April 5, 2008

Fred Phelps: Lien on Me.

Fred Phelps and his hateful, attention-seeking clan are learning that despite their legal wrangling, there are some predicaments they just can’t get out of.

A federal judge in Maryland on Thursday ordered liens on the Westboro Baptist Church building and the Phelps-Chartered Law office.

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.

…..

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.

The senior Snyder contended the picketing caused emotional distress and invasion of privacy.

…..

One of Snyder’s attorneys, Sean Summers, of York, Pa., said Thursday that based on financial information supplied during a hearing on the case, paying the $5 million penalty likely would force the church and the three named officials of the church to file for bankruptcy.

However, he said, even bankruptcy wouldn’t let them out from under the $2.1 million punitive damages part of the judge’s order. They would still be obligated for that amount under federal bankruptcy rules.

The Phelps family might go bankrupt because of their hateful, abominable behavior? Awwwww.

In addition, the judge on Thursday required Shirley Phelps-Roper to post a $125,000 bond and Rebekah Phelps-Davis to post a $100,000 bond by May 5 or he will rescind a stay ordered by the court to prevent confiscation of their property.

But Phelps-Roper, an attorney, called that meaningless. She said the only property she and Phelps-Davis own are their homes and courts are forbidden from confiscating a person’s home.

“I have nothing at risk,” she said.

In February, Bennett ordered Phelps-Roper, Phelps-Davis and their father, Pastor Fred W. Phelps Sr., to provide detailed financial information about their interests.

The records showed the church property to be worth $442,800 and the law office building to be worth $233,000. Summers said the lien could be placed on the law office building because it is owned by Phelps Sr.

“He (the judge) looked at my tax returns and saw that we give money to the church, and he didn’t like that,” Phelps-Roper said.

The Judge didn’t like that you give money to the church, which is owned by your family and comprised mostly of family members, as a means of essentially legally hiding your money away–tax free? I wonder why. sarcasm

I suppose now the Phelps clan will have another reason to blame gays. Thanks to us, they’ll claim, they may very well be bankrupt and may have to discontinue their holy crusade–if only for a while. I don’t expect they’ll consider the possibility that their own behavior had anything to do with it. People like them seem incapable of such insight.

Posted by: Buffy