West Virginia Man Acquitted For Spitting on Westboro Baptist Church’s Shirley Phelps Roper
A West Virginia jury acquitted Billy Spade of Hico WV of a battery charge after he spat upon Shirley Phelps Roper when the Westboro Baptist Church demonstrated during the days following the Upper Big Branch Mine Explosion.
Spade was arrested when he spit tobacco juice on Roper because he found WBC’s picket signs offensive. Spade testified particularly offensive to him was the one which read “Thank God for Dead Marines.”
An officer assigned to patrol the event witnessed Spade spitting and arrested him. The officer testified he saw Spade spit on the woman’s chest. Spade told jurors he spit on her sign which she was holding above her shoulders. Police Sgt. Nick Null testified as he was leading Spade away, the “victim” Phelps-Roper said, “I’m glad you pigs finally did something,”
It took less than one hour for the jury to find Billy Spade not guilty.
via – WCHS.com
