Schiavo's case lands in Congress

St Petersburg Tines Tampa Bay ^ | 3.11.05 | ANITA KUMAR, Times Staff Writer

[gopwinsin04]

With avenues to keep Terri Schiavo alive closing in the state of Florida, they were opening in the nation's capital Thursday . The tide turned decidedly in favor of the parents who want to prolong their brain-damaged daughters life.

Just a scant eight days before the court ordered deadline to remove her feeding tube, Republicans on Capitol Hill rallied around the case that has become a 'cause celebre' of conservative and religious groups.

Florida Sen. Mel Martinez and Rep. Dave Weldon's bill to require the incapacitated without living wills to be appointed attorneys before life support is terminated, introduced on Tuesday had 103 sponsors in the House and seven sponsors in the Senate.

Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, a surgeon, is trying to get it to the Senate floor without it being heard in committte. House Majority Leader Tom Delay is working to get the bill in front of the Judiciary committee by Wednesday.

It was unclear whether US Congressional Democrats would try and stop the bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid has said he prefers for it to be heard in committee.

Sam Brownback, a Kansas Republican, said he hopes for full Democratic support and has heard no direct oppositon.

George Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo, sounded resigned to the fact that politics in the nations capital would delay the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube the way it did in 2003, when Florida's governor and legislature stepped in.

'It is certainly disheartening to see them falling all over themselves to pander to these groups,' Felos said. 'It's a massive campaign of fear and misinformation. It's a repeat of Terri's law'

The attorney for the Schiavo parents had the opposite view. 'We are very encouraged by what is happening in Congress right now, said David Gibbs.

'The family is profoundly grateful'

[pollywog]

HE HAS ALLOWED ALL THE GUARDIANSHIP LAWS TO BE BROKEN TO GET TO A POINT WHERE HE SEEKS TO MURDER THE WIFE FOR THE HUSBAND

Oh FV, I HOPE that this is all being investigated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[floriduh voter]

REPUBLICAN PARTY TOSS GEORGE GREER OVERBOARD. HE'S NOT WORTH RUINING THE ENTIRE GOP PARTY!

NATIONAL GOP PARTY: 1-202-863-8614

FLORIDA GOP PARTY: 1-850-222-7920

PINELLAS COUNTY GOP HQ: 727-539-6009.

[TheSpottedOwl]

... can you ever imagine where a court appointed attorney for the victim would NOT challenge EVERY "right to die" case ?

Why cut off your own paycheck when your "client" can never disagree with you ?

I'm not fond of lawyers. Having said that, a guardian ad litem could make sure any documents stating the patient's wishes were legitimate and made in sound mind. The GAL would look for signs that family or others are merely repeating "hearsay" on the patient's wishes, especially looking for newly purchased life insurance policies, etc.

If all is in order, then I guess it's a "go". If not, a court appointed guardian would be appointed to guarantee that the patient receives appropriate care. The GAL would then be out of the picture.

I know, the last thing this world needs is more ambulance chasers, but if this had been done for Terri, she'd be in better shape. There are others in her situation being murdered for financial gain, and even to cover up a crime.

[floriduh voter]

The bigger issue is that they are parsing this as a family matter when it is much more than that. There is a dispute, there are people on the take, there is no proof that Terri wanted to be starved to death, her rehab funds were robbed by the husband's death obsessed attorneys. An incapacitated person USUALLY has protections but in Terri's case, she's been denied the standard protections. She should still be protected though as per the US Constitution.

Most husbands aren't this adamant that they will have a judge murder their wife. This is a unique case of injustice, like no other.

I'm not thrilled with attorneys either but plenty of attorneys have weighed in and they think that Judge Greer is a major felon.

[RS]

"I know, the last thing this world needs is more ambulance chasers, but if this had been done for Terri, she'd be in better shape. "

At what point is this person appointed ? Wasn't terri in this state for like 8 years before pulling the plug was first brought up ?
Does anyone who is taken to the emergency ward unconscious immediately get assigned a government lawyer, "just in case" ?

[TheSpottedOwl]

Actually, I was talking about future incidents. There are people watching this case for their own reasons.

Terri's case is unique, as millions of people have been made aware of the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her "husband" and the judicial system. Heads should have been rolling over this years ago. This isn't just about Terri being murdered in an especially horrible method, but it is airing out the stench coming from the judicial and legal system. We aren't hearing about the others.

There's another angle. Family members have been browbeaten by medical staff to yank feeding tubes, even when they strongly disagree. If a GAL was appointed to represent the patient (and get that person into another facility), a lot of abuse could be stopped. This is becoming more and more widespread as society crumbles.

[TheSpottedOwl]

I don't know when a GAL should be appointed. Terri wanted to live and receive therapy until Michael Schiavo was awarded a large sum of money, and guardianship. That's when he remembered "Terri saying something about not wanting to be hooked up to machines". Well we both know that all she has is a feeding tube.

Actually, if Florida's judicial system wasn't so corrupt, a GAL should have been appointed for Terri right then and there. MS's testimony before the monetary award, and his statements after receiving the money, represent a conflict of interest on his part. Not to mention he was living with someone else as husband and wife.

Don't be so precious. No one is talking about every unconscious emergency room patient, being assigned a government lawyer.

[RS]

"Actually, if Florida's judicial system wasn't so corrupt, a GAL should have been appointed for Terri right then and there. "

Wouldn't you have to have some government type looking at the case at every point ?
Many decisions were made by her husband before it ever got to court.

[traviskicks]

This reminds me of a story last week about how Congress is going to subpena baseballs stars for who knows what stupid reason.... One would think the Federal gov would have better things to do. Let Florida figure this one out and let's have Congress work on desocializing our country.

[TheSpottedOwl]

Wouldn't you have to have some government type looking at the case at every point ?

Many decisions were made by her husband before it ever got to court.

I'm going to say this anyway, even though it's a damn joke. Government, which would be county government, is to look into the cases of every foster child placed in their protection. They are to routinely review living conditions, school attendance, and physical well being. When I started to type it, I remembered that Florida DCF at one time had the worst record of mismanagement next to Washington State.

They "accidently" destroyed the file on Terri Schiavo, but not only that, several years ago they actually lost children. They couldn't find them! When Jeb Bush was elected, he cleaned the place up as best as he could.

Personally, I wish government would just butt out of our private lives. Sometimes they get it right, though.

I agree that many decisions were made by MS before this got to court. None of them good for Terri.

[jwpjr]

re: had some form of consciousness

And how about the parable of the beggar at the gate of the rich man. All he asked for was crumbs and leftovers. When the beggar died it the angles came and took him to heaven. But when the rich man died he went to another place, a place of torment. The story goes on to say the the rich man saw the beggar in "bosom of Abraham" and asked Abraham to send the beggar to dip his finger in cold water so that he could touch cool the tongue of the rich man. Abraham responded that a great gulf separates us and he cannot go to where you are. Then the rich man asked Abraham to send someone to warn his family so that they could avoid coming to the place of torment too. Abraham responded it would do no good, that they had the words of the prophets and had ignored them. Another example of life after death, and of knowing time and relationships of this world.