Westboro Baptist Church on the Ropes
A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.
Mike Burley / The Capital-Journal
Westboro Baptist Church could be sold to satisfy a $5 million court judgment. A lien has been ordered on it.
If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, at 3701 S.W. 12th, and the office building, at 1414 S.W. Topeka Blvd., could be obtained by the court and sold, with the proceeds being applied toward $5 million in damages Bennett imposed on church members for picketing a military funeral.
In February, a judge ordered Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis to produce information to determine what assets that could be used to pay toward a $5 million penalty against them for picketing the funeral of a Marine. He issued Thursday's ruling after reviewing:
• A certified financial statement prepared by an independent accountant reflecting all assets and liabilities.
• Bank statements.
• Copies of deeds for real estate.
• A list of all of the shareholders of the church corporation.
• Personal tax returns for Pastor Fred W. Phelps Sr., Phelps-Roper and Phelps-Davis.
A lien is a legal hold on property, making it collateral against money owed to a person or entity. It can keep the owner from selling the property or transferring title to the property.
The $5 million penalty is the result of a lawsuit filed against three of the church's principals by Albert Snyder, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, whose funeral was picketed by church members.
I feel very strongly about this topic. As an American and veteran, I chose to affiliate and ride with the Patriot Guard because of these lunatics. Personally, I hope they are bankrupted, and thrown in jail for their personal attacks on the families of our fallen heros, but that's just my opinion.
Mike Burley / The Capital-Journal
Westboro Baptist Church could be sold to satisfy a $5 million court judgment. A lien has been ordered on it.
If the case presided over by U.S. District Court Judge Richard D. Bennett is upheld by an appeals court, the church, at 3701 S.W. 12th, and the office building, at 1414 S.W. Topeka Blvd., could be obtained by the court and sold, with the proceeds being applied toward $5 million in damages Bennett imposed on church members for picketing a military funeral.
In February, a judge ordered Shirley Phelps-Roper and Rebekah Phelps-Davis to produce information to determine what assets that could be used to pay toward a $5 million penalty against them for picketing the funeral of a Marine. He issued Thursday's ruling after reviewing:
• A certified financial statement prepared by an independent accountant reflecting all assets and liabilities.
• Bank statements.
• Copies of deeds for real estate.
• A list of all of the shareholders of the church corporation.
• Personal tax returns for Pastor Fred W. Phelps Sr., Phelps-Roper and Phelps-Davis.
A lien is a legal hold on property, making it collateral against money owed to a person or entity. It can keep the owner from selling the property or transferring title to the property.
The $5 million penalty is the result of a lawsuit filed against three of the church's principals by Albert Snyder, the father of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew A. Snyder, whose funeral was picketed by church members.
I feel very strongly about this topic. As an American and veteran, I chose to affiliate and ride with the Patriot Guard because of these lunatics. Personally, I hope they are bankrupted, and thrown in jail for their personal attacks on the families of our fallen heros, but that's just my opinion.
posted by Gary | 7:25 AM
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