8th Circuit En Banc Hears Arguments On Funeral Picketing Cse

Yesterday the U.S. 8th Circuit Court of Appeals en banc heard oral arguments in Phelps-Roper v. City of Manchester, Missouri. An audio recording of the full arguments is available online. In an October 5, 2011 opinion (full text), a 3-judge panel of the 8th Circuit held that a Manchester, Missouri ordinance that regulates protests near funerals is unconstitutional. The panel upheld the nominal damages and injunction granted to members of the Westboro Baptist Church who challenged the ordinance. Town and Country-Manchester Patch reports on yesterday's oral arguments.