If so, Greer is carrying out the explicit will of the legislature by killing Terri. I think that is an unfair cahracterization. The role of the court is to determine Terri's wishes. They could take into account the state of the law when she collapsed, and whatever other evidence was available. Absent clear and convincing evidence that she would deny life sustaining feeding, the court is ethically bound to rule in favor of life.
As for the press, they can't even communicate the notion that the issue is Terri's wishes. They compose all the polls and frame all the articles as a "who should choose" question, when the law is so clear on the point (the patient decides) that it couldn't be more clear. The media is a tool for manipulation of public opinion. It is emphatically not a tool aimed at illuminating the truth.
You've stated that killing Terri is carrying out Terri's wishes, yet no written documentation exists to confirm it. I understand that Florida law may allow others to state what they understood her wishes to be. But if the law was not modified to include the denial of food and water, could Terri be starved to death? If so, why did MS's lawyer work to have the law changed to include it? It seems that the legislature did add this provision to the law. Therefore, Greer is simply applying the law, as created by the legislature. This is why I say, Greer is carrying out the explicit will of the legislature by killing Terri.
As for the press, they can't even communicate the notion that the issue is Terri's wishes. Absolutely correct!
Judge Greer has rested his final and immovable judgement to kill Terri on his ruling that Terri's wishes are being carried out thru the agency of her husband, Michael Schiavo.
Unfortunately, Greer himself has admitted that he committed a devastating error in coming to his conclusion--but he will not use his discovery to save Terri's life.
Since all other judicial rulings have been made on the legal technicalities of the case and no Court has done the novo or new examination of the facts and the testimony required by Congress, Judge Greer's invalid foundation upon which he rests this case has never been challenged.
Judge Greer either overlooked or turned a blind eye to eyewitness testimony that Terri, responding to TV coverage of the Karen Ann Quinlan unplugging , stated explicitly that she, Terri, would never want to be disconnected and hurried off to death.
Reversable error on the face of it.
Judge admits mistake, refuses to reverse findings on Terri Schiavo
As you correctly state, the major argument on which Judge Greer's whole case rests is that plug-pulling fulfills Terri's wishes thru the agency of her husband.
Greer's admission of a wrongful ruling on Terri's wishes goes directly against--in fact, completely undercuts--the rationale for killing Terri.
We are on the brink of witnessing a true case of judicial homicide.
