GodHatesFags church owes a Marine's family $2.9mil
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.
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quote:Originally posted by Raupleminze
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."0 -
quote:Originally posted by Raupleminze
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.0 -
The church listed assets of about one million.
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...0
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