Dad accuses courts of 'mindset to kill Terri'

CTV ^ | March 26, 05 | CTV

[churchillbuff]

Terri Schiavo's life may be fading, but the arguments and turmoil surrounding her fate are not -- as her parents continue their relentless efforts to have her feeding tube reinserted.

Emerging from the Florida hospice where his brain-damaged daughter is being cared for, Bob Schindler let reporters know the extent of his frustration.

"What you're seeing is textbook example of judicial tyranny," he said late Friday evening, accusing the courts of having, "a mindset to kill Terri."

"I think it's disgusting and revolting what these courts have done to her."

Just hours earlier, a federal appeals court dealt Bob and Mary Schindler the latest in a series of legal defeats when it refused to order the reinsertion of Schiavo's feeding tube.

Marking the third such decision in four days, a three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta said it had already ruled on most issues -- and those it hadn't did not apply.

Schiavo's feeding tube was removed last Friday, after a Florida judge ruled in favour of her husband's argument -- that Terri did not want to be kept alive artificially.

When asked about how his daughter was doing after a week without food or water, Schindler said she "is weakening."

"She is down to her last hours. So something has to be done, and has to be done quick," he said Friday morning. After another visit in the afternoon, Schindler said his daughter's decline was marked.

"I told her that we're still fighting for her, and she shouldn't give up because we're not. But I think the people who are anxious to see her die are getting their wish."

Terri's plea

Despite a growing list of judicial setbacks that have gone as high as the U.S. Supreme Court, the Schindlers showed they weren't defeated with one more filing.

A motion filed Friday afternoon asked Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer to order the reinsertion of the tube, because Schiavo apparently tried to say "I want to live" when it was removed.

According to the motion, when Schiavo was asked to repeat what was said, she responded: "AHHHHH" and "WAAAAAAA."

Greer is expected to announce his decision sometime Saturday.

Schiavo, 41, has been in what doctors have diagnosed as a persistent vegetative state since 1990, when she suffered brain damage after her heart stopped briefly from a chemical imbalance believed to have been brought on by an eating disorder

Because she left no living will, there was no easy resolution to the bitter battle that subsequently developed between her parents and husband.

Political pressure

When the Schindlers spoke to reporters late Friday, they made a direct plea to Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

"Governor Bush has the authority to stop all this," Bob Schindler said. "He's put Terri thorough a week of hell and my family through a week of hell by not acting... And I implore him to put a stop to this.

"This is judicial homicide."

As a constant supporter of the Schindlers, the governor's office was still clinging to hope Friday that the courts would allow the state to assume custody of Schiavo.

"We are continuing to do whatever we can and we are pursuing all the options available to us in this case," Bush spokesperson Jacob DiPietre said.

On Thursday, a petition from the state's Department of Children and Families and Gov. Bush to gain custody of Schiavo, and presumably reconnect her feeding tube, was denied.

Bush and the department were challenging doctors' diagnoses that Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state, based on what they said was new evidence from a neurologist.

Greer said an affidavit from a neurologist who believes Schiavo is "minimally conscious" was not enough to overturn his decision to allow the withdrawal of food and water.

Gov. Bush has already ordered his legal team to look over state laws to see if there is any way to get Schiavo's feeding tube reconnected.

This is the third time Schiavo has had her feeding tube removed. It was removed for two days in 2001 and six days in 2003.

Experts have estimated Schiavo can survive, at most, two weeks without the feeding tube.

Doctors have said Schiavo could expect to live no more than two weeks, after her feeding tube is removed.

Earlier reports, based on family friends and attorneys, said Schiavo is beginning to show the effects of dehydration, including flaky skin, dry tongue and lips, and sunken eyes

[FairOpinion]

"But, I thought liberals want to help the "little guy"?"

Only if they are murderers and terrorists.

[FairOpinion]

And Greer is taking his sweet time to consider this -- another 24 hrs, by which time Terri may be dead, or beyond help.

[FairOpinion]

Thanks for posting the sworn statements.

[XR7]

Criminal...

Pinellas County Sheriff's deputies, and Pinellas
Park, Fla., police officers arrest 10-year-old Joshua
Heldreth, of Charlotte, N.C., for trespassing on
Woodside Hospice property in Pinellas park, Fla.
Heldreth was attempting to bring Terri Schiavo a
glass of water. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed
by court order Friday, March 18, 2005.

"Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give
You drink?..." And the King will answer and say to them, "Assuredly,
I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My
brethren, you did it to Me." Jesus, from St. Matthew 25:37-40

[glowworm]

I feel same way. No man would be allowed to kill my daughter either. I still believe in "A eye for an eye.." which I believe is the only TRUE justice. Tit for tat, measure for measure. We give permission to government to fairly control justice not tyrany. IMHO

[NicknamedBob]

Triple Power Play

I‘ve been following the bouncing ball,
From Schiavo, to Felos, to Greer,
A triple-play of nastiness,
That has seemed like a career.

Don’t these fellows have real jobs?
Must they play with Death?
A person could get hurt out there,
It fairly takes your breath!

Poor Terri should have watched them,
But how was she to know?
The deadly triple-play they made,
Has been a three man show.

We haven’t seen a team like this,
Since those four horsemen rode.
But unlike them, these fearsome men,
One single life bestrode.

At last, their noble brows can gaze,
Upon their vanquished foe.
Drop by drop, they bled her dry,
But why, no one will know.

A Judgement Day will come to them,
That day they will know fear,
And it will run its course through them,
From Schiavo, to Felos, to Greer.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . March 26, 2005

[Soaring Feather]

Thanks Bob. Powerful.

[bikepacker67]

The &*$%^# Courts will bend over backwards to save the skin of some &$%^#@$% murderer - even to the point of declaring them to &^%#@%^# dumb to be put to death.

But give them an innocent to slaughter and the mutha#&*%@^* are chompin' at the bit.

[Natural Law]

Give us a break. All of these judges have placed the law above justice, manipulation of legal code and jargon above the truth, and their office above the life of an innocent disabled woman.

[madison10]

Great Statement, Bob.

Schiavo, Felos & Greer. Oh, my!

[JustAmy]

"A Judgement Day will come to them,
That day they will know fear,
And it will run its course through them,
From Schiavo, to Felos, to Greer."

Right on, NnB!

It looks like the only thing we can do is pray for Terri and her family.
It makes you wonder why they are so determined to kill her and then have her body cremated.