It seems that the Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas finally got what's coming to them. A Maryland jury just awarded one of the victims of this gang of fundamentalist wackos $11,000,000.00.
Albert Snyder of York, Pa sued the church for unspecified damages after members protested at his son's funeral in March of 2006. His son, Marine Lance Cpl. Mathew Snyder was killed in Iraq.
The Church said it would appeal the decision and continue to protest at military funerals.
Unfortunately, this decision probably won't stand an appeal. Snyder's lawyer, Craig Trebilcock urged jurors to place an amount, "that says don't do this in Maryland again. Do not bring your circus of hate to Maryland again."
If the verdict is sustained on appeal, the monetary award is sure to be reduced (not that this sicko church could scrape up $11 million anyway), but protest, no matter how abhorrent is protected under the first amendment "free speech" rights.
The only chance the verdict has to be upheld is if we take into account the willful causing of emotional distress on the parents of the fallen Marine. $2 million of this judgement is for causing emotional distress. Hopefully this part will be upheld. It is undeniable that the founding fathers intended freedom of speech to be used to harm other people.
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