Citizen's arrest attempt of Schiavo, judge (Green Beret Bo Gritz intervenes for Terri)

2005 WorldNetDaily.com ^ | March 17, 2005 | 2005 WorldNetDaily.com

[ViLaLuz]

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.

[Poohbah]

What would matsuidon do?

[Havoc]

On what grounds. Any citizen can perform a "citizen's arrest". You would have to establish that he was acting in bad faith and voilated any actual law.

[agrace]

Agreed, thanks for the education here as well. Hey, look at it this way - he makes Randall Terry look pretty good!

[Poohbah]

On what grounds. Any citizen can perform a "citizen's arrest". You would have to establish that he was acting in bad faith and voilated any actual law.

Wrong. The burden of proof is on the citizen making the arrest. If he fails to meet that proof, the citizen making the arrest is going to be found guilty of either false arrest or kidnapping, depending on the state.

[Poohbah]

Hey, look at it this way - he makes Randall Terry look pretty good!

What cracks me up are folks like Randall Terry pontificating about how Schiavo's an adulterer.

[Long Cut]

Remember that old Andy Griffith show episode where Gomer Pyle "arrested" Barney Fife for an illegal U-turn by running across the street shouting, "Citizen's Are-yast! Citizen's Are-yast!"?

This, while more dangerous, is no less comical.

[Long Cut]

He'd get shot and die. Oh, wait, he already did that.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

You source for such hatred of this man is the ADL? Oh, you really love the Constitution, don't you? (sarcasm) *rolls eyes*

I guess your tag line should read, "Freedom; not just a job, it's an adventure-AS LONG AS I SAY SO"

Go BO!

[Havoc]

Wrong. The burden of proof is on the citizen making the arrest

And? Nothing I said denies this.

[montag813]

This is silly. All Jeb bush has to do is declare the Judge's ruling invalid, and order police to intervene. He is well within his power to do so. the Judiciary is NOt the final word in our tri-partite system. The Legislature will back him up. End of discussion. Greer must be reversed by Bush. If Jeb permits Terri to have tube removed under ANY circumstances, he must be removed from office.

[malakhi]

You source for such hatred of this man is the ADL? Oh, you really love the Constitution, don't you? (sarcasm) *rolls eyes*

I suppose it is always easier to attack the source than to examine and attempt to refute the information provided. Just because it is from the ADL doesn't mean it is false.

Which items, specifically, from that report do you contest?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

It is very simple to find out what she wants. Just ask her. But Michale, Greer and Felos won't let anyone do that. I wonder why?

[wita]

Lot of work expense and danger for someone you deem an "attention hog". Who has heard of Bo in the last few years? Bo appears to choose his fights very carefully, and I would be the last person to call him an attention hog. Time will tell, call back when you have some definitive proof. His ideas for saving situations, and the people involved in them have proven worthwhile in a number of cases, and he gets plenty of credit from me, for coming up with them, having the means and time to devote to them, and following through to the end. Don't see anyone else coming up with this unique solution to at least halt the process of starving someone.

[malakhi]

All Jeb bush has to do is declare the Judge's ruling invalid, and order police to intervene. He is well within his power to do so.

Really? On what constitutional grounds can the executive directly overturn this court decision?

[Diva Betsy Ross]

That is the information and the source I was provided here and to which I am responding- and I find them to be untrustworthy. And your source for hating him is......

[wita]

give it a rest before I get snippy. Its been six year for crying out loud. No one has heard boo from Bo, but you want to bad mouth him for attempting to aid Terry, and if Bo somehow makes a profit on the venture, in his usual quiet way, what business is it of yours Huh?.

[malakhi]

Drammach posted a critical profile about Bo Gritz from an ADL source.

Rather than directly commenting upon the validity of the information provided, you chose to attack the source.

Just because it is from the ADL, does not mean it isn't true.

Look back at post #30. Tell me which item or items, specifically, about Bo Gritz you think are false.

[Finalapproach29er]

If you still believe in him after all that, I can do nothing for you.. ( all of you in a general sense.. not speaking specifically to any one individual..)
------
I don't "believe in him". I think he's a misguided extremist.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

I dont trust the source, the ADL, who has a reputation which proceeds them. If I am critical of the source, I am critical of the data.

That's the way it works. Sorry if you don't get that.

[wita]

You and the Christmas goose are starting to look alot alike. Bo ain't perfect, Bo is Bo, and regardless of what the anti-defamation league has to say, Bo does what Bo decides to do and does it under the legal umbrella. All of Bo's past is there for the reading on the internet, and despite past failures and past success, Bo has taken on this one in the usual Bo fashion. I don't see you on the forefront of the battle my friend, but only on the Bo Bashing end of things, which isn't going to stop the feeding tube removal. Let's take a deep breath sit back and hope Bo's action brings a little sanity to the life of Michael the attempted legal murderer.