Fred Phelps Loses $2.9 Million Lawsuit

**Lee** · 10-31-2007, 05:16 PM

BALTIMORE (AP) -- 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 defendents," 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 that had been unsealed 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://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...103102278.html

Maybe this will m ake these idiots stop what they are doing now a precedent has been set, if not, i hope to see a lot more lawsuits against them :thumbsup:

Regards,

Lee

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 06:14 PM

There will probably be an appeal, but this could mean liquidation of the Westboro Baptist Church!

Which means that I would like to from a little Kansas LLC, buy the Westboro church compound at the court ordered sale and turn it into a gay bathhouse. Or maybe a gay community center. Just something that welcomes gay men and sex.

:-)

Karma is a bitch, ain't it Freddy?

**IdolKnights** · 10-31-2007, 06:38 PM

They plan to be here later this week to protest at the funeral of the 7 college kids who died in the fire earlier this week.

If I have time, I may try to take photos

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 06:43 PM

One of the lead haters, Rebecca Phelps, claimed to have just $308 in the bank but can afford to travel around the country to ooze her hateful filth.

Maybe this verdict will take away their resources to protest!

**LavenderLounge** · 10-31-2007, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Lee

The judge said the church's financial statements that had been unsealed could be released to the plaintiffs.

If they are a non-profit organization aren't their tax records available for public review? What is the procedure for finding their tax records? I know a couple phony religious groups I'd like to investigate.

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 06:57 PM

The suit named individuals as well as the church:

Snyder's suit named the church, its founder the Rev. Fred Phelps and his two daughters Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebecca Phelps-Davis, 46

**PornMadeMeRich** · 10-31-2007, 07:52 PM

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.

Originally Posted by Lee

BALTIMORE (AP) -- 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 defendents," 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 that had been unsealed 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.

Maybe this will m ake these idiots stop what they are doing now a precedent has been set, if not, i hope to see a lot more lawsuits against them :thumbsup:

Regards,

Lee

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 07:57 PM

Oh sweet justice!

I support the right to free expression but protesting at funerals is too much even for me. This ought to put a damper on the Westboro road trips

marcjacob · 10-31-2007, 08:23 PM

Chad is there a way for them to legally get out of this? Could they just transfer their assets to another "company" owned by a church member not cited and go bankrupt? Or would that be fraud?

Im loving every second of their current misery but i know in my heart that they will live another day and keep spouting their hate.

Dont get me wrong, this is a major victory, but i dont expect it to beat them in the end.

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 08:28 PM

The assets of the church can be sold, and any transfers of large assets can be reversed. Once they exhaust their appeals,

LET THE AUCTION BEGIN!!!

marcjacob · 10-31-2007, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by chadknowslaw

The assets of the church can be sold, and any transfers of large assets can be reversed. Once they exhaust their appeals

So they are rubber ducked! Couldnt happen to nicer family :fuckyou:

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 08:33 PM

They can still appeal [and I assume they will] and there are some ways to reduce the award, but likely they will lose all the assets they have

which will really cut their travel and hate spouting budget.

marcjacob · 10-31-2007, 08:36 PM

In reality though they are not the only ones who believe this muck. There is a whole community of them. So i would assume, other Church members will continue the lost cause.

**chadknowslaw** · 10-31-2007, 10:15 PM

Phelps crew is sometimes so evil that they turn normally frantic right wing fundamentalists to the side of the homos. Phelps antics make even the bitter closet types think the anti-gay message goes too far.