Posted on 10/25/2003 6:00:26 AM PDT by NYer
In a court of law, the burden of proof rests with the prosecution. They must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused actually did commit a crime.
In the court of public opinion, it is frequently the case that individuals who are accused of a crime are judged guilty regardless of the facts. Some call that bias; others label it as nothing more than ignorant.
In the case of a severely disabled woman whose starvation death was ordered by a Florida judge, the court of law has not determined her guilt or innocence, because she committed no crime. The court has preferred to arrogantly deem it compassionate to put her out of her alleged misery by sanctioning an act of murder.
Murder is defined as the crime of killing a person with malice aforethought. Such a definition applies in this case. However, no human court is going to find this particular judge guilty of a crime, and no human court is going to query this woman’s husband regarding why he thinks she should die. That has already been taken care of through an arduous five-year court battle that may yet end with this woman’s tragic death — a death resulting from court-approved removal of food and water.
As one attorney recently wrote, if a judge or a state governor were to order the execution of a serial killer on death row by means of withholding food and water, a variety of courts would intervene at once to block that order, which would amount to constitutionally-prohibited cruel and unusual punishment. But in the case of Terri Schiavo, who is not terminally ill, and was not near death until the starvation process began, it has been ruled that her life is not worthy to be lived. Thus others were willing to impose on her a slow, agonizing death by starvation. That is murder according to the natural law; but according to the Florida judicial system, it is an exercise in compassion. So much for human justice!
The Terri Schiavo case is currently receiving widespread media coverage. The callous disregard for her human dignity is being exposed in many venues – but only at the eleventh hour. Over the past five years, however, as this case has been unfolding, nary a word could be found describing the barbaric nature of what some were proposing should be done to her.
Perhaps the most appalling aspect of this woman’s plight is rarely noted. Terri Schiavo is a Catholic who, one would hope, would have been staunchly defended in every conceivable way by the Catholic hierarchy in her state. After all, she is vulnerable, she is totally dependent on others to speak for her, and she is a human being with the gift of human dignity that God bestows on each of us.
The sad reality is, however, that Florida’s Catholic bishops have been virtually silent. These bishops joined together in a public statement begging Gov. Jeb Bush to spare the life of convicted killer Paul Hill, a man who murdered two people. The prosecution in the Hill case did its job. Yet the bishops publicly pleaded that his life be spared. But two days after defending Hill’s life, these same bishops said the Church could not make a decision regarding whether Terri Schiavo should be starved to death. These bishops urged that more time be given prior to Terri’s imposed death by starvation so that “greater certainty as to her true condition” could be reached.
How much more certainty does one need that a living, breathing human being will die if he or she is denied access to food and water? The burden of proof in Terri’s case must ultimately be placed squarely on the shoulders of those who, for whatever reason, have chosen to cautiously stand aside and allow the courts to wield their power, even if the result will be the death of an innocent human being who never had the opportunity to defend herself. What crime did Terri Schiavo commit, I would ask the bishops that drove them into equivocating about whether or not she had a right to life?
Americans who care about this young woman have mounted campaigns to pressure Gov. Bush into doing all he can to save Terri’s life. Others have stepped to the forefront and applauded Florida state lawmakers who, after nearly six full days had passed in which Terri was denied nutrition, approved legislation to stop the starvation from continuing. Still others have offered legal opinions providing the governor with ammunition and exposing the reality of the situation: Terri Schiavo was being executed, pure and simple.
Yet nowhere in this flurry of last minute, desperate activity, do we find the Florida Catholic Conference. There has been a number prayer vigils held outside the hospice where Terri resides. To our knowledge, not one bishop has attended. There have been numerous public demonstrations of support for Terri’s parents, who are courageously doing all they can to defend their daughter’s right to life as her husband, her legal guardian, continues his quest to see that her food and water is denied. Not one bishop has offered Terri’s parents his public support. There is a courageous priest who has tried to provide Terri with Holy Communion. His efforts were thwarted by police officers who banned him from giving the Eucharist to Terri. As far as we can tell, not one bishop spoke out at such an outrage or applauded the commitment of this priest to be a true shepherd for Terri in what appeared to be her final days.
As the moments continued to pass, and the very life ebbed out of this lovely young woman at the center of this storm of controversy, one could only wonder what it really means to be innocent until proven guilty. To my mind, as I reflect on the burden of proof that never evolved prior to Terri’s death sentence, it occurs to me that some day, the most important Judge of all will have to deal with certain people who were aware of the travesty but chose to avoid a controversy because “difficult cases” are a bother. At that time, He will have amassed a burden of proof with regard to their culpability in the case of Terri Schiavo. In His court, justice will be done.
As you well know, Terri's parents are restricted from visiting her. This claim was made by her father to the media and repeated by her brother in an interview. Here is yet another account of that event.
Florida Report: Is Terri a Person? - Reporting from the Front Lines
He has withheld her medical records from her family for the past 10 years!!
What hospice takes in "long term" patients? Here in NY, there are LONG waiting lists to enter a hospice. You don't enter until the very last stages of life.
He has appealed to and received an award from the court to use a portion of the litigation settlement to be used to cremate her immediately upon her death.
What's he hiding?
My nephew is here with me today. Chuck was in a severe motorcycle accident 18 years ago. He too was denied therapy for the first 10 years after the accident as his father deemed it too painful for him to endure. His father fought his mother and was temporarily awarded custody of him. His mom fought back, regained custody, and began therapy for him. For the first 14 years Chuck was on a feeding tube as he could not swallow. Today he eats with his good hand all by himself. He is paralyzed on one side still, can't speak ( grunts and moans ) and doesn't follow simple commands well ( we found that he has suffered a hearing loss as a result of his accident so we have to be very loud when we speak to him ). Because of his ongoing therapy the rigidity of his muscles from lack of movement has decreased. He said "mama" for the first time in 18 years last month.
I am glancing at him now sitting in his special chair ( my recliner, lol ) and he is sleeping so peacefully. I just changed him a bit ago as he is very heavy and I struggle with lifting him. After all he is a grown man of 6' tall and about 250 lbs, ( see, he eats very well. Too well IMO ). I do not see a man who lacks quality of life. I see a man whose life was forever changed by a horrible accident. I see a man who as an 18 year old boy found himself hooked up to life support machines. One who was pronounced brain dead and one whose mom made the agonizing decision to "pull the plug" after which he began breathing within seconds. I see a man who, although limited severely, laughs, cries, pinches my butt when I walk by to aggravate me, puckers up his lips for a kiss, drinks a beer ( oh the nerve of me ), and who loves to be talked to although he can't talk back. I see someone who has rubbed my belly when I was pregnant ( he absolutely loved to do this ) and who has held my children ( with my help ) when I placed them in his lap. He has "quality" of life. Before therapy he could do none of these things.
Once we told him that his Dr. said that he would always be a vegetable. I will never forget his response. When asked what he thought about that he simply stuck up his middle finger and laughed.
In the morning I will get him up, bathe him, put a fresh Depends on him and get him dressed for church services. Afterwards, we will go out to eat at one of his favorite restaurants and I even thought of taking him to see the movie Radio. I don't know if my back will hold out that long though. But, so much for him being brain dead, huh? BTW, he is still labeled as being in a persistant vegetative state. So much for him being a cabbage.
As for his quality of life, I ask him if he is happy. He smiles. He feels no pain. He is limited, sure. It doesn't matter to us that he may never find the cure for cancer or be a successful business person who rakes in millions. It doesn't matter that he may never father his own children. It isn't what he does that will matter in a hundred years from now. It is how we cared for him. It is the love that we gave him. The legacy of his family loving and caring for him although he is disabled and was once considered hopeless is what is going to be passed down to our future generations. My children are much better people because of having ben exposed to him. Our family is closer as a result of his circumstances. All of these things can be directly attributed to him.
I might mention that Chuck is the same age as I am. We are both 36. It is strange sometimes seeing the boy I grew up with become the man that he is. I think that is one of the things that really bothers my husband as he knew Chuck from his teen years too. The evidence that it can happen to any of us is literally in our home. I put Chuck to bed a little bit ago and I climbed in beside him to rub his hair for a bit and just told him how much I loved him. I told him that I was thankful that he was still in my life and went on and on about my feelings from him. Wouldn't you know I was answered back with his snoring, lol.
A nasty little *******.
"What hospice takes in "long term" patients? Here in NY, there are LONG waiting lists to enter a hospice. You don't enter until the very last stages of life."
Hospice steps in ONLY when they have six months or less to live.
"He has appealed to and received an award from the court to use a portion of the litigation settlement to be used to cremate her immediately upon her death."
How nice. Have you read another doctors report that her original "injury" looks like the result of a "strangulation"? You should.
"What's he hiding?"
A failed attempt at murder.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1007951/posts
Especially this comment:
NEWS ABOUT TERRI SCHIAVO
"Dr. Hammesfahr emphatically stated that the neck spinal injury this patient incurred was by Strangulation."
Oh my God!!! Strangulation!
Thanks for the ping. Looks like there has been lots of activity on that thread. I've bookmarked it and will ping it to my list, just in case someone else missed it.
I pray that a new investigation will come out of this.
Have you seen this one?
TERRI SCHIAVO TO DIE IN ATTORNEY'S "DEATH FACTORY"
Also, for several days now, I have been posting the story of Patti White Bull, a woman who emerged from a 16 year 'vegetative state'. That link went to an ABC News story. Today, the link went dead!
We're all just one accident away from being put to death ourselves. All it would take is one greedy relative and one dumb judge.
That and have Terri's attorney and Jeb Bush become more educated on the facts. Let God work through them.
"Have you seen this one? "
TERRI SCHIAVO TO DIE IN ATTORNEY'S "DEATH FACTORY"
No I hadn't seen that one but aware of the conflict of interest. This one gives more detail. Geesh. If this is being posted WHY aren't Terri's lawyers moving on this? I ear nothing about what they are doing. I'd bet there is a mountain of you know what going on there. Terri isn't the first. They are too arrogant. They've pulled this off before.
"Also, for several days now, I have been posting the story of Patti White Bull, a woman who emerged from a 16 year 'vegetative state'. That link went to an ABC News story. Today, the link went dead!"
That's no coincidence. I've seen links come and go when liberal stances are at risk. The media is determined to have Terri dead. The godless always wish death on others but God forbide they'll squeal like pigs if someone says an unkind word let alone try and hurt them.
http://www.hospicepatients.org/Hosp-FL-Suncoast-entrypage.html
He may be a big pro death liberal but he also knows that a good scandal helps keep the TV ratings up. (Kobe is a good example of this.) And if this doesn't qualify than I don't know what does.
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