Father of Slain Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder Wins $11 Million Verdict against Westboro Baptist Church Funeral Protesters

Westboro Baptist Church loses  $11 million verdict; however, they have a greater judgment to face down the line.

Its about time and thank you God. The father of slain Marine, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, has won an $11 million verdict against the heinous funeral protectors from the Westboro Baptist Church. It is almost unbelievable and beyond words that anyone would do such a thing at a funeral of a fallen hero.

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.” (Yahoo News)

Albert Snyder sued the Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified damages after members demonstrated at his son’s funeral in March 2006 who was killed in Iraq.

A Baltimore federal jury awarded nearly $11 million Wednesday to the father of a Marine killed in Iraq, deciding that the family’s privacy had been invaded by a Kansas church whose members waved anti-gay signs at the funeral.

It was the first-ever verdict against Westboro Baptist Church, a fundamentalist Christian group based in Topeka that has protested military funerals across the country with placards bearing shock-value messages such as “Thank God for dead soldiers.”

They contend that the deaths are punishment for America’s tolerance of homosexuality and of gays in the military.

The founder of the Westboro Baptist Church had other ideas after hearing the verdict that was leveled against him and his organization. His mere words makes one truly know what is important to him. There is just one to many references to “me” in his comments.

Fred W. Phelps Sr., Westboro’s founder, vowed to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit, in Richmond, Va.

“It’s going to be reversed in five minutes,” he said. This case, he added, “will elevate me to something important,” as it draws more publicity to his cause. (Baltimore Sun)

More comments on the verdict from the following blogs:

• Jawa Report: Westboro Nuts Out 12 Million. Updated
• Captains Quarters: There is a God, And He Doesn’t Like Fred Phelps
• Stop the ACLU: Video: Fred Phelps Freaks Out at Rick Sanchez Over Losing Snyder Suit
• Michelle Malkin: Breaking: Father of slain Marine wins case against foul Phelps family