Albert Snyder, Father of Slain Marine, Wins Lawsuit Against Westboro Baptist Church
Posted on October 31, 2007
Update: Video of this cult’s leader freaking out on CNN!
Prelude:
“They turned this funeral into a media circus and they wanted to hurt my family,” Snyder testified. “They wanted their message heard and they didn’t care who they stepped over. My son should have been buried with dignity, not with a bunch of clowns outside.”
Hat Tip to Michelle Malkin, we see that Albert Snyder of York, Pa, the father of that slain solider has won his lawsuit against Westboro Baptist Church.
From the Baltimore Sun:
Albert Snyder of York, Pa., the father of a Westminster Marine who was killed in Iraq, today won his case in a Baltimore federal court against members of Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church who protested at his son’s funeral last year.
The jury of five women and four men awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages. The amount of punitive damages to be awarded has not yet been decided. The jury deliberated for about two hours yesterday and much of today.
Snyder was the first in the nation to attempt to hold members of Westboro Baptist Church legally liable for their shock protests at military funerals after the church protested the military’s inclusion of gays at the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, a 2003 Westminster High School graduate who died March 3, 2006, in a vehicle accident in Anbar province.
In June 2006, Snyder sued the tight-knit fundamentalist Christian church and three of its members individually. The father argued that Westboro’s demonstrations exacerbated his pain and suffering in March 2006 while he mourned the death of his only son.
Specifically, he charged that they violated his privacy, intentionally inflicted emotional harm and engaged in a conspiracy to carry out their activities. The jury decided in Snyder’s favor on every count.
The church and its members maintained that they did nothing wrong. They based their legal defense on the First Amendment, arguing that their protests were constitutionally protected. Their attorneys told jurors yesterday that Westboro members were expressing closely held religious beliefs about an immoral society, including the military, that has endorsed homosexuality.
From MM:
The Synder website has legal documents from the case here. Send him a note of congratulations and thanks here.
The fight’s not over.
Via Wake up America
Free speech doesn’t absolve people of responsibility for the damage they do, and most reasonable people would consider what Westboro’s minstrels of misery do very painful and completely inappropriate. Perhaps this might convince a few other victims to follow suit, pun intended, and ensure that Phelps’ moral bankruptcy gets matched by his financial bankruptcy.
Hot Air rounds up news as well.
[Update] Hat tip to Blue Crab Boulevard, punitive damages award at $8 million, added to the $2.9 million, Mr. Snyder has won and Westboro Baptist Church must pay almost $11 million dollars.
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.”
GREAT NEWS. [End Update]
More articles from Stop The ACLU about Westboro Baptist Church can be found here one one page.
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38 Responses to “Albert Snyder, Father of Slain Marine, Wins Lawsuit Against Westboro Baptist Church”
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This Westboro Baptist church hates the Gay-Community, African-Americans, Canada, Sweden, the Fire Department of NY, victims of 911, Christian Churches, The Pope, Judaism, America, Our American Troops, and the list goes on and on. Many of the groups they despise are specifically named on their hate propaganda, picket signs, and their many websites. They not only hate, but wish death on all that they abhor.
This sick, so called church spreads its hate through picketing in our streets, provoking attacks, with abusive vulgar language. With an on going hate FAX’s Worst of all, they endanger their own young children, having them man the front lines in their combative demonstrations - attempting to create a confrontation.
This is not about protesting, this is about a life of hate. They are not peaceful. They are not a “church”. They go after any thing that can get them in the news. I am all for protest when there is a reason, I have been in many. This group will protest anything to get its face on TV or in the news. It is about an old man lost in the darkness of hate, but will put his six year old grandson in danger to save himself. They protest at the funerals of our troops. Do we have a real need to protest at any funeral? Is that a real Freedom?
The city of Topeka, the state of Kansas and the U.S. at large, its citizens and their Churches, schools and events are all held hostage by this “hate group” - always at the tax payer’s expense.
Come on Cam… tell us how you REALLY feel!!!
Ok, seriously, I agree with everything you said. They are a hate group, disguised as a religious group and after an $11 million dollar judgment which I have no doubt will hold up on appeal, I can only wish that it will bankrupt them.
I doubt they will be out out of business, they will somehow manage to keep spreading hatred but this judgment is a good precedent and maybe now they can be kept from disrupting other funeral services.
Susan, the only thing I have to say is…I quit calling them a church. They are a cult.
Jay, when I went to that site to do a follow up piece the other day, I actually had to walk away from the computer twice before being able to finish and I had only gone through a small portion of that hate site.
You can physically “feel” the hatred when on their website.
Seriously, guys? You’re happy about setting a precedent that speech is subject to monetary damages (obscene damages at that) if it hurts someone’s feelings?
I thought the liberals were the bleeding hearts.
You thought Conservatives were heartless? What I am cheering is that these hateful freaks are being held responsible for the consequences of their speech. I guess I am a bleeding heart when it comes to such downright hatred towards people coming from lunatics gone wild.
Jeff Molby… it is not “free” speech is it. If you child were trampled in a theater because someone yelled fire when there was none, you would say “Oh well, it was just speech?” Right? You would say that wouldn’t you?H
The Westboro cultists aren’t Baptist by any legitimate definition. They only continue to use the name in a desperate attempt to give them the appearance of legitimacy however with the national publicity of their attrocious actions, such an appearance has long dissolved.
In regards to the lawsuit itelf, many of Fred Phelps’ offspring and children-in-law are attorneys so expect this to be appealed, delayed, etc. so as to prolong any payment or payments they may be ordered to make. Furthermore, knowing their past behavior, I fully expect them to refuse to pay even if the SCOTUS upholds the lower courts rulings. This might bring about interesting confrontations when seizures are ordered on their properties. Again pointing out the devious attorneys who are blood-related or related by marriage to Phelps, expect all properties to be hidden as best as they can from legal inquiries further delaying any monetary gains by victims of their abuse.
Please note I intentionally use the plural (victims) because I also further expect more lawsuits given the successful nature of this intitial one.
The Westboro crowd isn’t finished by any stretch of the imagination but they are riding the downward slope of oblivion with failed brakes and oil-slicked tires.
Jeff, in case you haven’t heard the news, free speech and hate speech are two different things.
That aside, disturbing a family in mourning is an act of morally corrupt soul, NOT a religious soul. This group hides behind religion and “free speech’ to hurt people and spew hatred.
No more, no less.
This people are not Christians they are bigots and their intolerance equals ignorance. The actions of these people is beneath contempt as they give Christianity a bad name. They should be ashamed on these actions and they should pitied more than censured for their callousness.
I am just curious to know where all the outrage was over the Phelps cult when they were picketing gay funerals. I think it’s great that they have now, finally, been held accountable for all they have done though. I’m sure the family of Matthew Shepherd, as well as the families of all the other gays and lesbians that were disturbed during their mourning will be a little bit happier also.
Amen finally that hateful cult group is getting what is coming to them. They are not a church for christian people do not speak to hurt families that already hurting. Take a page from Albert Snyder and anytime you get these hateful cult in your town picketing a funeral take pictures and names and sue the pants out of them. It’s time they recieve what is due to them. Good Christian people have been silent for to long it is time for this hateful Fred Phelps and his cult to start paying for hurting good Christian people. How dare them put more hurt into families that are dealing with a lost of a love one. Way to go.
Oh, I take my statement back. I didn’t realize someone was physically injuried at the funeral.
Ok, so I hate people who tailgate me despite my “Baby on Board” sticker. Am I still allowed to speak out against those that put my family and I at risk? What if I happen to be angry and say mean things in the process?
No, I thought Conservatives realized that government is not an effective vehicle of compassion. You feel for these people and rightly so.
Do any or all of the following:
- Join the Patriot Guard
- Write a brief letter of support and comfort to the family
- Send a gift certificate for dinner or a maid service, so the family doesn’t have to worry about trivialities during their time of pain
Be creative and I’m sure you can think of more.
DO NOT jeopardize our rights with such a dangerous precedent in an effort to silence that pitiful man; it won’t work anyways.
I think Jeff is worried this will now be applied to
hate-mongering people he Favors.
I think people need to be able to separate Free Speech from hate speech, which this Westboro cult practices:
Hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance (such as height, weight, and hair color), mental capacity and any other distinction-liability. The term covers written as well as oral communication and some forms of behaviors in a public setting. It is also sometimes called antilocution and is the first point on Allport’s scale which measures prejudice in a society.
The reason the law has separated one from the other is because too many think they can say and do anything, harm anyone and simply hide behind the term “free speech”.
They were allowed to spew their hatred at a soldiers funeral, hurting the family while they were mourning… it was their right?
Well it was the Fathers right to sue them for the pain and suffering they cause him and his family.
God bless his family. I can’t even imagine what his family and he are going through. Still, I sure am glad he won on principle alone.
BTW, your donation thingy isn’t working. If you would like a code that works, let me know. It doesn’t seem to look very nice, but you can at least donate.
Susan, most of what you described is already covered in the criminal statute. The items that aren’t already covered aren’t covered for a reason and you can’t use the civil justice system to circumvent Constitutional protections.
Everyone in this country has a right to voice their views of the morality of homosexuality and many on this particular site go out of their way to do so on a regular basis. They can even do so with impolite and vulgar language if they don’t care about having a civil discourse.
I’m sure there are a lot of people just waiting to pounce if they screw up, so it’s safe to assume Westboro followed every applicable law in their protests. So when you boil it down, the only thing they did wrong was to choose a crass forum for their protest.
I simply don’t see how you could make such a subjective exception to the first amendment without chilling free speech.
As the court ruled, causing pain and suffering is NOT covered under the first amendment, no matter how you cut it.
I am heartened that the Phelps outfit is finally beginning to get their due. They are indeed a hate group, and there is indeed a difference between free speech and hate speech. I do not feel that ANY decent citizen is endangered in ANY way by this suit. Hang in there, Mr. Snyder. You did a good thing.
No, I see you, like this cult, trying to hide behind the mantle of free speech to be able to get away with Hate Speech and harming people.
The reason courts allow lawsuits for suffering and emotional pain is because it is a legitimate complaint and Mr. Snyder was smart to sue under those grounds.
Lower court? Yes, I have no doubt this will be upheld upon appeal.
The right of free speech does not and should not negate the families right to privacy, nor allow this cult to cause emotional pain and suffering.
Hence the law separating hate speech from free speech in the first place.
They found that people should not be allowed to hide behind the free speech right to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance (such as height, weight, and hair color), mental capacity and any other distinction-liability. The term covers written as well as oral communication and some forms of behaviors in a public setting.
Try to get your head around the fact that every word uttered, no matter what the intent, does NOT fall under the free speech protections in the eyes of the law.
Try to get your head around the fact that I suggested no such thing. Now read my next paragraph and focus on what I’m actually saying…
Which of these did Phelps do?
Yeah, while y’all are arguing the particulars, case law and whether or not it is a slippery slope for the “1st”…I am a disabled vet Marine and, no matter if it hurts or not…
I AM DOING A VICTORY DANCE!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hopefully ALL the victims of this vicious hate group gets the hint and sues these idiots right down to their rightful place in hell.
So, what’s next nay sayers: The KKK is going to get the right to picket and protest at African American funerals? Gays and Lesbians?
When will what they do cross the line into a Hate Crime? Just because it is a military member that is being buried that it is not considered a criminal act?
Being that I am a Veteran, I can tell you that we often think of ourselves as the largest minority that have no protective rights. Thanks to those of you who stuck up for OUR rights, as well as the rights of those that are targeted by this HATE GROUP; to the rest of you who think that Veterans don’t deserve the same protection as other groups…well, use your imagination.
Jeff,
How clear does that have to be before you understand?
Phelps was taking prejudicial actions based on sexual orientation which he states CLEARLY at his website and the signs he holds up outside funerals.
It doesn’t get any clearer than that, he admits that his reasoning is because of homosexuality and the hate crimes statues deliberately has that wording which YOU just blockquoted yourself.
Michelle.. our pleasure and we will continue to stick up for your rights, you who have been willing to give your lives for our rights.
It is the least we can do for you.
Thank you so much for your service.
Correction to the last comment statues=statutes
Am I to understand, then, that it is your position that anyone who speaks out against homosexual behavior is subject to civil suits?
Nice try at putting words in my mouth Jeff.
I stated clearly what I meant in the original post as well as the follow up comments.
I showed you what portion of the statute applied to make this hate speech instead of free speech and the courts themselves have justified Mr. Snyder by awarding him 10.9 Million dollars for pain and suffering because the courts see the differences, whether you are capable of it or not.
Have a nice day.
No, Susan, you cited a full paragraph that contained a number of components which I think we can all agree don’t apply. I do see how certain components may apply, but I was first trying to understand your perspective. When I asked you, you cited only the “sexual orientation” phrase and then proceeded to berate me for not assuming.
I figured there was more to your position, so I asked the question in #36 to give you an opportunity to clarify your position so we could move forward without assumptions.
I’ll keep an eye on this thread in case you wish to do so.
“They found that people should not be allowed to hide behind the free speech right to degrade, intimidate, or incite violence or prejudicial action against a person or group of people based on their race, gender, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language ability, moral or political views, socioeconomic class, occupation or appearance (such as height, weight, and hair color), mental capacity and any other distinction-liability.” (because I don’t know how to block..lol)
Okay - I’ll bite
In MY books, and from where I sit, doing what they did, that group most clearly degraded the solemnity of Matthew Snyder’s funeral. And yes, a military man and his family.
With great freedom comes great responsibility. EVERY freedom comes with a responsibility. Those people are free to express themselves and the courts have the freedom to exercise THEIR responsibility to uphold HR 5037 (I think it is.
Putting aside the law, it is my view that harassing grieving families, as well as disrespecting the flag of America, is morally repugnant. Yes, those people live in a land of freedom of speech, but that gives the rest of us the freedom of speech to say:
NOT ON MY WATCH!
Define “harrassing”. They were on public property 200+ feet away from the entrance of the cemetary. What would have to change for it to no longer qualify as “harrassment”? Should they have moved farther away? 400 feet? 1000 feet? 10 miles?
They were in accordance with with state law. What is the point of these laws if we’re just going to retroactively apply subjective judgement anyways?
P.S. <blockquote>This is how you blockquote</blockquote>
Apparently you didn’t catch the part where they were saying “God hates the soldiers” “God hates their families” “Their families hate him (the Marine that was killed)”…saw it on the news, right along with their dumb signs.
Hey, if you have a problem with someone’s love or sex life, find another venue. The only reason they do what they do is that nobody will pay any attention to them if they did it anywhere else. Plainly put: they are attention seekers, however:
Jeff, this was a funeral for someone’s son. That Marine died to protect the freedom that these jackasses hide behind. The Marine’s family, who paid for the funeral, had it destroyed by these jackals. The family deserves the protection from the same judicial branch that protects them.
If that doesn’t pass your litmus test as harrassment, then I don’t know what does.
Very well said Michelle.
Michelle, I hear the emotional appeal, but that’s all I hear. I’m still waiting for someone to legally justify the ruling. The state passed a law specifically to cover these situations. That law created a 200 ft bubble around the entrance of the cemetery. How is it that a jury can retroactively increase the size of the bubble?
It’s not my litmus test, Michelle. The state didn’t charge him with harassment, so clearly his actions didn’t meet their standard.
Jeff, what you are not “getting”, obviously, is nobody has to justify it to you…THE COURT justified it in its ruling and with a jury awarding the father the win.
They caused undue pain and suffering for the father with invasion of privacy at their son’s funeral.
No one really cares if you do not think that is justification enough, the jury did and THEY made that determination legally within the court system.
You may not like it and that is your right, but it doesn’t make a difference if we agree or you do not agree.
What matters is that the court ruled in a legal manner.
My personal feeling is the award may be lowered a bit but that the ruling will withstand appeal.
Actually, about 10 different people cared enough about my opinion to discuss it with me. If you don’t wish to discuss it further, that’s fine… Move on.
The court ruled, yes. The “legal manner” part is yet to be decided. There will be at least a couple appeals and I may very well prove to be right, even if you don’t want to admit it.
Thank goodness for this Maryland judgement. The Phelps have no cogent expression to make and their raison d’etre is purely to cause distress to the mourning families whose funeral services they try to disrupt. Arguing that the Phelps’ borderline insane activities (to which they drag their children: surely child abuse) should be protected by the First Amendment is an insult to the First Amendment.