TERRI SCHINDLER-SCHIAVO DAILY THREADAPRIL 19, 2004 FORWARD

April 19, 2004 | floriduh voter

[floriduh voter]

Persistent and Loyal Friends of Terri and of the U.S. Constitution,

I'm home from today's hearing which was held at the Criminal Courthouse Complex on 49th Street, Clearwater before Judge W. Douglas Baird.

Once I collect my thoughts from today's hearing which just adjourned about a half an hour ago, I'll post them here. Initially, I wasn't going to do any reporting re: the hearing but it was enlightening.

I learned today in the hallway that Terri's parents, siblings and other relatives are still unable to see her some three weeks later due to the criminal investigation of what may have been mosquito bites. But, that's a different legal matter.

[cyn]

have you taken some more bites now, lol? thanks again, SO much for posting this info from court today, esp. so quickly!

[yesnettv]

Thanks FV!

[floriduh voter]

cyn, I ran upstairs to my home office to post this while the hearing was fresh in my mind.

[floriduh voter]

You're welcome. If anyone comes up with any new projects, feel free to put them here.

[Chocolate Rose]

I'm here and Thanks for the Ping!

[trustandobey]

Thank you so very much for being there, sure wish I could have been! I guess Felos needs water, wish there was someway to make him think of Terri every time he takes a drink! Maybe he's reading this and it will play on his mind. Ha

[Ethan_Allen]

digesting....

God bless you both...no, ALL you FReepers, and Terri supporters.

[keep on praying]

Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? http://www.blueletterbible.org/tsk_b/Luk/18/7.html

Please God.

[floriduh voter]

This thread is sourced as NEWS on my site at:

http://www.conservative-spirit.org/pages/1/index.htm

I have some other Terri links there and photos.

[cyn]

I know king said he was hoodwinked in that article a while back, and it was appalling then. That statement is just taking on new life being quoted in court by felos. makes one wonder what kind of old boy network is going on. back in Dec I was looking at tpa area newspaper and saw something about a new building for elder care or family services to be built at or close to USF campus -- the exact placement was being debated. king/fl legislature were involved in that decision. as I remember. . .the point is that it does shows what we already know, that these issues are all related, it's all money and power . . . not about what's right thing to do.

[supercat]

That Senator Jim King said he was "hoodwinked" into signing Terri's Law.

Oh my, can anyone here imagine the fun that could be had if that was a basis for overturning legislation?

[sarasmom]

Thanks for the update.

[Pegita]

This is the brief report from Fight4Terri@aol.com ...

Today 4/19 at the criminal court complex on 49th Street Judge Baird heard both sides and has made no ruling as yet.

[cyn]

hoodwinked . . . yep, that's it, all right. We just sneaked up on him, threw a blanket over his head, taunted in his general direction, and MADE him pass that legislation.

In fact, the truth (the real truth!) might be more interesting. Remember he was dead set against Terri's law the night before?

[pollywog]

Thank you SO MUCH for this summary of todays hearing. I have been in prayer all day. Now to wait again for the " Bairds Burpings"!!

[cyn]

...now I'm going for a walk.

[iowamomforfreedom]

Thanks, fv, for being there and for the update.

So, thinking optimistically, If Baird says no to summary judgement and yes to Jeb for discovery, will he also be setting a date to actually start the trial? And any best guess as to when he might make a ruling here?

Sitting here in limbo is really getting old.

[floriduh voter]

Attorneys argue over questioning of witnesses in Schiavo case http://www.bradenton.com/mld/bradenton/news/8469279.htm

Photos from Associated Press:

Attorney George Felos

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040419/480/tp10104192112 Attorney Ken Connor

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040419/480/tp10304192112 Judge W. Douglas Baird

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/040419/480/tp10204192111

[floriduh voter]

This is going to drag on it appears as per Schiavo v. Jeb Bush.

As far as other issues go, it's always appropriate to contact national media, State and U.S. Congressman. We must keep the public pressure up and work on public awareness of Terrisfight.org. Thanks for your contributions.

[floriduh voter]

MORE NEWS RE: HEARING

Posted on Mon, Apr. 19, 2004

Attorneys argue over questioning of witnesses in Schiavo case

VICKIE CHACHERE Associated Press

CLEARWATER, Fla. - The attorney for a man seeking to end his severely brain-damaged wife's life argued Monday that Gov. Jeb Bush shouldn't be allowed to gather new evidence in the case because the judge has all the information he needs to decide if the law keeping Terri Schiavo alive is unconstitutional.

The governor's attorney countered that questioning is needed because lawmakers were uncomfortable with Michael Schiavo's motives in wanting to withdraw food and hydration from his wife. Those questions are central to determining whether the state went too far when lawmakers hastily acted to stop Michael Schiavo from ending his wife's life last year, the governor's attorney argued.

The arguments were another round in the long, legal drama surrounding the 40-year-old woman who has been kept alive with a feeding tube after suffering severe brain damage after her heart stopped temporarily more than a decade ago. Pinellas Circuit Court Judge W. Douglas Baird did not immediately rule on the matter.

The governor's office wants to question its first witness in the case, Terri Schiavo's younger brother Bobby Schindler, on May 5. But the target of the depositions is Michael Schiavo, who has waged the legal quest to carry out what he says are his wife's wishes not to be kept alive artificially.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was disconnected for six days in October when the governor signed a law requiring it to be reinserted.

Michael Schiavo has sued, saying his wife's right to make private medical decisions is being violated. The governor's attorneys argue the law is constitutional and provides an extra measure of protection for a disabled woman who left no written record of her end-of-life wishes.

Attorney George Felos, who represents Michael Schiavo, told Baird that the depositions should be blocked because the issue of whether the law is unconstitutional or not is a legal one, not one that requires evidence to be gathered.

"Under this statute, whatever the case may be, the patient is denied the most basic form of due process," Felos argued, adding that the law is unconstitutional as written "and the governor's discovery is completely irrelevant."

Felos asked Baird in a December motion to use the judge's decision to end the case before it got to trial. Baird reached a decision in that motion for summary judgment, but has kept it secret pending appeal in the complex legal case.

But attorney Ken Connor, representing Bush in the case, said since a probate court judge decided that Terri Schiavo had made clear she did not want to be kept alive artificially in conversations with her husband and his relatives, others have come forward to cast doubt on Michael Schiavo's motives.

He said lawmakers "saw a woman who was unable to speak for herself and whose husband had a clear, admitted conflict of interest" in wanting to end her life.

Michael Schiavo is engaged to another woman with whom he has two children, Connor said. Michael Schiavo also never mentioned his wife's wishes when he told a jury considering a separate malpractice case that he wanted to take care of his wife for the rest of her life.

The governor's legal team wants to put the issue of Terri Schiavo's wishes before a jury. The team then wants a judge to determine if the October law violates her right to privacy or if the state was within its bounds in moving to protect her.

[floriduh voter]

Governor Bush's Attorney Ken Connor