[Phelps slime] Loses Big in Protest Case

BALTIMORE  —  The father of a fallen Marine was awarded nearly $11 million Wednesday in damages by a jury that found leaders of a fundamentalist church had invaded the family's privacy and inflicted emotional distress when they picketed the Marine's funeral.

The jury first awarded $2.9 million in compensatory damages. It returned later in the afternoon with its decision to award $6 million in punitive damages for invasion of privacy and $2 million for causing emotional distress to the Marine's father, Albert Snyder of York, Pa.

Snyder sued the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church for unspecified monetary damages after members staged a demonstration at the March 2006 funeral of his son, Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder, who was killed in Iraq.

See also:

• Breaking: Father of slain Marine wins case against foul Phelps family
• Fallen Marine’s father takes a cool $2.9 mil from the Phelps clan;
  Update: Reuters story refers to “gay Marine”; Update: Reuters removes reference;
  Update: $8 million in punitive damages awarded
• Albert Snyder, Father of Slain Marine, Wins Lawsuit Against Westboro Baptist Church
• There Is A God, And He Doesn't Like Fred Phelps

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