Anti-Gay Church Must Pay Marine's Family

[Roon]

BALTIMORE -- A Kansas church has been ordered to pay $3,150 for costs and fees associated with a summons and complaint filed by the father of a Marine whose funeral was picketed by the extremist group.

Albert Snyder, of York, Pa., is suing the Rev. Fred Phelps and Westboro Baptist Church after church members demonstrated at the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, of Westminster, and posted pictures of the protest on their Web site.

His father's federal lawsuit, filed June 5, alleges church members violated the family's right to privacy and defamed the Marine and his family at the funeral and on the church's Web site.

Court documents say the church has 30 days to make the payment to Snyder.
http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/10515987/detail.html

[J Miles]

1. It's about time

Finally someone makes these hatemongers pay (literally) for the damage they cause.

[TechBear_Seattle]

2. Identical lawsuits filed because of his picketing gays have all been dismissed

Usually without a hearing, and despite the considerable costs that churches and other venues have paid to maintain Phelch's safety.

Funny how that works out. :grr:

[ThomCat]

4. Yup. Funny how that works.

Anyone who thinks the law treats everyone equally is a fool. How the law treats people is directly affected by how society feels about you. And society hates GLBT people a hell of a lot.
x(

[BR_Parkway]

5. This is only for the costs of the summons because they refused to

sign a waiver, this is not the lawsuit being decided against them.

[cboy4]

3. Nobody loathes the Phelps people more than me, but how can they

be sued for demonstrating a funeral?

Were they trespassing?

[Drops_not_Dope]

7. What the lawsuit is....

His father's federal lawsuit, filed June 5, alleges church members violated the family's right to privacy and defamed the Marine and his family at the funeral and on the church's Web site.

[cboy4]

9. Obviously I read that in the OP. My question is which statute

guarantees someone the right of privacy, especially if the protest is done on private property.

And how was the Marine defamed?

I'm just asking these questions because the Phelps' are a family of lawyers, and they historically know how to work the system.

[Monkeyman]

10. Defamed was calling him Gay thats what some article are saying

[Monkeyman]

8. Under the Fallen Heroes Act

If they are closer the 300 feet they are breaking the law. IL law is 400 feet. Each State has new laws now

[cboy4]

11. Okay, that answers it now. Thanks. n/t

[Monkeyman]

12. AnyTime

[zreosumgame]

6. need to be more like this father

get the ripe bastards where they will hurt.