FLA. SENATE GETS INTO COMATOSE WOMAN TIFF (AP HEADLINE); SENATE VOTE EXPECTED BY TONIGHT

Associated Press ^ | Oct. 21, 2003 | Associated Press

[varina davis]

Fla. Senate Gets Into Comatose Woman Tiff

October 21, 2003 07:49 AM EDT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. - Florida House lawmakers stepped into the contentious battle over the fate of a brain-damaged woman slowly starving to death, voting the governor new powers to restore her feeding tube.

The Florida Senate scheduled a vote Tuesday on a House-passed bill to let Gov. Jeb Bush intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo, one of the nation's longest and most bitter euthanasia cases.

Schiavo has been at the center of a court battle between her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, and her husband, Michael Schiavo. The parents want Terri Schiavo to live, and her husband says she would rather die.

The Florida Supreme Court has twice refused to hear the case, and it also has been rejected for review by the U.S. Supreme Court. Last week, a Florida appeals court again refused to block removal of the tube.

The House measure would give the state's governor 15 days to order a feeding tube to be reinserted in cases like Schiavo's. The governor's power would be limited to cases where a person has left no living will, is in a persistent vegetative state, has had nutrition and hydration tubes removed and where a family member has challenged the removal.

Bush said in a statement earlier Monday that lawmakers understand the "unique and tragic circumstances of Ms. Schiavo's case, and I am hopeful the Legislature will pass a bill immediately."

The House voted 68-23 for the bill late Monday. The Senate Rules Committee planned to take the bill up Tuesday morning, with the full Senate scheduling a vote by early evening.

George Felos, attorney for Michael Schiavo, said he thinks the legislation would be unconstitutional. He said it is Terri Schiavo's right under the Florida Constitution to not be kept alive artificially.

Court-appointed doctors have described the 39-year-old woman as being in a vegetative state, caused when her heart stopped in 1990 from a suspected chemical imbalance. Her feeding tube was removed Wednesday.

Doctor said she will die in a week to 10 days without the tube.

Schiavo's family members believe she is capable of learning how to eat and drink on her own and say she has shown signs of trying to communicate and could be rehabilitated. Michael Schiavo says he is carrying out his wife's wishes that she not be kept alive artificially.

During a two-hour debate in the House, several Democrats argued that the Constitution doesn't allow the Legislature to give governors the power to overrule the courts.

"This bill so oversteps our role it ... turns democracy on its head," Rep. Dan Gelber said.

But Republicans said that where judges might be wrong, especially in cases like Schiavo's, such legislation is desperately needed.

"The Constitution is supposed to protect the people of this state," said Rep. Sandy Murman. "Who is protecting this girl?"

The House action came hours after a state agency for the disabled asked a U.S. judge in Tampa to keep the woman alive so it could investigate a claim that she is being abused by having the tube removed. The judge was expected to rule as early as Tuesday.

[WackySam]

The video on http://www.wfsu.org/ is still up.
On the internet/Florida Channel tab.

[agrace]

Hold on, isn't it better to know ahead of time? I mean, while they're in there rewording it, they might as well make sure to cover everything.

[agrace]

That server is tapped out too.

[paix]

In April of 2001 she was also denied food for over 60 hours.

[Don Joe]

That wasn't my take on it. I interpreted that as a telegraphed signal to Felos to start the engines NOW, so that he'll have his injunction the instant Bush signs the law.

I cannot think of any way they can write a law that includes a prohibition on a court injunction. If they stick that provision in, it won't pass, because it will be the first thing that *will* be blatantly unconstitutional.

But if they try anyway, there *will* be LENGTHY debates -- for the purpose of dragging this sucker out until it's moot.

These slime do NOT intend to lose the multi-billion dollar "gift of death" they've purchased from the Best Government Money Can Buy.

Ahh. the connection just came back to life -- "now we get into the debate part" -- a bunch of names who want to debate. This damn thing is turning into a virtual fillibuster.

What slime. What utter slime.

Drag it out. Is she STILL alive? Better drag it out more.

Ah, laughter! "Perhaps I should ask if there's anyone here who DOESN'T wish to debate!"

What a funny guy, ha ha ha.

It will STILL have to go back to the House, for MORE of this BS.

These are the stupidest, most evil bunch I've ever seen.

Even the *mafia* gives the mercy of a bullet to the back of the head when *they* kill their victims. THESE slime insist on nazi war crime style death-by-torture.

WHAT HAVE WE BECOME?????

[WackySam]

Now I WOULD pull the feeding tube on this A-Hole

[FR_addict]

The legislator on now is telling us how loving the husband is. I guess living with another woman and starting a family with her makes him a loving husband.

I'm not really criticizing him for it, but he should have lost his rights of guardian when he decided not to honor his vows.

I do want a complete investigation into this man and why he wants to put Terri's family through this time after time. He's hiding something.

[Don Joe]

What's worse than these hypocrites draping themselves in the flag?

I'll tell you what's worse than that.

This fat stupid bitch draping herself in the BIBLE! -- to KILL the kuckolded WIFE of a cheating husband!

Hell isn't hot enough for the likes of this POS.

UFB off the charts hypocrisy.

[WackySam]

Sickening.

[agrace]

You're right, it's not that they could disallow an injunction. But imo, Felos has been working on it since the House started discussing this yesterday and is poised to file as soon as possible.

And who is this woman speaking now? Says the only one who holds Terri's life in his hands is God Almighty, ie we shouldn't be doing this. She must mean Greer, who sees himself as God.

[FR_addict]

She pulled the plug on her husband and it sounds like she hasn't come to terms with it yet.

So she wants to pull the plug on everyone that is disabled because they do not have a good "quality of life".

[shhrubbery!]

"This bill so oversteps our role it ... turns democracy on its head," Rep. Dan Gelber said.

No it doesn't, Rep. Dan Gelber.

The legislature is closer to the people (demos) than the courts.

Although in Florida some judges have to stand for re-election, it is still the legislature that is most directly accountable to the people.

[WackySam]

"I got so many emails my system got knocked out"- Skip Campbell (D)

[WackySam]

Mike Bennett = RINO

[FR_addict]

According to one of them, starving to death is dying with dignity. Then why is it outlawed in some states?

[Don Joe]

Mike Bennett = RINO

That contemptible whore who pulled the plug on her husband, and then wrapped herself in the bible to rationalize the murder of an innocent woman by a cheating husband = RHINO

Are there any human beings in this Senate?

I am appalled...

[shhrubbery!]

"Is there anything in this bill that would prevent the husband from going to court and getting an injunction to prevent the governor from restoring the tube?" "NO."

But I'm guessing the court Felos would run to, injunction papers in hand, might not be the Judge Greer's probate court.

IOW, probably different court, different judge(s).

With the huge public outcry against the attempted murder of Terri, there's a possiblity the next judge won't sign an injunction.

Besides, wouldn't Schiavo/Felos have to show "irreparable harm" to get an injunction to stop the re-insertion of the feeding tube?

How could they show "irreparable harm" in letting Terri live?

But I'm not a lawyer. Any FR lawyers out there who know?

[FR_addict]

Now they are claiming that others said she told them the same thing. Who are the others?

They won't tell us. Obviously it isn't her family.

This is not a subject most of us discuss with those outside our family. I want to know who else supposedly said they heard her express the removal of a feeding tube.

If she felt that strongly about it, I would think she would make a living will.

[WackySam]

It's not looking good. Most are opposing so far.

[WackySam]

It's hard to look someone in the eye and say "I can't help you", but it's what we must do.

Lisa Carlton (RINO)