Appeals Court Ruling May Spark Westboro Lawsuit Dismissal, County Officials Say

Westboro Baptist Church members filed a lawsuit against St. Charles County over its ordinance banning picketing within 300 feet of funerals.

A U.S. Court of Appeals ruling could lead to dismissal of a Westboro Baptist Church lawsuit against St. Charles County, officials said. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturned a lower court’s ruling against a City of Manchester ordinance that protects the rights of funeral attendees “to mourn in peace and privacy for a limited time in a limited space.” The court concluded “that Manchester has shown a significant government interest in protecting the peace and privacy of funeral attendees for a short time in limited space.” “This is a great, common-sense decision,” said St. Charles County Executive Steve Ehlmann in a news release. “We’re confident it lays the groundwork for the case against St. Charles County to be …

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Tony Capo

8:44 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

sore loser? the body bags keep comin home. thats a win win - you loser.   more ›

Westboro Baptist Church Protests at Fort Zumwalt East

The Kansas-based church held signs and sang songs for nearly 45 minutes during a peaceful protest at the St. Peters high school.

This time the Westboro Baptist Church decided to show up. Armed with signs, flags and portable stereo blaring parody cover songs, five members of the controversial church descending on Fort Zumwalt East on Wednesday afternoon. Flanked by a heavy police presence, the church members stood outside the high school from 1:53 p.m. until 2:36 p.m. and protested.  "It’s a school that’s a microcosm of America,” Westboro church member Cary Fritz said. “These students here actually wrote to us and told us that this school was totally overrun with fag-agenda type stuff. So we’re out here in response to that—students requested us out here.” Westboro had announced on its website that church members would be coming to picket Fort Zumwalt East on Feb. 6. …

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Steve Smith

7:26 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012

Well, Anna let's see how my protest will end: Google: ADDICTED TO HATE and LOVING GOD"S HATE to read how Phelps abused his children (he hit Nate so many times with a wooden handle he had to be revived with water) his drug use, his disbarment for unethical conduct by both the US and Kansas courts, his harassing lawsuits, his dance of joy at news of a 17 year old girl's death and much more. These …   more ›

Westboro Baptist Church No-Shows at Zumwalt East Protest

Controversial church absent from planned protest at St. Peters high school.

Westboro Baptist Church failed to show up for planned protest at Fort Zumwalt East High School early Monday morning.  The controversial church, famous for protest military funerals, announced last week a plan to protest at Clayton High School. Late in the week, the WBC added Zumwalt East to the protest list. The protest was scheduled to begin at 6:55 a.m., but a counter-protest formed well before the scheduled start time. Students, parents and members of the St. Peters and St. Charles County community lined the sidewalks outside the entrance to East just waiting for Westboro protesters. Waving rainbow flags and holding signs with slogans like "God is Love" and "Don't Hate," the rambunctious crowd kept warm on the cold and foggy Monday by …

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Westboro Baptist Church Plans Protest at Zumwalt East

Frequent protesters plan to protest East at 6:55 a.m. on Monday.

Top 5 Decisions that impacted St. Charles County in 2011

"Patch" takes a look at five items that made news throughout St. Charles County in 2011.

1. Protesting funeral protests For St. Charles County, 2011 started with shouts of “USA” and choruses of “God Bless America” as a flag and sign-wielding St. Charles County and St. Louis area residents countered a demonstration by four Westboro Baptist Church members. The Topeka, KS-based church members were protesting outside the St. Charles County administrative building and the St. Charles City Hall. The protest was a response to a St. Charles County ordinance prohibiting picketing within 300 feet of funeral services one hour before and one hour after the ceremony. "Ten years ago, we didn't need a law like this because everyone respected people's right to mourn their deceased relatives," said County Executive Steve Ehlmann, at the time…

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St. Charles County Attorney Says Supreme Court Decision Won't Affect Lawsuit

Supreme Court votes 8-1 in favor of Westboro Baptist Church in lawsuit brought by Marine's father.

A recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling will not alter St. Charles County’s defense of its law restricting protests at funerals, said a St. Charles County official. In fact, the decision handed down Wednesday may bolster the county’s case, said Assistant County Counselor Robert Hoeynck. The Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor ofWestboro Baptist Church, upholding a lower court decision that shields Westboro Baptist Church from liability for its protests. Albert Snyder, the father of Matthew Snyder, a Marine killed in Iraq, sued the church after members picketed his son’s funeral for intentionally inflicting emotional distress. A lower court had awarded Snyder $5 million. The St. Charles County ordinance being challenged by Westboro Baptist Church …

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Judge Blocks St. Charles County From Enforcing Ban on Funeral Picketing

The order will remain in effect until an official ruling is reached in Westboro Baptist lawsuit against the county.

A U.S. District Court judge blocked St. Charles County from enforcing its ban on picketing within 300 feet of funerals until a ruling is reached in the lawsuit. U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig issued a preliminary injunction Monday that will block the county from enforcing the law, preventing it from going into effect Feb. 7. Assistant County Counselor Bob Hoeynck said the ruling doesn’t mean Fleissig has decided the case. “In fact, she states that in her ruling, that this doesn’t mean the law is unconstitutional,” Hoeynck said. “It just means there is a possibility that they would win in a full-blown trial.” Two Westboro Baptist Church members are challenging the county law in federal court, claiming it violates their First Amendment …

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St. Peters Residents, Leaders Attend Westboro Baptist Church Counter Protest

Mayor Len Pagano and others attend protest in St. Charles.

The Westboro Baptist Church remains in the public eye in St. Charles County.  In 2010, the city of St. Peters caught the eye of the controversial church. The city tried to ban churchgoers from protesting at funerals. However, St. Peters aldermen repealed the city ordinance restricting funeral protests after the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri won a lawsuit against Missouri to overturn an identical state law.  Thursday afternoon, the Westboro Baptist Church was back on the radar of St. Peters residents and leaders. The church members made the trek from Topeka, KS, to St. Charles. A crowd of hundreds wielding flags and signs crowded around Westboro Baptist Church members as a chorus of “God Bless America” gave way to …

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