Snyder vs. Phelps
Petitioner: Albert Snyder
Respondent: Fred W. Phelps, Sr.
2010
- The family of deceased Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder filed a lawsuit against members of the Westboro Baptist Church who picketed at his funeral. The family accused the church and its founders of defamation, invasion of privacy and the intentional infliction of emotional distress for displaying signs that said, “Thank God for dead soldiers” and “Fag troops” at Snyder’s funeral.
- Does the First Amendment protect protesters at a funeral from liability for intentionally inflicting emotional distress on the family of the deceased?
So you think theres no basis in the constitution to protect these protestors what so ever?
- “If our four fathers would have seen this we wouldn’t have even had to worry about this because they would be put in fire for treason” – his dad
- “There are other countries who won’t even let these people on their soil, and we let them get 500 feet from a soldiers funeral?”
- “It’s a slap in the face to our military men and women.”
They’re trying to get attention, what is your understanding? Why do they do this?
- “For the media, for the money.”
- “They’re not a church, they’re anything but a church”
They protest at really any high profile funeral
- “There’s not much we can do about it anymore when the government won’t do anything about it… when someone gets hurt let it be on the supreme court justices hands.”
- “Along with the rice comes responsibility, and noone has done this before this group”
Remembering his son
- He was proud to be a soldier
- “If he could see this I don’t think he would be very proud of this country right now.” – Albert Snyder
“At this time I get along with me life, I’m tired, and I’m ready to get this over with.”
Were you surprised by this decision?
Ask yourself as a reporter:
What is the story, who is the story, are you going to ignore the protestors, and if that’s what you decide are you really truthful on what is going on, if you make the protestors the story have you hijacked the story away from the soldier who died?
- Are you being truthful to your audiences
Most are from one family
Marge Phelps – LEADER
They don’t care about the pain they cause.
“All we wanted to do was bury Matt with dignity and respect.” – Albert Snyder
13 total kids, but 9 are involved in the church.
Nobody going into the funeral heard or saw westboro picketers, when the funeral started they left.
- “If we had walked into the church with our picket signs, liability may be different.” – marge
- The snyder family did not ask for the westboro church to the funeral
- He was just trying to put himself to rest
- You cannot redo a burial or funeral ceremony. This is a case of exploiting a private families grief.
- He brought it into the media by his anger with his sons death – therefore marge says he can’t put that out in the media and expect people not to respond
People called in and were able to ask the lawyers questions
Marge says the priest that was there at the funeral testified saying that he did not hear westboro
The court upheld their right no matter how terrible it was
Journalism, Law, & Ethics 