Posted on 03/17/2005 6:43:30 PM PST by maxeditor
Col. Gritz has Arrived In Pinellas Park, Florida
Press Release 16 March 2005
TRUE GRIT(Z) RIDES AGAIN: FILES CITIZEN’S ARREST IN SHIAVO CASE
Former Green Beret Commander Bo Gritz is charging-in once again. The 66 year-old retired Army Lt. Colonel with his wife, Judy, drove straight through from their Southern Nevada home to Pinellas Park, Florida in their own effort to rescue Terri Schindler-Shiavo. In his typically unconventional fashion, Gritz is arresting Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer and Terri Schiavo’s estranged husband, Michael Schiavo, plus anyone else who would aid or abet in removing Terri’s feeding tube.
Bo and Judy arrived this evening, after furnishing a notarized “Citizen’s Arrest Warrant” to Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Attorney General Charlie Crist. Gritz intends on “papering” State and Federal enforcement offices with his warrant on Thursday, one day before Judge Greer has ordered the denial of food and water to Terri Schiavo. Gritz says the “arrest” is meant to allow officials additional options as the Florida State Executive and Legislative Branches maneuver to secure Terri Schiavo from starvation. “It’s just another arrow in the quiver which may help pro-Terri forces to counter Judge Greer’s death-order,” says Gritz.
The “Gritz-effect” remains to be seen, but he successfully used the arrest-tool against federal law enforcement in August 1992 when he intervened in the siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho and brought what was left of the Randy Weaver family down the hill without further bloodshed. Sammy, the 14 year-old Weaver boy, was killed along with his mother, Vicki, and U.S. Marshal William Degan. Randy Weaver and another man, Kevin Harris, were wounded by police gun-fire. Gritz secured the services of renowned defense lawyer Gerry Spence, and the U.S. Department of Justice paid the Weavers $3.2-million in an out-of-court settlement. Harris was awarded more than $300,000.
Gritz was also present during the longest FBI-siege at the Montana Freemen compound, and helped in the failed-search for Olympic bombing suspect Eric Rudolph -- due for prosecution in Birmingham this month.
Gritz says while he doesn’t want to “cause trouble,”he gets involved when it appears Americans are in needless life-and-death situations with the law. Citing his officer’s oath of allegiance to “defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic,” Gritz says while he doesn’t know Terri Schiavo personally, she nevertheless represents an American in danger of citizen-rights abuse, and he feels an obligation to act while she remains alive. Says Gritz: “Amer-I-cans will always fight for freedom. Millions of our military place their life on the line to keep tyranny away from our shores.” He acknowledges and supports the broad-front of Americans who have for years stood-up in saving the life of Terri Schiavo. Besides a “Terri-Bill” under consideration in the U.S. Congress, the Florida Legislature votes Friday on a modified-measure to keep Terri’s life-support in place. A previous Florida Bill was ruled un-Constitutional barring further intervention by Governor Bush. “We all do what we can. Most people wisely don’t arrest important officials, it can be non-habit forming. It’s my contribution, as I see it,” says Gritz.
While threatened with arrest at Ruby Ridge and Jordon, Montana, when the smoke-cleared, the much decorated war hero instead walked away with FBI letters of appreciation. Time and events will soon tell if his presence is thus appreciated in Florida.
A copy of the Gritz Warrant language is attached.
CITIZEN’S ARREST NOTICE
I, James G. “Bo” Gritz, a private citizen, being an American by birth in Enid, Oklahoma, on 18 January 1939, and possessing personal knowledge (reasonable cause) that certain individuals and agencies in and around Pinellas Park, Florida have committed, or will soon commit, specific felony violation of U.S. and Florida State laws, do hereby issue and publish this Citizen’s Arrest Notice requesting government agencies responsible for enforcement, including the Pinellas County Sheriff, Florida Attorney General, State Police, FBI, district attorneys and local police departments arrest the identified person(s) for crimes already committed and restrain them from committing further violations identified in this document.
The focus of this action is to secure the personal safety of Theresa “Terri” Marie Schindler-Schiavo, a natural-born U.S. Citizen currently being held in the Woodside Hospice (727-541-4199) at 6774 102nd Avenue N in Pinellas Park, FL 33782-2909 (Scott Kistler, Vice President of Operations, 727-586-4432). Terri is paralyzed and in need of care by the Woodside staff – specifically the provision of nourishment and hydration at meal times through a feeding tube. The specific threat is the wrongful withholding of nourishment from Terri Schiavo beginning at 1:00 p.m. local-time on 18 March 2005 with the specific purpose of her death through starvation and dehydration, as ordered by Circuit Judge George W. Greer (727-464-3933) in the Probate Division of the Circuit Court for Pinellas County, Florida at 2:50 p.m. on 25 February 2005; to be executed by Michael Schiavo (Marrie Ct, Clearwater, FL). This is a felony conspiracy to cause the wrongful death of an innocent person. The conspiracy will become a homicide if carried through to completion.
With the exception of the feeding tube at meal time, Terri Schiavo is on no other form of life support-system. She is not in a comma – she opens and moves her eyes; she is aware, recognizes and reacts to people and other stimuli. She is paralyzed, but more than 17 physicians and medical specialists have signed affidavits believing her condition will improve with proper therapy. Nobel Prize nominee Dr. William Hammesfahr has examined Terri and states her injury is a type of stroke that he treats everyday with success. Terri’s parents, Robert and Mary Schindler are prepared to assume responsibility for continued care of their daughter. The American people, the U.S. Congress, Florida Legislature, Governor Jeb Bush, Florida Department of Children and Families, the Vatican, numerous public interest groups, and luminary Americans are making public their adamant interest sustaining Terri’s life.
As an American, Terri Schindler-Schiavo is protected under both U.S. Constitutional Laws and Florida Statutes which have been over-ridden by Judge George Greer. The 8th Amendment forbids cruel and unusual punishment. Not even the most heinous criminals are starved to death! The 14th Amendment protects her human rights as an American.
Florida Statute 744.3215 (Rights of Persons Determined Incapacitated) forbids depriving Terri of food and water, a felony.
Florida Statute 765.404 requires the diagnosis of “persistent vegetative state” be determined as “permanent” prior to withdrawal of life prolonging means. Judge Greer has refused any further definitive tests (MRI) to ascertain Terri’s current status.
Florida Statute 765.309 prevents mercy killing and assisted suicide.
Florida Statute 765.404 calls for clear and convincing evidence of a ward’s intent concerning life and death medical decisions. Terri is a Catholic (suicide and assisted termination not an option); Judge Grer ruled-out pro-life testimony and accepted instead Michael Schivo’s self-serving hearsay that he had heard Terri refer to ceasing life-support on one occasion (violation of FL Statute 90.602).
This Citizen’s Arrest Warrant becomes null and void upon transfer of guardianship for Terri Schindler-Schiavo to her mother and father, or the Florida Department of Children & Families, prior to 1:00 p.m. on 18 March 2005.
As the plaintiff, I will physically be present in Pinellas Park at the Woodside Hospice. I am causing this complaint to be widely distributed so appropriate officials are made aware and may act to prevent this cruel death. As previously stated: The sole purpose of this document and resulting action(s) is to safeguard a helpless Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Any action that accomplishes this objective satisfies this Citizen’s Arrest Notice.
Sworn to and Certified before a Notary Public on this date
I am James G. “Bo” Gritz, a Private Person and U.S. Citizen, resident address: HC-37, Box 472, Sandy Valley, NV 89019.
It may be useful to readers to be informed that Col. Bo Gritz has a national radio broadcast monday thru Friday at 2 PM pacific on American Voice Radio Network and can be listened to on the Internet by going to www.americanvoiceradio.net on C-band Satellite at Galaxy 11, Transponder 12, Audio 8.1 on International Short-wave Radio at 7.385 and on various Low-power FM stations around the country.
If anyone thinks this is helpful, they need either a couple doses of reality or perhaps a tall glass of get real.
I hope this works if all else fails. I wish I could have done some copy editing for these folks first, though.
Ping to Terri's list!
I hope this works if all else fails. I wish I could have done some copy editing for these folks first, though.
Ping to Terri's list!
BTTT!!
Your courtroom is a circus, Judge Greer, and your role is Bozo the Death-bringing Clown.
What's worked so far? Nothing. If that is all the Colonel achieves what's the loss? Hope he "arrests" a whole passle of people.
Whatever happened to the Constitutional ban on prior restraint?
Welcome aboard. Thanks for the thread.
I'm not sure of the timeline, but I think Michael has been thwarted for at least seven years so far.
There has never been a case in US history where a spouse has been denied an "end of life" decision for that long.
The spin on that sounds harsh, I know, but I'm making the point that the effort has worked in an unprecedented way.
That is it right there. I would imagine this would be along those lines. Wouldn't you consider this a mercy killing or assisted suicide? It sure seems like that to me. Hopefully, this works.
Absolutely not! I fasted a day in prayer. No! Not pleasant. And I got thisty.
Suicide? No, what has she done to request this?
I think you misunderstand me. I meant that the state of Florida forbids this in their law already. I must not have made myself clear. It is not a mercy killing and it is not assisted suicide. I am totally against what Judge Greer and her husband are trying to do to her.
geeze after reading my post I can see where you would get that. I meant that they are going against their own state laws in trying to kill her. The law forbids what they are doing. I think I need to call it a day before I get myself into trouble un-knowingly.
I don't think it will help much but I doubt it will really hurt anything either. Gritz is kind of strange and his recent suicide "attempt" seems to have been just for attention like everything else he does. Some of these ex-special forces guys seem kind of eccentric.
Even if she really wanted to die if she was ever in the state she is now, I doubt she wanted to be starved to death, which is torture. But I have my doubts that she ever said anything about what she wanted if she was in that state.
Bump
And a salute for Col. Gritz
> I have my doubts that she ever said anything about what she wanted if she was in that state.
Before Terri's Feb., 1990 "collapse" (at age 26), HINO has claimed in front of Greer that she not only stated not wanting to be sustained by artificial means, but that she wanted to be cremated after her demise, and be buried in her state of birth -- Pennsylvania. It's reasonable to question the unusualness of someone that young even considering such end of life decisions, which conflict with her catholic upbringing and the fact that her entire family now lives in Florida. At best, HINO's claims seem implausible, and certainly questionable.
> Even if she really wanted to die if she was ever in the state she is now, I doubt she wanted to be starved to death, which is torture.
Torture, and also an execution. And under Florida law, only two methods of execution are constitutional; lethal injection and electric chair.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.