Former Green Beret Commander Bo Gritz is trying to conduct a citizen's arrest of the Terri Schindler Schiavo's husband and the judge presiding in the case before the handicapped Florida woman is scheduled to have her feeding tube removed so she can be legally starved to death.
The 66-year-old retired Army Lt. Colonel with his wife, Judy, arrived in Florida from their home in Nevada yesterday with the intent of arresting anyone involved in removing the woman's feeding tube that keeps her alive.
He came bearing a notarized "citizen's arrest warrant" addressed to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush Attorney General Charlie Crist. He said his intent is to "papering" state and federal law enforcement offices with his warrant today – a day before Circuit Court Judge George Greer has ordered the denial of food and water to Terri Schiavo.
Gritz says the "arrest" is designed to allow officials additional options as the Florida governor and legislature maneuver to save the woman from starvation.
Gritz says he successfully used the arrest-tool against federal law enforcement in August 1992 when he intervened in the siege at Ruby Ridge, Idaho, and brought what was left of Randy Weaver's family down the hill without further bloodshed. Sammy, the 14-year-old Weaver boy, was killed along with his mother, Vicki, and U.S. Marshal William Degan. Randy Weaver and another man, Kevin Harris, were wounded by police gunfire.
Gritz secured the services of renowned defense lawyer Gerry Spence, and the U.S. Department of Justice paid the Weavers $3.2 million in an out-of-court settlement. Harris was awarded more than $300,000.
Citing his officer's oath of allegiance to "defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic," Gritz says while he doesn't know Terri Schiavo personally, she nevertheless represents an American in danger of citizen-rights abuse, and he feels an obligation to act while she remains alive.
Besides a "Terri-Bill" under consideration in the U.S. Congress, the Florida Legislature votes tomorrow on a modified measure to keep Terri's life-support in place. A previous Florida bill was ruled unconstitutional barring further intervention by Gov. Bush.
While threatened with arrest at Ruby Ridge, the decorated war hero instead walked away with FBI letters of appreciation.
