Jerry Brown backs family of California Marine suing funeral protesters

California  Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown has joined the case pending at the U.S. Supreme Court on behalf of the family of a Marine from Twentynine Palms whose funeral was picketed by an anti-gay group.

The family of Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder sued members of the Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church for invasion of privacy and emotional distress after the group picketed Snyder's funeral in Westminster, Md. The group pickets military funerals out of a belief that soldiers' deaths are God's punishment for the U.S. promoting homosexuality.

Snyder, 20, was killed in Iraq on March 3, 2006.

A  trial court awarded $10.9 million to the family, reduced to $5 million by the judge.

But an appeals court, citing the 1st Amendment, threw out the verdict and ordered the Snyder family to pay legal costs of $16,500 to Fred Phelps, founder of the Westboro church. (On behalf of the Snyder family, those costs were reportedly paid by Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly.)

The high court has announced it will hear the Snyder family’s appeal.

Brown joined other state attorneys general in signing a friend-of-the-court brief.

"Free speech is a cherished American right," Brown said in a statement today, "but disrupting a private funeral with vicious personal attacks on the grieving family goes too far."

Snyder  was assigned to Combat Logistics Battalion 7 at Twentynine Palms as a generator mechanic. 

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Photo: Marine Cpl. Matthew Snyder. Credit: Marine Corps

Comments

[Fez]

"Free speech is a cherished American right," Brown said in a statement today, "but disrupting a private funeral with vicious personal attacks on the grieving family goes too far."

Couldn't have said it any better, shame on that group!

[debra]

Well amen to that! It's about time. How dare they?!!! The nerve of this Baptist church! Where do they get off?! Free speach is one thing, but come on! Wow.

[marlena]

I agree with brown on this one....

[Joe]

Although the family deserves the support and should have had privacy, this appears to be a political stunt by Brown to appear concerned with the average citizen, he wants votes and cares less for the citizens!

[Doug Clayton]

These jerks should be put in jail. What right do they have to do this to anyone, much less the family of a soldier who had absolutely nothing to do with their misguided cause.

[Tom Stone]

Wow. Jerry Brown and Bill O'Reilly on the same side?

[Sassy]

I still say people should picket the Westboro Baptist Church saying that they are the devils minions pretending to be human beings. I'm thinking a huge banner right across the street from the church saying "Be Gone Satan" with a picture of Saint Michael driving out Satan on it would make a good point on our opinion of that abomination and their followers.

[gordo]

This Marine died in a combat zone and deserves all the honors at his funeral. Fred Phelps and his followers should be jailed!

[Socorro Varela]

There goes governor "MOONBEAM" again using any opportunity he can find to get into the headlines.

[Jason]

I'll agree that the followers of the Westboro Baptist Church are abhorrent. But to limit the free speech of others? This could open the door to limiting other forms of free speech. I think the church should be ordered to pay back O'Reilly for the money he shelled out to pay for the court costs on the family's behalf. But I think we should seriously consider the ramification of limiting someone else's free speech, no matter how despicable it is.

I think the proper form of retaliation would be to form a following of people who will protest at EVERY funeral of EVERY follower who belongs to that Baptist church. An eye for an eye!

[Karen]

I wish I could sign it! Freedom of Speech should not give you the right to verbally attack and traumatize people. I hope they win on appeal.

[Gurney]

Fred Phelps, who is a lawyer, and his 'congregants,' many of whom are also lawyers, are only in it for the money. They set out with the goal of being assaulted for their vile behaviour, then suing to make large claims for physical damages.

Most cynical thing I've ever heard.

[amazing]

some would argue that the marine died for the principle of free speech , this is pubic property , our founding fathers put it in the constitution , while i don't agree w/ what they are saying i think that in a free society that we need to be tolerant of those ideas that we disagree on .

[IE herb]

Greving for the soldiers that gave their life in battle is a very personal thing to a family. No religion has the right to disrupt the service to use that as a sounding board for their agenda. If we have to change a law so these unfeeling people can be controlled, lets do it!

[Tigerloose]

Well Joe, I don't think Jerry Brown does much of anything purely for political reasons. Brown is a man that has a temper and some things just piss him off.

[DeathValley Queen]

Joe and Socorro Varela, I don't think that in this instance this is a matter of political opportunity. I think this is true outrage. Seriously, you would have to be a complete adam-henry not to feel outrage towards these whack-job agitators. I think Bill O'Reilly is a nutjob but, I have to put aside my opinion of him and tip my hat to the man. No one else has stepped up to do anything for this family. I think his (O'Reilly's) intentions like Browns are true.
And even if they are using this family to further their political platform so what it doesn't change the fact that these two men are helping this family which is more than any of us are doing right now. I mean seriously we can comment all we want but it doesn't change anything for them...

[Paulo]

This has to be the most disrespectful and shameful thing I've ever heard of. And they claim to be people of god? Haven't they read about Jesus?

[James]

A two block no demonstration zone that would apply to any memorial service or burial would keep these vile people away from grieving families and not silence their freedom of speech, however hateful. Just in the way shouting "Fire" in a crowded theater is unlawful for inciting panic, hate speech designed to incite anger and violence should also be unlawful.

[Raphael]

The headline should say "anti-gay funeral protesters", not "gay funeral protestors."

Or maybe an entirely different, less ambiguous construction.