Huge fine for anti-gay US church [BBC]
A church whose members cheered a soldier’s death as “punishment” for US tolerance of homosexuality has been told to pay $10.9m (£5.2m) in damages.
The Westboro Baptist Church was taken to court by the father of Lance Cpl Matthew Snyder, a marine who died serving in Iraq in March 2006.
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Last year they caused outrage when they attended the funeral of Matthew Snyder with signs reading “Thank God for dead soldiers” and “You’re going to hell”.On Wednesday, the jury ordered the church and three of its leaders to pay $2.9m in compensatory damages, and an additional $8m for invasion of privacy and for causing emotional distress.
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Defence attorney Jonathan Katz’s argument that the $2.9m in compensatory damages already far exceeded the defendants’ net worth and would be enough to “bankrupt them and financially destroy them” was ignored.The church, which is unaffiliated with any major denomination, is headed by Fred Phelps. Most of its 70-odd members belong to his extended family.
Mr. Jonathan Katz, I think that was the point.
Sure, one gets free speech, but they’re not allowed to harass someone. We are allowed to exercise our rights within the boundaries of depriving others of their rights.
Fortunately, this ‘church’ is not a real Church, but a family cult.