Did the Westboro Baptists Cross the Line?
In their representations to the court and their statements since the verdict, the defendants have argued that they cannot be held liable for their protest activities because they were 1,000 feet away from the funeral itself and did not in fact disrupt the ceremony. Mr. Snyder counters, however, that as a result of the defendants’ presence in the vicinity, news media and others transformed the nature of the service from a largely private family matter into a “circus.” The defendants, in turn, contend that the Snyder family opened the funeral to the public and that, in any event, the verdict simply reflects hostility to their message rather than an assessment of any harm they caused. To the extent that the Westboro Baptists now contend that the jury misinterpreted the evidence in finding that they had a noticeable and adverse impact on the mourners, they will likely lose on appeal. Jury determinations of questions of fact receive substantial deference by reviewing courts. But to the exte
