Reid weighs in on lawsuit over protests at soldier’s funeral

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) expressed dismay over a court’s decision to overturn a ruling in favor of a fallen solider whose funeral was disrupted by a radical church group.

Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Snyder was killed in Iraq in 2006. But his funeral in Maryland was interrupted with protests and signs by a group from the Westboro Baptist Church, a group that objects to members of the military because they protect a country that tolerates homosexuality. 

{mosads}Snyder’s family originally won a lawsuit to “deter future injustices” but the ruling was recently overturned by an appellate court, which ruled that the family had to pay the church it took to court.

Reid said that he would “review our current laws on the subject” to ensure that a similar incident does not happen again and also called on the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the family.

“When Matthew Snyder lost his life on the battlefield in 2006, his family was grief-stricken to lose their son and brother who served America with such honor,” Reid said in a statement Friday. “I am deeply disappointed that the appellate court ruled against the Snyder family.  I was further dismayed to learn that the appellate court ordered the Snyder family to pay the legal costs for the extremists who tried to tarnish the memory of their beloved Matthew.

“I urge the Supreme Court to rule in favor of the Snyder family,” Reid continued. “In addition, I will review our current laws on this subject to ensure enough is being done to prevent other families from having to endure what the Snyder family went through.  We can respect each other’s freedoms while honoring the memory of our service members.”