YES!!! Westboro Baptist Church hit for $11 million...

[NoHackrLtd]

The miserable bastards that view themselves as the 'guardian of our creator' for all of us - The Westboro Baptist Church group - were hit today for over 11 million dollars in punitive and compensatory damages for picketing the funeral of Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq.

Finally something positive for the good guys. Mr. Snyder (Cpl. Snyder's dad), well done, sir. May Matthew rest in peace, and thank you and your family for the courage to take on these miserable bastards.

I'll find a link later and post it.

[MichaelB]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21566280/
MSNBC News Services
updated 2 hours, 23 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.

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.

Award 'exceeds the net worth' of defendants
Even the size of the award for compensating damages alone "far exceeds the net worth of the defendants," according to financial statements filed with the court, U.S. District Judge Richard Bennett noted.

Snyder 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 soldiers are dying because the nation is too tolerant of homosexuality.

“God promised dire outpourings of very painful wrath, and there’s nothing more painful than killing one of your children and that’s what’s going on in Iraq,” church founder Fred Phelps told msnbc.com in a 2006 interview. “That’s what we’re preaching and the forum of choice to deliver such a message, obviously, is the funeral of the kid that’s been blown to smithereens."






That is the version I read. I don't wish harm on many people, but I would like to see these folks get in a nasty car wreck. Not so they get hurt but so they can not harass any more mourning parents.

[righteousbarbarian]

haha! calling them "fundamentalist" is an insult to all fundamentalists.

[Agent Smith]

See I don't know how they can claim that a funeral is a public event and what they're doing is covered by the First Amendment. A funeral to me seems like it would be private.

I hope the decision holds up and they have to pay every single cent of that.

[Nate]

Originally Posted by Agent Smith

See I don't know how they can claim that a funeral is a public event and what they're doing is covered by the First Amendment. A funeral to me seems like it would be private.

I hope the decision holds up and they have to pay every single cent of that.

Same here, This is good news!

[BradC]

I smiled when I saw this on the news this morning. I hope it bankrupts them.

[brewguy]

I have mixed feelings.. This could be used to further limit the 1st.

[BradC]

Originally Posted by brewguy

I have mixed feelings.. This could be used to further limit the 1st.

If they define a funeral as a public event, correct?

If its private, there is no 1st.

[RocketFoot]

Looks like they'll have to pass the collection plate around a few extra times! Good for them anti American bastards!

I wish the Patriot Guard Riders were there to oversee the funeral...

http://www.patriotguard.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patriot_Guard_Riders

[brewguy]

Are they picketing inside the grave yard or one the sidewalk? If they are in a public place picketing a private event then it is ok.


I need to say that I do not in any way agree with them.