Atlanta, Georgia (PressExposure) April 14, 2010 -- The Iraq war took Albert Snyder's son and now Westboro Baptist church is emptying his savings account. Westboro Baptist Church, an extreme fundamentalist church, protested Snyder's son's funeral nearly four years ago. The group believes that any military death is simply the wrath of God, punishing American's for accepting homosexuality.
Snyder decided to protest back.
Snyder's case was accepted pro bono by Sean Summers and Craig Trebilcock, two military veterans. Snyder triumphed over the first round easily and was awarded $10.9 million in damages in the fall of 2007; the amount was later reduced to $5million. However, in September of 2009, the U.S. Court of Appeals reversed the verdict and ordered Snyder to pay Westboro's court costs, an estimated $16,510.
Snyder's had incredible publicity because of filing the lawsuit, but attention multiplied after the court-ordered restitution.
The Supreme Court is next to decide if the heinous protest of the church are legal and protected by the first amendment.
Snyder's suit indicts the church of assaulting his privacy and maliciously inflicting emotional distress. Still, Snyder insists that he only proceeded with legal action due to continued protest of military funerals and special attention paid to his son.
The case is to be heard this fall.