Phelps: All that was [jury's decision] was a protestation by the government of the United States against the word of God. They don't want me preaching that God is punishing America by killing those servicemen. And if that's why He's [God] doing it and sending them home in body-bags then the appropriate forum of choice would be their funerals and there's nothing wrong with preaching respectfully at a great distance from the funeral while it is going on.
Sanchez:How, sir, can you call this "respectfully" when your using those kinds of words and those signs to a man...(crosstalk)...why would you choose this as a venue...a man who is minding his own business trying to mourn the death of his son who many would consider a war hero?
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A Baltimore jury awarded Snyder nearly eleven million dollars in compensatory and punitive damages today after finding Phelps and members of his Westboro Baptist Church guilty of violating Snyder's privacy, intentionally inflicting emotional harm and engaging in a conspiracy to carry out their protests. Snyder's son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder was killed in a non combat-related vehicle accident on March 3, 2006. Phelps' protesters showed up at the funeral with hate signs including "Thank God for dead soldiers."
The Baltimore Sun's Matthew Dolan: The jury found that the Westboro "protesters crossed the line because their message impugned the grieving family's reputation and unlawfully invaded the Snyders' privacy."
