Posted on 01/25/2014 4:38:07 AM PST by NYer
FORT WORTH, Texas, January 24, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Texas judge has ordered a hospital to remove Marlise Munoz, 33, who is 22-weeks pregnant, from life support, in accordance with her husband’s wishes.
While removing life support would lead to the death of the baby, the judge pointed out that if Munoz was conscious she could legally choose to abort the baby, given that the baby has not yet reached the legal stage of viability, usually defined as 24 weeks. “As I understand the ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that if this fetus were not viable [and] Ms. Muñoz were alive…she could abort the child,” the judge reportedly told the court room.
John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth has kept Marlise on life support ever since she suffered cardiac arrest in November, due to a Texas law that prohibits hospitals from removing life support from a pregnant woman until the baby is viable.
However, her husband Erick sued, claiming that his wife had made clear that she would not want to be kept on life support for an extended period of time, adding that tests also show the baby may suffer from abnormalities. "This information is not surprising due to the fact that the fetus, after being deprived of oxygen for an indeterminate length of time, is gestating within a dead and deteriorating body,” lawyers for Erick Munoz argued.
Under the fetal pain bill Governor Rick Perry signed this summer, children may be aborted in the event of fetal abnormalities.
Judge R. H. Wallace Jr. issued the ruling in the case today after hearing an hour's worth of arguments from Munoz's family and the hospital. He gave the hospital until Monday at 5:00 p.m. to remove life support.
He based his decision in part on the fact that the hospital has said that Marlise is "brain dead," and that the section of the law in question, relating to pregnant patients, doesn't apply to deceased patients.
“I respect JPS’ arguments in trying to follow the law,” the judge said, according to Dallas News, “but every section doesn’t apply to someone who is dead.”
The hospital responded by pointing out that Marlise has not officially been pronounced dead.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the hospital declined to say what it's next step will be, instead saying that it "will be consulting with the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office.”
Pro-life leaders have rallied in support of Marlise and her baby.
"We are appalled by Judge Wallace’s order to terminate life support for Marlise Munoz and her baby," said Troy Newman of Operation Rescue in a statement following the ruling. "The order is the equivalent of signing a death sentence for Baby Munoz. We utterly reject the false notion that Marlise’s body is a rotting corpse, which is impossible since a decaying body cannot support the life of a baby for weeks, as Marlise has."
"Killing people because they are disabled is wrong, and dangerously devalues all life. We condemn in the strongest terms this order to fatally discriminate against this disabled mother and her baby, especially in light of the fact that there are people standing by to adopt the baby knowing that the child will have special needs," Newman said.
Where have we heard that statement before?! How convenient to state something that cannot be confirmed by anyone other than the individual most interested in terminating both lives.
I am not expressing an opinion one way or another. It is just a tragic situation for all concerned and even Solomon would have to dig deep for wisdom on this one. Poor family.
If I were in this situation I’d try to bring the baby to term.
Her husband sounds like an ass
Well that’s really telling...
the so called “husband” and so called “father” calls his child a “fetus” and not a BABY...
Was Marlise Schiavoed by her “husband” ???
The hospital responded by pointing out that Marlise has not officially been pronounced dead.
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this is interesting...
I thought she was ...
Under the fetal pain bill Governor Rick Perry signed this summer, children may be aborted in the event of fetal abnormalities.
And you guys think he is Presidential material. I will NEVER vote for this baby killer. I used to think he was just an idiot. Now I absolutely loath him and hope he does get the Republican Nomination for President so I can vote against him. He is evil!
Yes sounds like Erick, like Michael Schiavo...wanted to “move on”
Maybe he had already “Moved on” at the time of the so called “incident” that caused Marlise to be in that hospital..
It’s murder, plain and simple.
Could this be about “insurance”. Paramedics usually have good insurance plans, or do they?
the Tarrant County District Attorney’s office
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Its interesting that the DA is so involved...
do they suspect foul play ???
will there be an autopsy ???
or will Erick have Marlise cremated immediately ???
Are any of Marlise’s family there or is it only Erick’s that are interested in making him a widower and murdering her baby ???
Fetuses can feel pain???
Interesting.
Thanks for the heads up on this bill. Didn't know this about Perry. Doesn't Texas have a Republican majority in its legislature? If so, how did this bill get to his desk in the first place?
Thanks for the heads up on this bill. Didn’t know this about Perry. Doesn’t Texas have a Republican majority in its legislature? If so, how did this bill get to his desk in the first place?
Good Point but knowing Perry, he probably used Christie methods of being a bully and thug.
Her parents want her and the baby killed too. Some people aren’t capable of unconditional love. They’re afraid their Grandbaby has severe and permanent health issues, requiring massive resources. They view his/her very existence (even if cared for by others) as a threat to them personally. They view the baby as a disease, which must be eradicated. We’ve seen this attitude before.
Erick Munoz says he and his wife are paramedics who were clear
that they didn’t want life support in this type of situation.
Her parents agreed.
and it wasn’t clear that she would have wanted her baby killed if she was pregnant...
it wasn’t in writing..
and none of the family have said what she would have wanted in that case BECAUSE THEY DONT KNOW..
and therefore they cannot address her wishes
Will they autopsy the baby for birth defects resulting from the purported lack of oxygen?
Perhaps the best argument that could be made to preserve her life beyond the delivery of her child would be if a couple of financial means could be found to offer to adopt the child, even if it was sickly, on condition that they will fully pay for the child’s medical conditions and not seek reimbursement for that money from the government.
As part of that, to pay for the preservation of her life until delivery as well.
This would have to include the agreement of her husband and other relatives to renounce all paternity claims to the child.
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