20071031 baltimoresun.com: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

baltimoresun.com: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

For additional information on Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, a 2003 Westminster High School graduate who was killed in Iraq on March 3, 2006 – please click here: Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

The funeral service, which is the focus of the trial, took place in Westminster – and in spite of the fact that I cherish free speech and the right to protest; the actions of the members of the Westboro Baptist Church was reprehensible…

Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

Pa. man awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages

By Matthew Dolan, Sun reporter, 3:56 PM EDT, October 31, 2007

Albert Snyder of York, Pa., the father of a Westminster Marine who was killed in Iraq, today won his case in a Baltimore federal court against members of Topeka, Kan.-based Westboro Baptist Church who protested at his son's funeral last year.

The jury of five women and four men awarded Snyder $2.9 million in compensatory damages. The amount of punitive damages to be awarded has not yet been decided. The jury deliberated for about two hours yesterday and much of today.

Snyder was the first in the nation to attempt to hold members of Westboro Baptist Church legally liable for their shock protests at military funerals after the church protested the military's inclusion of gays at the funeral of Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, a 2003 Westminster High School graduate who died March 3, 2006, in a vehicle accident in Anbar province.

In June 2006, Snyder sued the tight-knit fundamentalist Christian church and three of its members individually. The father argued that Westboro's demonstrations exacerbated his pain and suffering in March 2006 while he mourned the death of his only son.

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Read the rest of the article here: Father of slain Marine wins case against funeral protesters

Related: Jury sees video of funeral protest

Church members protest outside federal court in Baltimore Video

Anti-gay church members protest Photo

Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

20060315 Westminster Eagle Coverage of the death of Cpl Snyder in Iraq

Iraq War Reaction in Carroll Co. - Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder Killed in Iraq March 2 2006

03/15/06 - Extended family bids farewell Matthew Snyder, the Westminster Marine who died March 3 in a Humvee accident in Iraq. Leo Patalinghug, one of three clergy who conducted the funeral Mass, recalled several years ago visiting the S...

03/07/06 - Finksburg resident killed in Iraq Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was deployed in February to serve in Operation Iraqi Freedom, assigned to Combat Service Support Group-1, 1st Marine Logistics Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force.

03/15/06 - Obituaries Matthew Snyder, 20, of Westminster

Lance Corporal Matthew A. Snyder, USMC, of Westminster was killed instantly March 3, while on assignment in Al Qaim, Iraq.

A Mass of Christian burial was he...

03/15/06 - In face of tragedy, outpouring of support showed community's be Matthew Snyder brought home the tragedy of war last week, as the local resident and Westminster High graduate returned for the last time to his family and friends.

Besides, there's plenty of me...

04/05/06 - Letters 2006-04-05 00:00:00 Opinion Letters Community support, comfort was greatly appreciated

The family of Lance Cpl.

Matthew Snyder

03/29/06 - After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr 2006-03-29 00:00:00 Local News After Westminster incident, House passes bill to ban funeral pr By GEORGE R. ALTMAN
Capital News Service

Inspired by the recent protest at the funeral of a sol...