Tuesday"
Ya don't broadcast to the town in which you were raised without having to dine on your own words once in a while.
Especially since, in my youth, I was a flaming liberal. As I've grown older and become redder around the neck, I've had to tell folks that yes, I did feel at the time that Jimmy Carter would make a fine president and no, I don't feel that way now.
Some people love to play "GOTCHA!", but I remind them that, as sure as they outgrew diapers, I outgrew my leftward tilt.
Screw 'em if they think ya can't learn and grow.
As for Fred Phelps...
I hope he gets a whole lot less publicity from now on.
Guys,
First off I am very happy for how this worked out and in no way do I agree with what the members of this church have done, in fact it sickens me. But just to stir the pot and get a debate out of this, was there protesting/picketing funerals freedom of speech?
No because of the implied overall moral and legal opinion that a funeral should be exempt from "demonstrations of free speech" because one is considered a "private gathering."
Guys,
First off I am very happy for how this worked out and in no way do I agree with what the members of this church have done, in fact it sickens me. But just to stir the pot and get a debate out of this, was there protesting/picketing funerals freedom of speech?
Private issue. Would the same be true for pretesting the birth of your child or the death of your parent?
Funerals are not public events and are not held on public land.
I wouldn't believe this for a minute. After all, they have the financial resources to travel cross-country:
here is a small sample of their most recently printed "agenda" of protests:
Note: You will need Adober Acrobatr Readerr to view these documents. WBC is not affiliated with Adobe Systems Inc. in any way.
WBC to picket funeral for Army Sgt. Scott Turner - at 12:15 p.m., Friday, November 2nd - at Christian Church, 208 North Kansas Ave., Norton, Kansas
WBC to picket funeral for Army Staff Sgt. Larry Rougle - at 10:15 a.m., Friday, November 2nd - at St. Francis Xavier Pedophile Promoting Place, 4501 West 5215 South, Kearns, UT
WBC to picket The Laramie Project - at 6:30 p.m., Sat., Nov. 3 - at Acton-Boxbourgh High School, 36 Charter Rd., Acton, MA
WBC to picket Massachusetts churches, Sunday, Nov. 4
WBC to picket funeral for Army Master Sgt. Thomas Bruner - at 10:15 a.m., Monday, November 5th - at Our Lady of Lourdes Pedophile Promoting Place, 4029 Frederica, Owensboro, KY
WBC to picket funeral for Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Robin Towns, Sr. - at 10:15 a.m., Tues., November 6th - at Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, 9033 Central Ave., Capitol Heights, MD
WBC to picket the so-called 25th Anniversary Parade for the Wall - at 11:00 a.m., Sat., Nov. 10 - 7th St. NW between Madison Dr. NW & Jefferson Dr. SW, Washington, D.C. WBC will also picket the Opening Ceremony at 10:00 a.m., at 3rd St. NW between Madison Dr. NW & Jefferson Dr. SW; and, the Festival at 12 noon, on the Washington Monument Grounds
Kansas to Utah to Massachusetts to Kentucy to Maryland to DC in one week, with gas at over $3/gallon, and including food and lodging....and they have been at this for how many years?
Somebody's got some pretty deep pockets...