Fed Appeals Court Grant Terri's Parents Petition for Rehearing

FNC

[WhistlingPastTheGraveyard]

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT WILL LET TERRI'S PARENTS FILE A PETITION FOR REHEARING FOR AN INJUNCTION TO REINSERT FEEDING TUBE... BREAKING

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Moderator update:

Court Says Yes To Schiavo Parents

March 30, 2005

(CBS/AP) A federal appeals court early Wednesday granted Terri Schiavo's parents the right to file a petition for rehearing for an injunction that could allow their daughter's feeding tube to be reconnected.

The ruling came just after midnight from a federal appeals court in Atlanta.

On Tuesday, Schiavo's 12th full day without food or water, the Rev. Jesse Jackson prayed with her parents and joined conservatives in calling for state lawmakers to order her feeding tube reinserted.

The former Democratic presidential candidate was invited by Schiavo's parents to meet with activists outside Schiavo's hospice. His arrival was greeted by some applause and cries of "This is about civil rights!"

"I feel so passionate about this injustice being done, how unnecessary it is to deny her a feeding tube, water, not even ice to be used for her parched lips," he said. "This is a moral issue and it transcends politics and family disputes."

As the Schiavo deathwatch drags on, CBS News Correspondent Mark Strassmann spoke with two families who grappled with the same issues as the Schindlers and Michael Schiavo. On one side are Dorothy and Michael Brocato, who have provided care for their brain-damaged daughter Lisa, who suffered brain damage from a heart attack 15 years ago.

"We have devoted our lives to taking care of Lisa, says her mother. The Brocatos are sympathetic to the Schindler's wish to keep Terri Schiavo alive

"I love her. I love her. I couldn't picture not having her around me,'' says Dorothy Brocato.

Ron Oister has watched the Schiavo drama play out from a very different perspective. When Oister's father was essentially brain-dead, his son's wrenching decision was to let his father go.

"It was very hard,'' Oister told Strassmann. "That was my father. And he was in front of me. And I knew he could never return to what he had been."

Oister says Schiavo's parents helped create this needless public spectacle because they refused to face their hard reality.

"She died then, not now. My own experience would say that one ends life at that time."

Jesse Jackson's visit provided an emotional boost to Schiavo's parents and siblings, who have maintained that Schiavo would want to be kept alive. Her husband, Michael Schiavo, insists he is carrying out her wishes by having the feeding tube pulled.

Mary Schindler, Terri Schiavo's mother, later made a terse but emotional appeal to Michael Schiavo: "Michael and Jodi, you have your own children. Please, please give my child back to me." Michael Schiavo and fiancee Jodi Centonze have two children, born long after Terri Schiavo fell into paralysis.

Although supporters of the Schindlers have claimed the dehydrated woman is being denied comfort measures such as ice chips for her dry mouth or balm for chapped lips, George Felos, the husband's attorney, defended how Schiavo is being cared for.

"Obviously, the parents and the siblings are desperate. Desperation may lead to different perceptions," Felos told CNN. "I can only tell you what I've seen, and Terri is dying a very peaceful, cared-for death." Felos did not return phone messages seeking comment from The Associated Press.

Jackson said he asked Michael Schiavo for permission to see the brain-damaged woman but was denied. He also telephoned black legislators in a last-ditch effort to bring back a bill that would prohibit severely brain-damaged patients from being denied food and water if they didn't express their wishes in writing. Lawmakers rejected the legislation earlier this month and appeared unlikely to reconsider it.

One of those contacted by Jackson, Democratic state Sen. Gary Siplin, said he told Jackson the issue had been "thoroughly discussed." Senate Democratic leader Les Miller added, "I have voted. It's time to move on."

The chief sponsor of the measure, state Sen. Daniel Webster, said he knew of no changed votes and that Jackson's efforts may have come too late.

"If he could sway votes — and I'm certain he may be able to — it would have been helpful if he had done that a little earlier" said Webster, a Republican. "We're running out of time. To do it now is not as timely as a couple of weeks ago would have been."

Bob Schindler described his daughter as "failing" following his visit Tuesday.

"She still looks pretty darn good under the circumstances," Schindler said. "You can see the impact of no food and water for 12 days. Her bodily functions are still working. We still have her."

First lady Laura Bush also commented on the case Tuesday, saying the government was right to have intervened on behalf of Schiavo.

"It is a life issue that really does require government to be involved," Bush said aboard a plane bound for Afghanistan, where she was to promote education and women's rights.

During Jackson's visit, a man was tackled to the ground by officers when he tried to storm into the hospice, police said. He became the 47th protester arrested since the feeding tube was removed March 18. The man had two bottles of water with him but did not reach the hospice door, police said.

Doctors have said Terri Schiavo, 41, would probably die within a week or two of the tube being removed. She suffered catastrophic brain damage in 1990 when her heart stopped for several minutes because of a chemical imbalance apparently brought on by an eating disorder.

The parents also lost another round in the courts Tuesday when an appeals court upheld a pervious ruling by Judge George Greer that blocked the Department of Children and Families from intervening in the case.




Court Says Yes To Schiavo Parents

[drlevy88]

Yeah, there are implications. Getting your life saved can hurt.

[TAdams8591]

Correct. I heard that on Fox News.

[MJY1288]

No joking here, this decision came in the middle of the night, and a life is in the balance. Our Courts are occupied by human beings, and when it's really important they can act on a very short period of time. This decision did not happen on it's own, a group of lawyers must have been petitioning the Court on this matter for them to issue a 12:30 AM announcement.

Terri has a glimmer of hope right now, and I'm very happy for this opportunity

[drlevy88]

I still can't believe that Felos said that Terri was the most peaceful he has ever seen her.

Felos lives in a perpetual Halloween.

[PhiKapMom]

We had Freeper lawyers sayiing on here last week that they should listen to Sekulow -- sure glad they finally did.

[CyberAnt]

Don't start with the Jeb bashing - please - save it for another day.

[Brad’s Gramma]

There are implications for what we are doing today, and we must think about them in detail.

You are right there! But....uh. Not in the way you think.

I sure don't know why so many people want her dead.

[Hunble]

The abuse in talking as though this is all going to end with her being starved yet once more to the death.

At no time, was I attacking you, or your views personally.

Once again, what did I say that warranted an abuse report to the Admin?

[Saundra Duffy]

Watch the breaking news for several ambulances pulling up to the Hospice center in a few minutes

Heavenly Father, please save our little Sister, Theresa Marie - In the Name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

[Chad Fairbanks]

Well, hopefully the Schindler's lawyers were a little better prepared this time...

[Raycpa]

I sure don't know why so many people want her dead.

The spirtually dead want all others dead.

[drlevy88]

You assume this is going to end up with one more starvation to the death. Who gave you a hotline to God?

[Utah Girl]

Felos is wacko. He is also a brilliant lawyer and articulate. I hate to say it, but I am just waiting for the day to have that smirk wiped right off his face.

[oceanperch]

Terri is givin' 'em HELL! (smiling)

Like St. Kolbe she ain't goin' easy!

I think the timing of Rev. Falwell being on then off a vent to speak out for Terri, the Pope getting a trach and now possibly a g-tube and speaking out for Terri is God's answer to so many of our Prayers as it makes Micheal's dirty deed look like a blood filled room in luminous lighting.

Thank You Lord.

He works in mysterious ways.

[Paul C. Jesup]

Do you have some information on the state of Terri's internal organs?

One the medical basics of what happens to the human body after over a week without water or food.

[Finalapproach29er]

With Greer's wife on the board of directors of the Hospice, there is certainly a conflict
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ROTFLOL. Are you serious?

This yankee thinks Florida has to be the most corrupt state in the USA. What a freak show of crooks. The judges are worse than the politicians. Reminds me of New York in the 1920's. Cases were deceided before the hearing started.

[MJY1288]

I have no other choice than to believe you.... Simply because of my respect for you and your impeccable credentials,

I stand corrected :-)

[Soul Seeker]

Jay was referencing this avenue a few days ago. Looks like he came through.

[StarFan]

The irony of this is if this woman is saved as she should be, now the Jesse liberals will get "political credit".

Let him try. He had NOTHING to do with the decision of the Appeals Court.