Posted on 03/10/2005 12:22:56 PM PST by amdgmary
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- 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.
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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 is terminated.
Petition and assemble, yes. Shine the light, yes. Slander and libel, no.
No Mary, a rational person would simply give up guardianship to the girls parents and let them care for their daughter so he could get on with his life. A rational state would not be ordering the death by dehydration of an innocent human being. And a rational nation would not allow this to happen.
Actually a nurse testified that she did feed Terri jello, and she did not choke.
Terri could swallow better, and talk better, but Michael won't allow her to have any kind of therapy.
Judge Greer said in a previous starvation attempt when her brother and sister wanted to feed her: "I don't want anyone feeding that girl......The rule of law is that this girl must die."
So actually, the feeding tube is just an excuse. They want this innocent woman dead.
Michael Schiavo:'When is that bitch going to die?'
In a stunning affidavit sworn , Carla Sauer Iyer, a registered nurse who was employed at Palm Garden of Largo Convalescent Center in Largo, Fla., from April 1995 to July 1996, while Terri Schiavo was a patient there, testified: "Throughout my time at Palm Gardens, " would say, 'When is she going to die? Has she died yet?' and " Iyer charged. "Other statements which I recall him making include, 'Can't anything be done to accelerate her death, won't she ever die?' When she wouldn't die, Michael [Schiavo] would be furious."
Conversely, Iyer said that when she would have to call Schiavo to inform him of a downturn in Terri's condition, Schiavo would be elated.
"Michael would be visibly excited, thrilled even, hoping that she would die," Iyer recalled. "He would blurt out, 'I'm going to be rich,' and would talk about all the things he would buy when Terri died, which included a new car, a new boat and going to Europe, among other things."
But don't take my word for it. Read the Affidavit for yourself at:
http://www.apfn.org/apfn/aff2-terri.pdf
We were discussing the issue of a conflict of interest -- not Michael personally.
Slander and libel according to your spin, I'm afraid Mary...the dead on in your face facts support us.
Do you want Terri to live? If you think we've got the facts wrong, but still want her to live, then fight for the right with the light YOU have. Otherwise...if you're not for us (or Terri), you're against us. You're fighting justice, not working for it.
I repeat, if you think we're wrong, then fight for her life using the light YOU have...but fight for her life, or hush.
Actually, no they don't. I personally think that Michael should give custody of Terri to her parents, but in the end it is none of our business.
In a related story, the judge also ruled that from now on everyone should call him Georgette, Queen of Norway.
If we believe someone is being murdered, Mary...it's our business.
Nazi Germany, Mary...the Jews and gypsies are being taken away to camps. Sssh, child...it's not our business...just look the other way.
Your beliefs don't give you the right to engage in slander or libel or otherwise break the law, do they?
In the famous words of Ronald Wilson Reagan..."There you go again!"
Doesn't hurt to 'go again' when you're right.
I'm not slandering...I'm right.
The facts back this case up. Just because you refuse to acknowledge the horrors going on here, Mary, doesn't make your accusations of slander towards those fighting for this woman's life so.
You don't seem to understand the depth of heartbreak and anguish you cause...and you don't seem to care.
LOL! For your sake, I hope you're right. However, I fear you are not.
I'd rather err on the side of this woman's life than realize belatedly that I was wrong.
There are times I truly believe you're Jodi. I can't imagine what other motive you would have to defend the evil and damn the good.
I've also said that you -- and others -- do your cause no good by engaging in the bizarre and outlandish. It diminishes your message and causes it to get lost.
What a stupid statement to say that Sun is living in a fantasy world. Obviously you are the one who is either confused or wants to disrupt.
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