Westboro Baptist Church ordered to pay US$11 million to family of fallen US soldier
{{date|November 1, 2007}}
[[Image:WBC protest.jpg|thumb|187px|right|Jael Phelps of the Westboro Baptist Church picketing Trinity Episcopal Church in [[w:Tulsa, Oklahoma|Tulsa, Oklahoma]]. {{Image source|Westboro Baptist Church}}]]
The [[w:Westboro Baptist Church|Westboro Baptist Church]] has lost a lawsuit and has been ordered by [[w:United States district court|United States District Court: District of Maryland]] to pay [[w:United States dollars|US]]$11 million to the family of [[w:United States Marines|Marine]] Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a fallen soldier, who was killed while serving in [[Iraq]].

The lawsuit was filed by Snyder's father, Albert, after the church held a protest across the street from the cemetery where funeral services were being held. The church was sued for, "defamation of character, invasion of privacy--intrusion upon seclusion, invasion of privacy--publicity given to private life, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy," according to court documents obtained by ''[[Wikinews]]''.

''Wikinews'' has also learned that the church filed a motion for a mistrial on October 29, but was ultimately denied.

The jury ordered that $2.9 million be awarded to the Snyder family for compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages, but reports say that the church cannot afford that amount, with their assets worth under $1 million. The defendants plan to appeal the judgment and have expressed confidence they can get it overturned.

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== Sources ==
{{original}}
*{{source|url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iG5UJ5x50uIUmMI4flDQoqXea1ygD8SKP8LG0
|title=$11M Verdict in Funeral Protesters Case
|author=Alex Domingues 
|pub=Associated Press
|date=November 1, 2007}}
*{{source|url=http://www.citmedialaw.org/sites/citmedialaw.org/files/2006-06-05-Snyder's%20Complaint.pdf
|title=Snyder's Complaint 
|author=United States District Court for the District of Maryland
|pub=Citizen Media Law
|date=June 5, 2006}}

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[[Category:Crime and law]]
[[Category:Religion]]
[[Category:North America]]
[[Category:United States]]
[[Category:Kansas]]
[[Category:Maryland]]
[[Category:LGBT]]
[[Category:Westboro Baptist Church]]
Tulsa, Oklahoma. 
The Westboro Baptist Church has lost a lawsuit and has been ordered by United States District Court: District of Maryland to pay US$11 million to the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, a fallen soldier, who was killed while serving in Iraq.

The lawsuit was filed by Snyder's father, Albert, after the church held a protest across the street from the cemetery where funeral services were being held. The church was sued for, "defamation of character, invasion of privacy--intrusion upon seclusion, invasion of privacy--publicity given to private life, intentional infliction of emotional distress and civil conspiracy," according to court documents obtained by Wikinews.

Wikinews has also learned that the church filed a motion for a mistrial on October 29, but was ultimately denied.

The jury ordered that $2.9 million be awarded to the Snyder family for compensatory damages and $8 million in punitive damages, but reports say that the church cannot afford that amount, with their assets worth under $1 million. The defendants plan to appeal the judgment and have expressed confidence they can get it overturned.
Crime and law Religion North America United States Kansas Maryland LGBT Westboro Baptist Church