Dead Marine's Dad Must Pay Protesters' Tab

The father of a Marine killed in Iraq and whose funeral was picketed by anti-gay protesters from Kansas was ordered to pay the protesters' appeal costs, his lawyers said Monday.

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps. Phelps is the leader of Topeka's Westboro Baptist Church, which conducted protests at Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder's funeral in 2006.

The two-page decision supplied by attorneys for Albert Snyder of York, Pa., offered no details on how the court came to its decision.

Attorneys also said Snyder is struggling to come up with fees associated with filing a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court.

The decision adds "insult to injury," said Sean Summers, one of Snyder's lawyers.

The high court agreed to consider whether the protesters' message is protected by the First Amendment or limited by the competing privacy and religious rights of the mourners.

[rfhman]

Mr. Snyder I and my family are truly sorry that you have lost your son Lance CPL Snyder (a man who stood up for his country and paid the ultimate price; when many sit idly by). It is my opinion that Fred Phelps and the Westboro Baptist Church are a disgrace as human beings and Americans. It is a sad day when a group can proclaim ?freedom of speech? , ?freedom of religion?, and be allowed to use the American judicial system to extort money in order to further infringe upon other Americans inherent rights, publically disgrace our military men and women, and cause harm no human beings should have to endure (completely vile and heinous). I have faith that even if our human system fails in this matter that the trespassers will stand before the grandest jury of them all for their actions!

[craigh9]

Absolutely ridiculous. I have to assume that when protestors appear at gay weddings this judge will rule that it is appropriate as well - or is he just spineless when it comes to the dead?

[cleric60]

On Friday, Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ordered Snyder to pay $16,510 to Fred Phelps
I think something legal action should be done against to this judge.
He should not be sitting on the bench in judgement. What legal recourses can be done ASAP????????

[DEKesler]

I am going to voice an unpopular opinion. I think that the members of the Westboro Baptist Church are absolutely horrid. I think that their message is also horrid. Regardless, I will defend their right to freely express themselves.

I am sorry that the Snyder family is going to have to bear the burden of paying for the Westboro Baptist Church?s legal fees. The ruling was in accordance with a law that I would not wish to see changed. The law is designed to prevent frivolous law suits. Sadly, this law suit was ultimately frivolous. While the Westboro Baptist Church?s actions are reprehensible, they are not illegal.

I can certainly sympathize with the desire to create legislation to restrict where they can protest; however, I will oppose such legislation.

Allow me to describe a scenario in which you would want to be able to stage a political protest at the funeral of a solider. Imagine there was a war that you opposed. Imagine that your child also opposed this war, but was forced into service. Imagine if your child was killed in this war. Imagine that your child?s dying wish was that you would use his funeral to spread the word of the unjust nature of this war. Imagine being told that you could not make an anti war statement at the funeral of your own child due to legislation that was passed solely to thwart the Westboro Baptist Church.

I am truly sorry for the loss experienced by Matthew A. Snyder's family. I wish for them the very best. If someone were to set up a fund to help the Snyder family pay their legal fees, I would be glad to contribute.

[clthomas]

Our country is going down the tubes, if the court of appeals sides with the westboro baptist church. It's a cult of which most members are family.
Write your congressmen, newspapers, we the people need to help! We need to complain about this! You can call Phelps lawyer at 785-233-4162, or Phelps cell 785-273-0325, or Shirley Roper Phelps at 785-273-0277 or 785-273-1080. Jam their phone lines,just call to say "hi"!Their address is 3701 SW 12th Street Topeka, KS 66604.
My heart goes out to the Snyder family. Our court system is wrong in this case. God Bless our Troops, and America.

[GTR5]

Has our country totally lost its way? How can a judge make a decision such as this? With judicial decisions that destroy logic and make a grieving father pay more what kind of future do we all have with this kind of justice? Who is this judge?

[starleo146]

Is this judge Alito's brother?????

[ggiam]

I will find the website and I will donate; maybe they will get enough money to appeal this horrible decision!

[sjc_1]

That is a good idea, since 99% of the people on here said NO, if everyone gave $10 it might just help this guy out and send the minister a message.

[blfisher]

Such a disgusting picture. I think the members of the Kansas church should move out of the US and see how they like living in another country. Take the judge with them!!! My prayers go out to the father and God Bless his son for fighting for our freedom.

[jeremyfive]

This has to be the sickest judicial decision handed down in American history. A father loses his son in battle, and when a group of wackos come to directly interfere with his freedom of religion as he attempts to bury his son in a religious rite, the father is ordered by a demented judge to pay their fees though they violated his constitutionally protected religious choice.

If the wackos need their demented protest, let them do it on the courthouse lawn. Why should this family lose their constitutional protection of freedom of religion (a funeral is an inherent part of religious practice)? Lost freedom of religion. Lost privacy. Indecency.

What a despicable judicial decision. The wackos should be shot, of course, but this is America, and our lunatics run wild.

[location404]

at what point does literally walking all over american flags (they wear flags on their feet) and saying that our soldiers deserve to die become treason?