Enter Robert Herring Sr., the founder of electronics firm HERCO Technology and founder of WEALTHTV. Herring has secured the services of celebrity lawyer Gloria Allred, who today held a press conference to announce the million-dollar offer.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=43235
UPDATE - Another Disappointing Court Decision in the Terri Schiavo Case
Florida Judge Greer this afternoon rejected a request from the Florida agency wanting to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo to investigate allegations of abuse. Judge Greer said the Department of Children & Families will not be permitted to intervene in the case and rejected the agency's request for a 60-day delay in the removal of Terri's feeding tube, which is scheduled to be removed on March 18th. Judge Greer said the agency's request to intervene at this point was inappropriate and "appears to be brought for the purpose of circumventing the court's final judgment . . . in violation of the separation of powers doctrine." I am disappointed by this development.
Florida attorney David Gibbs, who is representing Terri's parents in this ordeal, has done a remarkable job at raising important issues before the court. But as I have said many times, this is a difficult legal road and it is an uphill battle.
I am putting together final plans to deploy members of our legislative team from Washington to Florida next week to assist in the legislative efforts underway there to save Terri's life. Legislation has been cleared one House committee and is moving forward. At the same time, federal legislation has been introduced in Congress and I will be talking to one of the bill's sponsors, Rep. Dave Weldon of Florida, on my radio broadcast on Tuesday. And thousands of people from across the country continue to respond to our efforts to urge the Governor and Florida legislature to do whatever they can to help save Terri's life. I encourage you to sign on to our petition today.
Posted: 3/10/2005 3:41:00 PM
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Associated Press - Florida Judge Rejects Request from FL Agency to Intervene in Terri Schiavo Case"
March 10, 2005
by MITCH STACY
Associated Press
TAMPA, Fla. - A judge ruled Thursday that the state's social services agency cannot delay the removal of the feeding tube keeping brain-damaged Terri Schiavo alive.
The Department of Children & Families had asked for a 60-day delay in the removal of the feeding tube, now scheduled March 18. The agency said it wanted time to investigate allegations of abuse and neglect by the woman's husband, Michael Schiavo.
But Circuit Judge George W. Greer ruled that the agency's attempt to get involved at this point was inappropriate and "appears to be brought for the purpose of circumventing the court's final judgment ... in violation of the separation of powers doctrine."
Michael Schiavo's attorney had criticized the last-minute attempt by DCF to get involved, saying that it was engineered by Gov. Jeb Bush and others in the state government who support the plight of her parents who are trying to keep her alive.
Michael Schiavo has gotten a court order to remove the feeding tube, contending that his wife told him she wouldn't want to be kept alive artificially. A 1990 heart attack cut off oxygen to her brain for five minutes, leaving her in what the court has ruled is a vegetative state with no consciousness. She breathes on her own but depends on a tube in her abdomen for food and water.
But her parents doubt she had those end-of-life wishes and are trying to block removal of the feeding tube.
The judge's ruling was another major blow to Bob and Mary Schindler, who have fought their son-in-law in court for nearly seven years over their daughter's fate. They dispute that she is in a persistent vegetative state, saying she laughs, cries, interacts with them and tries to speak when they visit her at her hospice.
The DCF said it wanted to investigate accusations against Miachel Schiavo - who is her legal guaridan - that included denying his wife some medical treatment and therapy, isolating her in her room with the blinds closed, failing to fix her broken wheelchair and failing to file timely guardianship plans.
In his order, Greer noted that those and many other allegations have been investigated in the past and failed to yield any evidence of abuse and neglect by Michael Schiavo.
Other than trying to appeal judge's decisions that have gone against them this week, the Schindlers will look again to the state Legislature and perhaps the U.S. Congress for help. Both bodies have bills in the works that lawmakers say could save Terri Schiavo's life.
In Tallahassee Wednesday, a House committee approved a bill requiring doctors to provide nutrition and hydration to incapacitated patients who didn't leave an advance directive. It still needs approval from two more committees before facing the full House.
Bush, who has said he would do anything within his power to save Terri Schiavo, supports the bill.
The governor in October 2003 pushed a law through the Legislature authorizing him to resume the woman's artificial feedings six days after the court stopped them. The law subsequently was ruled unconstitutional by the state Supreme Court.
On Tuesday, U.S. Rep. Dave Weldon and U.S. Sen. Mel Martinez, both Florida Republicans, introduced legislation in Washington that could give the Schindlers access to federal courts in the effort to save their daughter's life. Their bill requires that incapacitated people who don't leave advance directives have attorneys appointed to give the case a full review before artificial life support