Freepers call to action re. Terri Schindler-Schiavo. Make a complaint against Judge Greer:

Various ^ | August 28, 2003

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Freepers, we may be able to help Terri:

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I made some phone calls today and have the ULTIMATE PHONE CALL for registering a Complaint against Judge Greer. I can't reveal my sources but this is the phone number for a few pay grades above J. Greer.

Call the: Judicial Qualifications Commission at

#1-850-488-1581. I am complaining to them tomorrow that J. Greer isn't God, that he's been in the husband's corner since Day One, he doesn't care a wit about Terri's parents or her husband's attempt at medical neglect, and I'd like to know if Greer can be recalled or impeached.

HE SHOULD HAVE OR COULD HAVE HONORED GOV. BUSH'S REQUEST TO ASSIGN A GUARDIAN AD LITEM to represent Terri's interest instead of once again, taking the side of the husband. Judge Greer is from the Sixth Circuit Court, Pinellas County.

Oh, and ping everybody you can think of.

72 posted on 08/27/2003 5:06 PM EDT by floriduh voter

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From summer:

"..do a separate thread asking people to call this phone number FV provided. This could get a guardian appointed if the judge is tossed off the case for BIAS."

---

Background:

8 Jeb Bush intervenes for Schindler-Schiavo -   WND | 8/26

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush has asked a judge to delay setting a date for removal of a feeding tube sustaining the life of a brain-disabled woman, Terri Schindler-Schiavo.

In a letter, Bush asked Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George W. Greer yesterday to keep her alive until a court-appointed guardian can "independently investigate the circumstances of this case and provide the court with an unbiased view that considers the best interests of Mrs. Schiavo."

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8 From JEB to FR: Full text of Gov Bush's letter to Judge Greer re: Terri Schiavo. Email from Gov Bush to summer, for FR | 8/27

 ----- Original Message -----
From: [Governor Bush's office]
To: [summer's email]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2003 8:06 AM
Subject: Letter regarding Terri Schiavo

> August 26, 2003

> The Honorable George W. Greer
> Judge, Sixth Judicial Circuit
> 315 Court Street, Room 484
> Clearwater, Florida 33756

Dear Judge Greer:

> I appreciate the challenging legal and ethical issues before you in the case > of Terri Schiavo. As I have expressed over the course of the past several > weeks, our system of government has committed these decisions to the > judicial branch, and we must respect that process. Consistent with this > principle, I normally would not address a letter to a judge in a pending > legal proceeding. However, my office has received over 27,000 emails > reflecting understandable concern for the well being of Terri Schiavo. > Given that there is no procedural avenue available for these views to be > expressed to you in the normal course of the proceedings, I feel compelled > to write in the hopes that you will give serious consideration to > re-appointment of a guardian ad litem for Mrs. Schiavo before permitting the > removal of her feeding tube or other actions calculated to end her life.

> This case represents the disturbing result of a severe family disagreement > in extremely trying circumstances. Emotions are high, accusations abound, > and at the heart of this public and private maelstrom is a young woman > incapable of speaking for herself.

> I am disturbed by new rumors about the guardian's actions related to the > current care of Mrs. Schiavo. It has come to my attention that Mrs. Schiavo > has contracted a life threatening illness, and that she may be denied > appropriate treatment. If true, this indicates a decision by her caregivers > to initiate an "exit protocol" that may include withholding treatment from > Mrs. Schiavo until her death, which would render this Court's ultimate > decision moot. While the issue of Mrs. Schiavo's care is still before the > Court, I urge you to ensure that no act of omission or commission be allowed > to adversely affect Mrs. Schiavo's health before the September 11th hearing > you have set. No one involved should be permitted to circumvent due process > or the Court's authority in order to achieve personal objectives in this > case.

> Even discounting these rumors, there are a number of factual disputes > regarding Mrs. Schiavo's medical condition, past and current care and > therapy, and her prognosis. Given the contradictory positions of her > guardian and other family members, I respectfully ask that you re-appoint a > qualified guardian ad litem to independently investigate the circumstances > of this case, and provide the Court an unbiased view that considers only the > best interests of Mrs. Schiavo.

> It is a fine balance between Mrs. Schiavo's right to privacy and her right > to life, both of which are co-equal in our Constitution. To err on one side > is to prolong her existence, perhaps against her wishes, and continue the > debate. To err on the other is an irrevocable act that affords no > remediation. I respectfully ask that you give Mrs. Schiavo's family the > opportunity to present any new evidence as to her wishes. Evidence as to > her wishes should be reweighed as often as necessary to take into account > the effect of any new evidence, that is, to determine whether "clear and > convincing evidence" still exists that Mrs. Schiavo would now choose > withdrawal of life-prolonging procedures. While this process may delay the > surrogate's exercise of Mrs. Schiavo's privacy rights, it is necessary to > avoid denying her right to life. I urge you to err on the side of > conservative judgment to ensure that all facts can be uncovered and > considered before her life is terminated.

> I appreciate your compassion for Mrs. Schiavo's plight, and that of the > family members locked in dispute in these tragic circumstances. In light of > the ongoing contention related to so many issues in this case, I hope you > will consider appointing a guardian ad litem to ensure that the ultimate > decision is based on facts presented clearly, unclouded and uncolored by > personal interests of litigants.

> Sincerely,

> Jeb Bush

> cc: Patricia Fields Anderson, Esq.
> George J. Felos, Esq.

---

(WND article excerpts, cont.:) "On Friday, the Florida Supreme Court refused to intervene in the case, clearing the way for a Sept. 11 hearing in which Greer would set a date for removal of the feeding tube.

Terri's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler of Gulf Port, Fla., have been locked in a decade-long legal battle with their son-in-law over the care and custody of their daughter, who suffered massive brain damage when she collapsed at her home 13 years ago under unexplained circumstances at the age of 26.

***The bitter dispute over Terri's lack of care became a major euthanasia battle five years ago when her husband Michael Schiavo petitioned the court for permission to have her feeding tube removed, claiming she is in a persistent vegetative state and would not want to be kept alive "artificially." The Schindlers and a number of doctors and therapists believe she could be rehabilitated, but the courts have consistently sided with Schiavo and his lawyer, right-to-die advocate George Felos.

~~~~

The article is on CNSNews.com.

Florida Judge Rejects Governor's Bid to Help Terri Schiavo
By Jeff Johnson
CNSNews.com Congressional Bureau Chief
August 27, 2003

Capitol Hill (CNSNews.com) - Florida Circuit Judge George Greer Tuesday rejected a plea from Governor Jeb Bush to appoint a guardian ad litem to represent the best interests of Terri Schindler Schiavo, a 39-year-old disabled woman who suffered a brain injury in 1990 under questionable circumstances. Bush had intervened Monday after receiving 27,000 email messages asking for his help on Terri's behalf.

"I read [Gov. Bush's letter] because it came from the governor and I respect his position," Greer told the Tampa Tribune. "Beyond that, it is going in the file."

As CNSNews.com previously reported, Bush wrote Greer Monday asking him not to remove the disabled woman's feeding tube until a new guardian ad litem could "independently investigate" her condition. In the letter, Bush referenced the "fine balance between Mrs. Schiavo's right to privacy and her right to life," which Bush noted are co-equal under the Constitution.

"To err on one side is to prolong her existence, perhaps against her wishes and to continue the debate," Bush wrote. "To err on the other is an irrevocable act that affords no remediation."

But Greer told the Associated Press that he no longer has a choice in the matter.

"Frankly, I think I'm operating under a mandate from the 2nd District Court of Appeals," Greer said, "and frankly I don't think I can stray from that mandate."

In that same interview, however, the judge contradicted his own assessment of the limitation on his authority by stating that he was "not inclined" to appoint a guardian ad litem.

Michael Schiavo called Gov. Bush's intervention on behalf of Terri "crazy."

"The governor has deliberately twisted the facts in this case in an apparent effort to kowtow to his right-to-life political supporters," Schiavo told Tampa Tribune reporter David Sommer. "This has nothing to do with him. He should stay out of it."

Schiavo - who, for five years, has been seeking judicial approval to end his wife's life by denying her nutrition and hydration - also accused Terri's parents of manipulating their Catholic faith to keep their daughter alive.

"I believe in God and so did (?) Terri," Schiavo said, speaking of his still living wife in the past tense, "but they are out to push it on people... suddenly they are on a religious kick."

Judge refuses motion for hearing to set 'death date'

Greer also denied a motion Tuesday to hold an immediate hearing to set a date for the removal of Terri's nutrition and hydration tube. The hearing will be held, as previously announced, on Sept. 11. At that hearing, Greer will also rule on whether Schiavo may legally prohibit Terri's priest from visiting her.

Schiavo's attorney, George Felos, had also petitioned the court Monday to prohibit doctors from caring for Terri's current fever, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea and a "substantial infection."

"Given the imminence of the ward's death, further treatment (other than comfort care) for the ward's infection and other medical problems is unnecessary, unwarranted, inappropriate and futile," Felos said in an emergency motion, adding that Terri, "should be put back in hospice and receive comfort care and die in a peaceful setting."

Greer denied that motion, as well.

55 posted on 08/27/2003 5:29 PM EDT by yhwhsman ("Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small..." -Sir Winston Churchill)

---

Michael Schiavo is using "privacy" as an excuse for denying Terri every contact from the outside world, even flowers. "One sign of the case's nastiness is the Schindlers' complaint that Schiavo limits their visits with their daughter. They also say he has refused to allow doctors to examine her, refused her antibiotics and needed dental work, refused to replace a broken wheelchair so she could be taken outdoors and refused the delivery of flowers from a friend to her room on her birthday."

"Her teeth are fine; she doesn't eat," Michael Schiavo said. "Why take her to a gynecologist? She was supposed to die months ago. I don't want her room filled with flowers from strangers or right-to-life activists. Even though she is vegetative she has a right to privacy."

17 posted on 08/27/2003 10:14 AM EDT by I still care

***

I thought Gov Bush very eloquently made his case here, in this part:

To err on one side is to prolong her existence, perhaps against her wishes, and continue the debate. To err on the other is an irrevocable act that affords no remediation.

18 posted on 08/27/2003 10:14 AM EDT by summer

***

..this judge is going to look really bad if this part is ignored by the judge:

Even discounting these rumors, there are a number of factual disputes > regarding Mrs. Schiavo's medical condition, past and current care and > therapy, and her prognosis. Given the contradictory positions of her > guardian and other family members

21 posted on 08/27/2003 10:17 AM EDT by summer

***

HE SHOULD HAVE OR COULD HAVE HONORED GOV. BUSH'S REQUEST TO ASSIGN A GUARDIAN AD LITEM to represent Terri's interest instead of once again, taking the side of the husband. Judge Greer is from the Sixth Circuit Court, Pinellas County.

That is one thing that floors me .. This Judge should have long ago appointed an independent Guardian Ad Litem and not left her husband as her sole guardian .. especially since there are questions about her husband with abuse and the fractured bones that were reveled in xrays of Terry.

Everything I have read .. this Judge seems hell bent on having her killed

73 posted on 08/28/2003 2:45 AM EDT by Mo1 (http://www.favewavs.com/wavs/cartoons/spdemocrats.wav)

***

I know that Mr. Schiavo has tried to ban Terri's mother and family and priest from seeing her.

But, I don't know how a court could prevent doctors from ordering therapy, speach therapy (which is often actually swallowing therapy) and most especially oral nutrition.

27 posted on 08/26/2003 7:34 PM EDT by hocndoc (Choice is the # 1 killer in the US)

***

Judge Greer has been with the husband since day one. A guardian ad litem would have been fair for Terri and her parents. Her parents love her but they are treated as the enemy. I'm ashamed this is happening in Pinellas County.

31 posted on 08/26/2003 7:41 PM EDT by floriduh voter

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Judge Greer will not appoint a guardian ad litem. I have phone numbers from the phone book for the Clearwater Courthouse and all the guardianship phone numbers. He husband held a presser today and was very flippant about Jeb's letter and called the emailers a "bunch of right to lifers."

Hubby is looking a little nervous but with a pal like Judge Greer who is no Judge Moore, Terri has until the September 11 hearing to decide the date her starvation begins.

Here are the phone numbers: courthouse - 727-464-3000, guardianship numbers: 727-582-7563, 727-582-7771, and 727-464-8700. We can at least call as friends of Terri and voice our concerns.

25 posted on 08/26/2003 7:34 PM EDT by floriduh voter

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Freepers, please call the Juducial Qualification Commission regarding Judge Greer:  1-850-488-1581.

***

Contact friends, thank those have been fighting on Terri's behalf, including Glenn Beck, Lars Larson, CNS News.com, WND, and Bill O'Reilly.

*** Terri Schindler Schiavo's website - background and news updates: www.terrisfight.org ***

8 Terri Schiavo's website Media Contacts

Governor Jeb Bush (R)
Office of The Governor
Florida Capitol Building, PL-05
Tallahassee, FL 32399-0001
(850) 488-7146
(850) 488-4441
jeb.bush@myflorida.com

The Honorable(?) George W. Greer
6th Judicial Circuit
315 Court Street, Room 484
Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-3933
ggreer@co.pinellas.fl.us

Attorney General Charlie Crist
Office of Attorney General
State of Florida
The Capitol
Tallahassee, FL 32399-1050
(850) 487-1963
Fax: (850) 487-2564
ag@oag.state.fl.us

[MarMema]

Ping me. Btw, I have to apologize for my links from the medical journals above, which now do not work from home.

[windchime]

The links didn't work for me, either.  I figured probably because of registration requirements.

The story to which I referred in post # 5115 was posted on FR on September 17.  Link is below.

Front Man for 'Hell on Earth' Takes Case to Bay Airwaves (Planned Assisted Suicide at Rock Concert)
Bay News9.com ^ | September 17, 2003 | Todd Clem
Posted on 09/18/2003 12:42 PM EDT by acps 

I will be out for a while will return.

[Deo volente]

Found the name of the doctor who introduced that 1968 bill in Florida. He was a Florida Representative at the time. Thank goodness the bill failed, it was absolutely despicable.

(from an interesting article by a FSU professor on the whole history of the "right-to-die" movement in America)

Public awareness about the right to die in Florida reached a highpoint in 1967,
when WALTER SACKETT, a retired Miami doctor, made the issue his personal crusade after winning a seat in the Florida House of Representatives. In his profile of Sackett's work in The Right to Die, Glick credits this novice legislator with being the first to put the topic on a legislative agenda anywhere in the U.S. Sackett put forth the state's first living will legislation, arguing that terminally ill patients and their families should be spared unwanted and futile medical treatment. Not content with that, Sackett went a step further and advocated euthanasia for indigent retarded patients who were wards of the state.
It was that extra step that doomed any chance for passage of right-to-die laws in Florida for the next several years. Despite gaining a national forum for his views (he appeared on 60 Minutes and the Phil Donahue and the Dick Cavett talk shows), Sackett watched his bills fail repeatedly. His proposals ignited advocates for the disabled and retarded, who mounted a ferocious fight against him. The battles were largely unnecessary, Glick writes, since Sackett's bills were immediately killed in committee anyway. Branded a dangerous extremist, Sackett suddenly found it very difficult to get anything done in the Legislature. The issue cost him a bid for reelection in 1976.



(and the following interesting comment)

Florida's struggle with this emotionally charged question bears watching from a national perspective, argues FSU political scientist Dr. Henry R. Glick (Ph.D. Tulane). In one of the latest commentaries on the hotly debated right-to-die issue, Glick depicts Florida, with its high elderly population, as a bellwether state in bringing the issue to the fore in national politics.


http://mailer.fsu.edu/~research/RinR/Final.html

[iowamomforfreedom]

My personal opinion is that a new thread would be a good idea. First of all, I think the main "article" should be a quick synopsis of the history/background of Terri's situation. Most people will have no idea of what is going on, and the original article being a series of posts directing people to one point of action that at this point, let's face it, is not going to do a bit of good. We are way beyond making a complaint about Greer. I believe we need a more informative and compelling article to let people know the facts of the situation, and what has gone on. I mean no offense to Ragtime Cowgirl, who I greatly appreciate starting this, I just think we need to give a quick, readable history of this situation right off the bat, or people are not going to be compelled to read more. I was thinking that the article could be what is listed on Terri's situation on the terrisfight.org website, unless someone would like to put together their own synopsis. Included at the bottom of the article we could link to this thread.

The other advantage to a new thread would be that we could include in the first few posts, links to the contact lists, advice for what people can do to help, and the MOST important information we have found. For example what we know about Felos, the money situation, the medical info about the abuse, information on the "culture of death" that Marmema has been so good at finding, the court documents, etc. Right now, everything is so spread out over 5000 posts that very few people are going to want to dig around for the really important stuff. It just would take too long, and people will tire of it quickly, I think. So if we could get all of this info together and put it at the beginning of a new thread, I think it will not be so overwhelming, and more people will read it. I think a title something like: "Call to Action: the fight to save a life - Terri Schindler-Schiavo's death sentence set", or something along those lines will attract more attention.

This is just my 2 cents; I understand kimmie and others want to keep this all on one thread, but I think a new thread with a link to this thread in the article, and the important stuff at the beginning would bring more people.

Like I said, just my 2 cents.

[cpforlife.org]

BUMP, PING, and PRAYERS for Terri Schindler-Schiavo.

[Coleus]

We need a miracle so prayer is most important now.

[SeattleTiger]

I agree. I think Ragtime Cowgirl, Marmema, kimmie7, and others have done a fantastic job promoting the issue. However, the new folks coming in and trying to get up to speed quickly need a summary.

[floriduh voter]

A link to terrisfight.org and a brief summary at this point on a NEW THREAD will bring more on board. A long thread shows us that good work is being done but it discourages newbies who may think they've arrived too late.

The best summaries I know of are at http://www.worldnetdaily.com. They've been covering Terri's story. It's a WND search keyword: TERRI SCHIAVO.

[floriduh voter]

I agree except that I am against re-posting posters' names who did not intend for their original comments with their screen names to be SO PROMINENT as in thread 1 - body of.

[floriduh voter]

A Part 2 Thread is up. It's under news/activism or do a google search under Terri Schindler Schiavo. I couldn't remember your name to ping you.

[floriduh voter]

Part 2 is up. I'll ping you from there. Had to come back and get your name.

[Victoria Delsoul]

Bump!

[Robert Drobot]

The incredible roadmap you present post 5148 to get to a federal court filing - previously on the front page of Terri's front page - speaks volumes about those controlling public opinion through the terrisfight.org website.

Patricia Fields Anderson's filing in Judge Greer's court is in the Press Releases section, but it's not at issue here. That matter has been concluded. She lost. As far as I know, she's never won a judicial contest for the Schindler family ( 0 for 6).

An an aside, I believe I read in this thread Anderson, Esq. did work for the New York Times. What has the NYT done to inform the world of the officially sanctioned barbarism active in the late great State of Florida - led by the president's brother.

I am concerned about the present status of the National Catholic Lawyers Association with the Schindler family.

The August 30th federal filing, Civil Action No.: 8:03-CV-1860-T-26-TGW, penned by Christopher Ferrara of the ACLA has been deleted, but the affidavits associated with the filing remain posted by the censors of Terri's website. (?????) The censors actually had this federal filing on the front page of the Terri site. Rather, the front page gives attention to another Anderson loss.

My guess is Ferrara and company are a threat, and have been shown the door. If this is true, it's my view, that move was a sorry loss for the Schindler family. The New Jersey group was, IMHO, the one real legal threat to exposing the cancerous corruption that grips the Florida establishment - from top to bottom.

[syriacus]

Thanks for letting me know that a connection is unlikely, Kimmie7!!

[syriacus]

I agree, doctors sure can differ in their outlooks.

I'm very happy to hear that your daughter is doing well, MarMema.

[Theodore R.]

I don't understand this posting. Are the Schindler lawyers in disagreement among themselves? This is not surprising. I think the same was true of the lawyers for little Elian Gonzalez's relatives in 2000.

As every hour ticks away, the chances of saving Terri grow dimmer and dimmer. Now, he have the spectacles of feuding lawyers!!!!

[syriacus]

George Rahdert "My Law Practice and My Clients Come First"

(Anderson's partner)

[winker]

Stop your hate filled action immediately and remember you are a mortal yourself and think how you would feel if the situation was reversed! You won't live forever yourself and you also don't know in what condition you may end up in!

[kimmie7]

Now, I take issue with that.

If you don't agree with our efforts and/or beliefs, then you are certainly free to voice that in calm, reasoned terms. You are welcome to enter into a reasonable discourse of the subject. It is simply unreasonable that a member of FR would spew the Democratic/liberal party line of 'stop the hate'. There is nothing hate-filled in this thread.

[kimmie7]

As well, I invite you to take your own advice. You never know when, someday, you'll wish you could scream to the world that you are alive -- just disabled -- when someone begins your slow, painful starvation.

This street goes both ways.