My client Phelps should not be charged because of the 1st Amendment which guarantees freedom of speech. The charges of defamation against Phelps should be dropped because it goes against his free speech. Snyder claimed that Phelps disturbed the peace of the funeral and has charged my client. My client did infact use obscenities and fighting words, but he was in a public form, and his statements were overall not directed at an individual. It cannot be considered hate speech because it was not threatening. He was 1000 yards away from the funeral in an area marked by the local police. If you charge Phelps, than you would be taking the 1st Amendment freedom of speech away from the people. The 1st Amendment is vital to the democracy of the United
