Marine's Dad Sues Funeral Protesters ( ACLU will not be happy )

The Associated Press ^ | June 5, 2006 | The Associated Press

[george76]

The father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters from a fundamentalist Kansas church filed an invasion-of-privacy suit against the demonstrators Monday.

It is believed to be the first lawsuit brought by a soldier's family against Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., whose members routinely demonstrate at military funerals around the country.

Members' demonstrations in Colorado prompted lawmakers to approve -- and the governor to sign -- a bill banning protests within certain distances of funerals.

Snyder, 20, died March 3 after an accident in the Al Anbar province of Iraq.

The church has inspired dozens of state laws banning funeral protests, including a Maryland law that did not go into effect until after Snyder's memorial.

[llevrok]

MC Ping

[YourAdHere]

Finally. A non-frivolous lawsuit.

[EternalHope]

Hang 'em high. And squeeze 'em dry.

One thing that REALLY ticks me off is pseudo "christians" giving Christianity a bad name.

[Dr. Ed Bravo]

A 'good' PGR ping.

Let's hope the family can clean-out their coffers. Let's also hope there's a judge willing to hear the case.

Hope, hope, hope!

[george76]

"Shirley Phelps-Roper, a spokeswoman for the small congregation, said it is the first time Westboro has been sued by a soldier's family."

---

There may be more.

[massgopguy]

Isn't it a felony to disrupt a religious service?

[Brilliant]

Seems like a open and shut case, if you ask me. A good example of "outrageous behavior" and intentional infliction of emotional and mental distress.



Of course, I'm sure that the same judges who routinely allow unjust actions to go to trial will find some excuse for dismissing this one.

[StarCMC]

 

To be on or off my PGR list, please FReepmail me!

Thanks for the ping Dr. Ed!

[Hegemony Cricket]

In addition, can we get a restraining order to keep those dunderheads from (ab)using the title "Baptist"?

[StarCMC]

I'm thinking class action would be good.

[george76]

 

Fred Phelps is a disbarred civil rights lawyer. His friend : Al Gore. 

 

 

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

[paul51]

Where to I contribute to the legal fund?

[TASMANIANRED]

Excellent Idea.

[Ptaz]

Good for them. I hope they win. I always smile when the ACLU gets slapped down.

[Dr. Ed Bravo]

Thanks George. I've read all that stuff. The Wiki on WBC is pretty good too. They are disgusting sub-humans. I'm hoping that the lawyer(s) for the family are top notch and don't let this oppertunity slip by on a technicality.

I'm sure Algore has already disassociated himself from them (just like the Baptists, Christians, and even lawyers).

[Right Cal Gal]

And by all that is holy get a jury. NO bench trial. I'm thinking punitives from intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress alone will be in the millions.

And every other family who has had to put up with these creatures at the funeral of a fallen hero should follow suit. No class action - separate suits in different states and different jurisdictions.

[Ptarmigan]

Take that Phelps! It is about time they got sued.

[Dr. Ed Bravo]

Do you think the WBC would allow the ACLU to join in on this? I suspect the twisted egos that run the WBC will turn away anyone that would be sick enough to help them; even the ACLU.

I like the class-action lawsuit idea. Many families have had to deal with these scumbags. What will they have if they have no money? Just their hate.

[Right Cal Gal]

Dr. Ed -

While I'd love to see them busy trying to defend 20 different lawsuits in 20 different states (and they probably aren't admitted anywhere but Kansas, so they'd have to pay local counsel a nice fat hourly rate), the idea of a class action works if any settlement agreement carries a provision which bars them from further involvement of any kind at a military funeral.