Ryan Newell, double-amputee war vet, accused of stalking Westboro Baptist Church members

UPDATE: Ryan Newell, the wounded war vet accused of stalking Fred Phelps‘ gay-hating, soldier-funeral-picketing Westboro Baptist Church, was released from jail yesterday. Read the update after the jump …

We now know the name of the wounded Army vet accused of stalking

members of the Westboro Baptist Church in Wichita. The Wichita Eagle

reports that Ryan Newell, a 26-year-old double-amputee war

veteran, is accused of stalking the church’s members, who delight in protesting the funerals of soldiers killed in action; he’s facing charges of stalking, criminal use of weapons and false

impersonation of a law enforcement officer.

Sedgwick County deputies arrested Newell on Tuesday after catching him

following members of Fred Phelps‘ infamous family. Inside his vehicle,

deputies found a

variety of weapons.