Here Today... Gone To Hell!

US anti-gay church to pay $10.9m

BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7072404.stm)

Members of the extreme anti-gay Westboro Baptist church picket the funeral of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder in March 2006

A US church whose members cheered the death of a soldier as "punishment" for the nation's sins has been ordered to pay $10.9m (?5.2m) in damages.

The Westboro Baptist Church was taken to court by the father of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, a marine who died serving in Iraq in March 2006.

The church cited its constitutional right to free speech in its defence.

But Albert Snyder's lawyer urged the jury to ensure the damages were high enough to stop the church campaigning.

Members of the church - based in Topeka, Kansas - have denounced homosexuality for years, initially targeting the funerals of Aids victims but later extending their pickets to the funerals of soldiers, who they say are being punished by God.

   
Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again
Craig Trebilcock
Attorney for Albert Snyder

Last year they caused outrage when they attended the funeral of Matthew Snyder with signs reading "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "You're going to hell".

On Wednesday, the jury ordered the church and three of its leaders to pay $2.9m in compensatory damages, and an additional $8m for invasion of privacy and for causing emotional distress.

Albert Snyder's attorney, Craig Trebilcock, had urged jurors to agree an amount "that says 'Don't do this' in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again".

Defence attorney Jonathan Katz's argument that the $2.9m in compensatory damages already far exceeded the defendants' net worth and would be enough to "bankrupt them and financially destroy them" was ignored.

The church, which is unaffiliated with any major denomination, is headed by Fred Phelps. Most of its 70-odd members belong to his extended family.

Appeal

Albert Snyder sobbed when he heard the verdict.

"I hope it's enough to deter them from doing this to other families. It was not about the money. It was about getting them to stop," he said, according to Reuters news agency.

Members of the church, however, reportedly greeted the verdict with tight-lipped smiles.

"It will take the 4th Circuit of Appeals a few minutes to reverse this silly thing," said Rev Phelps.

Daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper - co-defendant along with another daughter, Rebecca Phelps-Davis - called the verdict a blow against free speech and vowed to continue picketing military funerals.

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I would have have taken a gun and shot those idiots if they showed up at a funeral I were to attend.  >:(

If this loon keeps picketing the funerals of soldiers he's going to be meeting Jesus much sooner than he anticipated. I'm sure a fallen soldiers Father may very well be the one to help expedite the process.

Have to say if I came face to face with that whacko, odds are I think I would gladly break his jaw.  I'm totally against violence, but this guy is one of those few extreme cases where it doesn't matter....he just needs his ass handed to him.

how he hasn't gotten bloodied by now is beyond me.  one good beat down with a temp insanity plea by the aggressor and this fuck tard won't be so preachy.

I'm not so certain temporary insanity would be necessary.  If he showed up at your kid's funeral, that has to qualify as incitement, right?  I can't imagine a prosecutor really going after someone who kicked his ass, under such circumstances.

Eh, dude....any money grubbing prosecutor would gladly defend this anus.  Most good lawyers were born without souls and couldn't tell you a moral from a morsel.

gotta ask.... do DA's get paid that well to be called money gurbbing? I know defence lawyers do....... never knew DA's get paid super high salaries... always thought it was in the 60-80k bracket

DA's are public officials so nah, they're not banking that much.....but this dude would be able to hire a top of the line prosecutor on his own behalf.

They did ... in Powell Co Ky last year. They cancelled their next protest in Ky. Haha, score one for the rednecks. No one was prosecuted if I remember correctly because the aggressors couldn't be identified.

He was pepper sprayed once, if I remember correctly.

The "reverend" Fred is about one notch above the "reverend" Jim Jones. I've heard him before and he's about as sick as they come. He hasn't killed 900+ people, but he probably would if he could.

prosecutor = DA

what your looking to say is "defence attorney"

I think they should stage a die in.  It's got to be real though so close the windows turn on the gas but just to be careful blow out that pesky pilot light and then just sleep on it.   

My girlfriend and I were watching 20/20 last night and they had a segment on these people. Howard stern has had them on too, as the "God hates fags" family. I highly recommend finding the segment somehow cause I laughed so hard it hurt. It was so insane, they were singing church songs about how everyone deserves to die and that God hates the gays and there were these kids they interviewed spewing the same crap who were about six. They asked them what a fag was and the one kid said "the same as the jews".

Well, I do hold gays responsible for Yentl.

Religion brings so much good into the world.

$10.9 million?

Good.

these people are disturbing

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4413388146858417528