Fred Phelps' Church Ordered to Pay $2.9 Million For Picketing Funeral

"A grieving father won a $2.9 million verdict today against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality.

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified 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."



http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/nation/5262049.html

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Updated On: 10/31/07 at 06:17 PM

'Bout damn time.

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Halloween's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

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Here's the AP story with more info (and yes, assuming it holds up on appeal, this verdict could bankrupt Phelps and his church):

"Phelps Clan Ordered To Pay $2.9M In Anti-Gay Military Suit

by The Associated Press

Posted: October 31, 2007 - 5:00 pm ET

(Baltimore, Maryland) A federal jury on Wednesday awarded the father of a fallen Marine $2.9 million in compensatory damages after finding an anti-gay 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."

http://365gay.com/Newscon07/10/103107phelps.htm

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I had the same question when I first read they were picketing funerals of soldiers Margo.
Apparently they feel that the military is defending our freedoms, which (to Phelps) includes the right to be gay.

It doesn't make any logical sense.

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You beat me to it, Margo

FINALLY! THE INSANITY OF

WESTBORO BAPTIST CHURCH IS

BEING PUNISHED!

CNN: Church ordered to pay $10.9 million for funeral protest
http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/law/10/31/funeral.protests.ap/index.html

"A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals in the belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality."



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Of course no amount of money can repair the emotional damage these ignorant and hateful people have done to thousands of people and families. But this is the step in the right direction.

The Westboro Baptist Church first made significant headlines after picketing at the funeral and trial of Matthew Shepard.

They have since been seen toting their disgusting neon signs all across America at funerals and trials of hundreds of gays and soldiers, and gay-friendly shows (like The Laramie Project) and programs; creating unbelievable amounts of distress.

I personally came face-to-face with these idiots back in 2002 following the cold-blooded murder of 17-year old transgender Eddie "Gwen" Araujo of Newark, CA. The filth these people spew and preach is the most vile thing you could ever imagine.

In spite of it all, I know their day will come when they look back at what they accomplished in the name of "God" and see where they truly end up.

Updated On: 10/31/07 at 07:22 PM

This makes me so happy, I did a little dance!

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another reason why that horny bastard above me in the cape and i see eye to eye on much.

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Jury awards father $11M in funeral case
Staff and agencies
31 October, 2007

By ALEX DOMINGUEZ, Associated Press Writer 2 minutes ago

BALTIMORE - A grieving father won a nearly $11 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation‘s tolerance of homosexuality.

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress.

BALTIMORE (AP) — A grieving father won a $2.9 million verdict Wednesday against a fundamentalist Kansas church that pickets military funerals out of a belief that the war in Iraq is a punishment for the nation‘s tolerance of homosexuality.

U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted the size of the award for compensating damages "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court. The jury was to deliberate later on punitive damages.

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 claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

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.

Earlier, church members staged a demonstration outside the federal courthouse. Church founder Fred Phelps held a sign reading "God is your enemy," while Shirley Phelps-Roper stood on an American flag and carried a sign that read "God hates fag enablers." Members of the group sang "God Hates America" to the tune of "God Bless America."

This isn't over by a long shot. Phelps' dream is to get to the Supreme Court. $11 million? Yea, right.

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they maintain that they were 1,000 feet away that day. the law only requires them to be 100 feet away.
the baltimore sun

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Diva - trust me, his apples didn't fall far from the tree. And they're FULLY indoctrinated

Then he'll be the first one.

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