(UPDATE) $11M verdict in funeral protesters case

WRAL ^ | 1 NOV 2007 | Alex Dominguez

[radar101]

-- Members of a fundamentalist Kansas church ordered to pay nearly $11 million in damages to a grieving father smiled as they walked out of the courtroom, vowing that the verdict would not deter them from protesting at military funerals.

Members promised to picket future funerals with placards bearing such slogans as "Thank God for dead soldiers" and "God hates fags."

"Absolutely, don't you understand this was an act in futility?" said Shirley Phelps-Roper, whose father founded the Westboro Baptist Church.

The group believes that U.S. deaths in the Iraq war are punishment for the nation's tolerance of homosexuality. They say they are entitled to protest at funerals under the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech and religion.

Albert Snyder sued the Topeka, Kan., church after a protest last year at the funeral of his son, Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq. He claimed the protests intruded upon what should have been a private ceremony and sullied his memory of the event.

A jury agreed. On Wednesday, the church and three of its leaders - Fred Phelps and his two daughters, Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis - were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress. Jurors awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages.

[bill1952]

And they will collect what, how?

They aren’t getting anything but satisfaction.
Perhaps that is enough.

[Vaquero]

LOONIES.......

[CharlesWayneCT]

I’m torn. These people are dispicable, and protesting funerals is disgusting.

But if you can sue for “emotional damage” when someone is exercising their free speech rights, how long will it be before every time a conservative speaks, liberals sue them for “emotional distress”?

[Bigh4u2]

The ‘church’ owns a lot of property.

Liens on the property would help to satisfy part of the judgment.

[theDentist]

Yup, starting with the “Church” property itself. Then sell it or donate it to an actual worthy cause.

[2banana]

were found liable for invasion of privacy and intent to inflict emotional distress. Jurors awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages.

You know - ANY protest or protesters could be found guilty of this...

[bill1952]

Spell “Bankruptcy.” The filing of a bankruptcy case reverses all civil judgments within a certain time period that varies from state to state.

Now, as I see it, they only have to threaten to do that to discourage any attorney from trying to collect anything.

But I really don’t know what this “church” owns so perhaps they would actually have to file to protect their assets.

It will be interesting to see what, if anything, comes out of this verdict.

[joebuck]

"The ‘church’ owns a lot of property."

And they've had plenty of time to insure ownership of that propery is insulated. Put all the property in a holding company, make sure the shares are well distributed to trusted third parties and voila.....you're sue proof. One of the principals of this Church is an attorney. It's not to hard to insulate yourself from collection if you know what you are doing.

[Brad from Tennessee]

Your argument is valid. But it may be in the case of a funeral it is obligatory for the family to attend. On the other hand these Westboro psychos intentionally seek out grieving people, who they don’t personally know, and travel hundreds of miles to cause them anguish. It’s not like the family can simply boycott the funeral when they learn these freaks are showing up.

[L,TOWM]

The next step, I suppose, is to do the same number on these a**hats as the Southern Poverty Law Center did on the KKK — RICO, restraining orders, personal asset seizures, treble damages, contempt of court sentences — all that wonderful stuff that keeps totally vile pieces of offal wrapped in human skin too busy or incarcerated to do their thing.

[CaliGirlGodHelpMe]

“And they will collect what, how?”

The Rev. Phelps has quite a tidy sum put a way from all the lawsuit judgements the church has won, suing various municipalities, business entities and individuals for their “rights”. Plus, the domain he owns brings in donations and advertising revenue. The large, secure compound where they all live must be worth something as well. If I had won this judgment, that’s the first thing I’d go after - scatter them like offal.

[PORD]

Approximatively 100 years ago a book was published to counteract the moving away by some churches from the basic tenets of Christianity. The book reiterated much if not all that had been established and reduced to Creeds over church history. Its title had the term “fundamentals” in it which could mean basic tenets, foundational principles, biblical doctrine, etc. Nevertheless, in no way can one be considered “Fundamental” and conduct themselves the way these people do, it is an abomination!

And this is from one that that holds firmly to the basic tenets of Christianity.

[debm29palms]

I guess the difference is that we are not talking about not liking something someone said.

We are talking about something that will live in this man’s mind and soul forever....the fact that people were screaming horrible, HORRIBLE things at HIS SON’S FUNERAL. Maybe I understand better how Mr. Snyder will play back that day in his mind OVER and OVER just to make sure he is not living in some nightmare. And what he will have is their group, with their HATE, making the worst day of his life a INDEED A NIGHTMARE for the rest of his days.

Frankly, 11 million dollars isn’t enough in my mind. There will never be enough money on Earth to make that kind of pain go away.

Generally if a liberal says something you don’t like you move on a little irked. But this goes far beyond being irked because someone does not share your views. This is HATE. And the Westboro Baptist Church is inflicting their hate crimes on people hoping to hurt and sting.

[mj1234]

Hate Crimes ?-

Jesse Jackson
Al sharpton
Louis farakhan-

Lead protests all the time against innocent people.
AND EXTORT MONEY from the innocent’s. -freedom of speech-
they call it - but everyone is too scared to sue.
Phelps is a #1 A__ hole but he probably will win this case.

[CharlesWayneCT]

So, if you stand at an abortion clinic, and yell to mothers that they are murdering their innocent children, doesn’t that inflict emotional distress on them? Doesn’t it seem like a sympathetic jury would find for a plaintiff, especially if the abortionists find a mother who has children and is aborting because she just found out the baby is severely deformed and won’t survive?

In other words, they will pick someone who is very sympathetic, explain how they were mentally tortured by the pro-life protesters, and will win the lawsuit just like happened here.

Or, going back to the Terri Shiavo case. Terri’s husband pretty much “had” to visit her, and to do so in the end he would have to put up with people yelling terrible things about him. What if HE sued for “emotional distress”?

[Diplomat]

You do NOT have the right to invade and obstruct a PRIVATE ceremony because you believe it is Constitutionally protected speech. These funerals are not the U.S.Government. Furthermore, you are not guaranteed the right to crash any funeral or party, of your choosing, under the protection of the First Amendment. It does not apply here, any more than yelling “fire” in a theater as protected speech.

[PAR35]

Spell “Bankruptcy.”

Spell 523.

"(a) A discharge under section 727, 1141, 1228 (a), 1228 (b), or 1328 (b) of this title does not discharge an individual debtor from any debt—

(6) for willful and malicious injury by the debtor to another entity or to the property of another entity;"

[CharlesWayneCT]

I don’t believe they went INTO the funeral, they were on a public street. If they were on private property, then I’ve got no problem going after them both criminally and civilly.

And if you start making exceptions for public protests of private events, you will be censoring, and the censors will be fighting an ever-increasing battle to protect “private” functions.

Abortion protestors already have to fight this stuff a lot, as the government keeps trying to make it illegal to be anywhere near the actual facilities, even on public property.

[Natural Law]

The family won’t collect, this is a 1st Amendment issue. As much as I think what this loony church group is saying is detestable I will defend to my death their right to say it. Remember, it is only unpopular speech that needs protection.