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FLA. SENATE GETS INTO COMATOSE WOMAN TIFF (AP HEADLINE); SENATE VOTE EXPECTED BY TONIGHT
Associated Press ^ | Oct. 21, 2003 | Associated Press

Posted on 10/21/2003 5:55:07 AM PDT by 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.


TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ap; assininepress; senate; terri; vote
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To: shhrubbery!
But I'm guessing the court Felos would run to, injunction papers in hand, might not be the Judge Greer's probate court.

Why not?

I'd figure he'd go straight back to Greer, lickety split.

161 posted on 10/21/2003 11:54:31 AM PDT by Don Joe
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To: 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.

The ONLY "others" are Mikey's brother and sister inlaw.

Neat, huh?

162 posted on 10/21/2003 11:56:08 AM PDT by Don Joe
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To: WackySam
Eeeesh~--Mike Bennett--I just wrote to my local Repub exec committee and screamed the same thing! He is a RINO, and I am embarrassed to have voted for him. What a loser.

Wish I could find that website that talked about Bennett and his skinny dipping in Tallahassee.
163 posted on 10/21/2003 11:56:11 AM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: WackySam
The woman on now makes a lot of sense. She saying Terri doesn't meet the standard set by the death with dignity for at least two reasons:
1) She is not terminally ill ( or at least wasn't until the state order her death).
2) she is not in a persistent vegetative state.
164 posted on 10/21/2003 11:58:02 AM PDT by FR_addict
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To: FR_addict
Anna Cowin, (R). She's nailing it.
165 posted on 10/21/2003 12:00:21 PM PDT by WackySam ("There's room for all God's creatures- right next to the taters")
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To: WackySam
She sure is!
166 posted on 10/21/2003 12:01:29 PM PDT by FR_addict
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To: Don Joe
Well in my short pro se experience, you can't get an injunction unless you can show IRREPARABLE HARM.

Seems to me it'd be awfully hard for Schiavo to show irreparable harm from Terri's feeding tube being re-instated.

Obviously there's irreparable harm if it isn't.

167 posted on 10/21/2003 12:04:51 PM PDT by shhrubbery!
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To: NautiNurse
My email to Mike Bennett:

Mr. Bennett:

You are a RINO--and I am ashamed that I voted for you in the last election. Rest assured, I will work very, very hard to prevent you from ever holding another elected office in the state of Florida again.

Serve out your current term on our dime, enjoy your partying and tax supported skinny dipping for now--and know that we are onto you.

Why don't you go without food and water for a week. See how merciful you feel at that point. May God have mercy on your sorry soul.

You never respond to any of my emails, and you never vote as your constituents desire. I don't expect you would find the time to reply to this one either.

Sincerely,

168 posted on 10/21/2003 12:07:17 PM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: shhrubbery!
Well in my short pro se experience, you can't get an injunction unless you can show IRREPARABLE HARM.

Seems to me it'd be awfully hard for Schiavo to show irreparable harm from Terri's feeding tube being re-instated.

Oh, I've got a sneaking suspicion ol' Greer would agree with it in about a nanosecond, if it even took him that long to "deliberate".

He wants her dead. Anything else is "technicalities" to NOT allow to get in the way of the goal. That's what he's been doing since day one! Why would he stop now?

169 posted on 10/21/2003 12:08:28 PM PDT by Don Joe
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To: Don Joe
Greer, corrupt as he is, can't do just anything. If he rubber-stamped an injunction from Felos without any show of good cause or due judiciousness, he'd be a disgrace and a laughingstock to even liberal lawyers.

Not saying it's impossible, but I don't think a Schiavo-Felos injunction is a slam-dunk.

170 posted on 10/21/2003 12:21:28 PM PDT by shhrubbery!
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To: Don Joe
WOWSER! They are reviewing the House Bill--amendments offered to strike the language of the House bill...not holding my breath.

This is dragging on forever.

171 posted on 10/21/2003 12:23:29 PM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: NautiNurse
The guy on now is good. I like the way he is explaining that we are all "drawing a line" between life and death.
172 posted on 10/21/2003 12:27:33 PM PDT by FR_addict
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To: FR_addict
The House Bill passed!!!!!!!!
173 posted on 10/21/2003 12:28:21 PM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: FR_addict
Is this it? Does Jeb sign it now?????
174 posted on 10/21/2003 12:28:49 PM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: NautiNurse
Great News! Now what's next? Does anyone know???
175 posted on 10/21/2003 12:29:00 PM PDT by FR_addict
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To: NautiNurse
I don't know if it has to go back to the housefirst???
176 posted on 10/21/2003 12:29:58 PM PDT by FR_addict
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To: NautiNurse
The House Bill passed!!!!!!!!

It's been BACK to the House already? Or are you saying that the Senate passed the House bill?

177 posted on 10/21/2003 12:45:51 PM PDT by Don Joe
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To: Don Joe
The Senate passed the House Bill!
178 posted on 10/21/2003 12:46:38 PM PDT by NautiNurse
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To: NautiNurse
WOW!
179 posted on 10/21/2003 12:47:26 PM PDT by ordinaryguy
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To: NautiNurse
I'm watching the House debate now:

http://199.44.254.202/stations/channelA.asx

The House is stepping out into some bad territory.

I think they're trying to say that the ONLY thing Bush can do is appoint a G-A-L, and Mike-O will *remain* the *guardian*, and the G-A-L can then make a "recommendation", that the *judge* can *consider*...

No, I don't like this one bit, unless this is all smoke and mirrors and Bush *can* (and will) order IMMEDIATE reconnection of the tube.

180 posted on 10/21/2003 1:00:27 PM PDT by Don Joe
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