An article in the June 6 Metro section did not fully identify the minister and Kansas church being sued by the father of a Marine whose funeral in Westminster, Md., was disrupted by church members. The pastor is Fred Phelps, and the church is Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan.
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Father of Slain Marine Sues Church, Pastor
Attorneys for the father of a Marine whose funeral in Westminster, Md., was disrupted by members of a Kansas church who displayed signs proclaiming anti-gay statements filed a civil lawsuit in federal court in Greenbelt yesterday against the church and its pastor.
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Al Snyder, whose son, Matthew A. Snyder, 20, was killed in a non-combat-related vehicle accident in Iraq on March 3, according to a Web site set up on behalf of the Marine.
On March 10, Phelps and members of his church protested Snyder's funeral at St. John's Catholic Church by holding signs that denigrated gays and said God hated gays, according to the lawsuit. In addition, Web sites maintained by Phelps and his followers accused Snyder's parents of teaching him to divorce, commit adultery and to "support the largest pedophile machine in the history of the entire world, the Roman Catholic monstrosity," according to the lawsuit.
The lawsuit accuses Phelps and his followers of defamation, invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
-- Ruben Castaneda
PRINCE GEORGE'S CRIME
Oxon Hill Man Found Fatally Shot Near Home
A 22-year-old man was found fatally shot Sunday next to the Oxon Hill townhouse in which he lived.
Prince George's police discovered the body of Jarmale R. Mitchell of the 4900 block of Wealding Way about 5 p.m. He had a gunshot wound to his upper body.
Mitchell was transported to a hospital, where he died a short time later. Police have not established any suspects or a motive in the case. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call homicide detectives at 301-772-4925.
-- Allison Klein
MONTGOMERY CRIME
2 Silver Spring Teens Charged in Slaying
Montgomery County homicide detectives have arrested two Silver Spring teenagers in the slaying of a 33-year-old man found dead last month in the 1700 block of University Boulevard in Wheaton.
Police charged Jose Garcia, 18, with assault and second-degree murder in the slaying of Roque Rivera. A 15-year-old male who was not identified because he is a juvenile was also charged with assault and second-degree murder.
A homicide detective wrote in a charging document that numerous witnesses told investigators that a group of six to 10 men got into an altercation with Rivera and another man, one of whom was hit in the head with a rock.
