Westboro Baptist Church Wins Free-Speech Case at Supreme Court

A fringe Baptist church that has picketed in Florida and a dozen other states scored a key legal victory Wednesday when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the group could demonstrate near military funerals.

The justices ruled 8-1 that the Westboro Baptist Church was exercising legitimate free-speech rights with its "God hates fags" message.

Justice Samuel Alito dissented, saying free speech shouldn't be "a license for vicious verbal assault."

Westboro was hit with a $10.9 million judgment for its demonstration at the March 2006 funeral of Marine Lance Cpl. Matthew Snyder. Snyder had died in Iraq.

Church members, led by the Rev. Fred Phelps, stood outside the Westminster, Md., funeral service, holding signs declaring, "Thank God for Dead Soldiers" and "You're Going to Hell." One sign depicted two men engaged in anal intercourse.

The sect, which has no connection to mainline Baptist churches, also condemns Catholics and Jews. Westboro's case was argued by Margie Phelps, daughter of founding Rev. Phelps.