Judge Who Ruled Terri Schiavo Should Die Faces Election Challenge

Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) -- One of the circuit court judges who has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Terri Schiavo is facing a challenge in his bid for re-election. Judge George Greer ruled last year that Terri's estranged husband Michael could remove her feeding tube and now voters will be able to decide if they approve of his decisions in the case.

Just hours before the filing deadline last Friday, Jan Govan, an attorney in Clearwater, Florida, threw his hat in the ring. The race will be Greer's first since being elected to the judgeship twelve years ago.

While Govan is careful to not directly say that he disagrees with Judge Greer's decisions in the years-long legal battle over Terri's life, the case prompted him to run.

"I will serve impartially and without any predisposition," Govan told LifeNews.com in an interview.

Govan told LifeNews.com that Greer's judicial decision-making progressed to a point where the state legislature had to get involved and authorize Governor Jeb Bush to ask doctors to re-insert Terri's feeding tube.

"Then I see my courts identify what the legislature and the Governor are doing ... as unconstitutional," Govan said. "So now I have a situation where I can't talk to the court, the legislature's expression has been denied by the court, and the judicial and legislative systems are at odds. All three branches are at a stalemate."

"This is the least healthy situation I have ever seen in regard to our government," Govan said.

While Terri's supporters are unable to express their opinion to Judge Greer other than protesting outside his chambers, Govan said his candidacy allows people to express their "passion" about Terri's plight.

"For quite awhile I would come to my office and see people lined up with signs and flags and different information," Govan explained. His office is located a block away from the courthouse where supporters of Terri have rallied on numerous occasions.

"It's improper for anyone to speak to a judge, so we don't have a direct voice," Govan explained. "I want the people who have a passion" to be able to have a choice in the election. Without his candidacy, "the opportunity to vote would have been eliminated."

Pat Anderson, the leading attorney for Bob and Mary Schindler, Terri's parents, tells LifeNews.com that she isn't surprised by Govan's candidacy.

"I don't know this challenger, and as far as I can tell he has no connection to the Schiavo case," Anderson told LifeNews.com. "However, I have heard from a number of people over the last few years about their unhappy experiences in Judge Greer's courtroom, so I guess it was inevitable that someone would conclude he was vulnerable in this election and decide to run against him."

According to the Division of Elections at the Florida Department of State, Greer has already amassed more than $55,000 in campaign donations from top area attorneys. Govan has yet to begin fundraising for the August 13 election.

Greer told the St. Petersburg Times newspaper that he was surprised by Govan's filing but that he would not be "unprepared" to defend his seat on the bench.

"It takes courage, I'll tell you that, to challenge a sitting judge," Anderson told LifeNews.com. "The power of incumbency is very powerful, indeed, when you're talking about judges. But I think it's a good thing for the voters to have a choice. No public official should take the job for granted."

EXAMPLE OF Judge George Greer’s ARROGANCE; EGO and UNPROFESSIONALISM
A. Here is a “professional letter” (sic) written by Judge George Greer (when he was county commissioner) to an Attorney named: Al Galbraith
George Greer has been the attorney representing three former employees of Mako's Bay Club who were charged under the ordinance, are not interested in pursuing the case and reportedly have left the area. He's also a county commissioner.
Dear Al,
Would you think me trite if I suggested that you are ``beating a dead horse``? Now that the city of Clearwater has noise meters, which apparently are enforceable and being enforced, I do not think it terribly important that this case be pursued.
Furthermore, I do not think that Columbo (the TV detective) could find my ``former`` clients if given many months to accomplish this task.
For these and many other reasons, please go away!
With kindest personal regards, very truly yours, George.
REPLY BY ATTY GALBRAITH:
Dear George.
Thanks for your suggestion, but I absolutely do not believe that we are ``beating a dead horse.`` Our use of noise meters has yet to be tested in court, and the noise meters are useful only in a limited set of circumstances.
From the city's perspective, it is very important that this case be pursued. I will be gratified if the law of this case is brought into line with the law in other jurisdictions across the country, as represented by the seven federal and 24 state court decisions, which I have brought to the attention of the court, including decisions of the Supreme Court, the Florida Supreme Court and 13 state court decisions outside the state of Florida.
In fact, if I am able to salvage this case, I would highly recommend adoption of the ordinance by Pinellas County. Until a final decision is made, I do not intend to ``go away.``
Sincerely, Al.

CAREER HISTORY OF JUDGE GEORGE GREER POLITICAL BIAS …
Interesting tidbits of information:St. Petersburg Times ARCHIVES
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jan 28, 1991 Pinellas County Commissioner George Greer told regional planners recently he is concerned about air pollution in the Tampa Bay area. Then he voted against trying to find a solution.
A. Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 31, 1988
LARGO - George Greer, the county commissioner who is also a member of the Pinellas Planning Council and chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization, last fall put on another hat - that of a private attorney - and met separately with three Largo commissioners to discuss a land-use change on the East Bay Country Club property.
Greer says he sees nothing improper about the meetings.
``I still have a private life,`` Greer said. ``Because I'm chairman of the County Commission`` - he was chairman at the time of the meetings last fall - ``doesn't mean I give up my profession.``
Greer met with Mayor George McGough and Commissioners Jean Halvorsen and Jim Miles at Largo City Hall last fall to discuss a plan that would allow the Lenhardts to build more condominiums than codes currently allow on part of the golf course property, a move opposed by some neighbors. Greer said he arranged the meetings to present his clients' development plans to selected officials. They were ``prearranged,`` Greer said. ``I just didn't show up like the bus had dropped me off.``
Commissioners Bob Jackson and Ernest Wm. Bach both said they were glad they were not approached by Greer.
``I don't think that, as an elected official, he should have taken a job like that,`` Jackson said. ``Especially on an issue as sensitive as that one.``
B. Campaign Contributions: Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jun 24, 1988
In campaign fund-raising this year, both Greer and Todd have received a substantial amount of money from developers and associated professions.
Greer had raised a total of $30,375 on April 10, when campaign financing reports were last due. Of that total, about $12,000 was from developers, engineering and planning firms, and lawyers who often represent them. Todd had raised $35,450 during the same period, and about $9,500 of the total came from the development business.
The commissioners up for re-election and the developers who have given them money say that campaign contributions are not meant to influence a policy decision like this.
``I've never had anyone come to me and say, `Hey, I contributed to your campaign. You owe me something.' Never had a hint of that,`` Greer said.

C. Copyright Times Publishing Co. Jul 20, 1988
The next few days will tell us all a lot about how responsive County Commissioner George Greer is to the concerns of locally elected officials. They'll also disclose whether the state Department of Transportation (DOT) under Secretary Kaye Henderson is, indeed, in the business of jamming roads down the throats of smaller cities.
The test case that will reveal these results is the City of Oldsmar's battle over a DOT plan to cram six lanes of concrete through the heart of the city's historic downtown, an area it is planning to revitalize. The DOT plan, further, would seal off seven - count them, seven - local streets, and thus the connection of historic older Oldsmar with its main artery, Tampa Road.
The DOT proposes to re-route State Road 580, six-lane it and make it a limited-access thoroughfare running for about one mile from County Road 667 eastward to Tampa Road through the old downtown. Greer is the current chairman of the Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). The MPO advises the DOT on local transportation projects. Its word can help change, if not stop, DOT plans. But the MPO has no members on it from Oldsmar, or from the other emerging growth communities of Safety Harbor and Tarpon Springs, although other cities have designated seats. Given one opportunity already to heed the concerns of Oldsmar officials, the MPO seemed to turn a deaf ear.
Oldsmar officials, virtually unanimously, are irate over the plan.

E. Copyright Times Publishing Co. Sep 2, 1987
CLEARWATER - A couple of whispered conversations almost landed County Commissioner George Greer and assistant county attorney Scott Steady in jail Tuesday. It happened during the trial of Safety Harbor vs. the Pinellas County Planning Council, when Greer and Steady were called down by Circuit Judge Thomas E. Penick Jr. The first offense brought a pencil tap, a stern look and a short reprimand from the judge.
The second chatter elicited a threat: ``In baseball you get three strikes,`` Penick warned. ``In here, it's three strikes and you go to jail.`` Greer and Steady were quiet throughout the rest of the testimony.
Oddly enough, even though Greer and Steady were conversing, this appeared in the paper following:
Copyright Times Publishing Co. Sep 3, 1987 Correction (9/3/87): Circuit Judge Thomas J. Penick Jr. said he did not reprimand County Commission Chairman George Greer for talking in court Tuesday. He said he was directing his comments only to Assistant County Attorney Scott Steady, who was whispering to Greer during a trial. At the time, Penick compared his warning to the youth baseball team Greer once coached and said, ""In here, it's three strikes and you go to jail.'' Wednesday the judge said, ""I can understand how it got misinterpreted.''

F. Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 20, 1998
Death raises questions about system, March 15. (bad judgment call, again?)
Judge George Greer did not sign the restraining order of Helene Ball- McGee against her husband, Bobby McGee. Bobby McGee brutally stabbed his wife, to death.
(Copyright Times Publishing Co. Mar 13, 1998)
According to the deputy's report, Mrs. McGee said her husband wanted sex 10 to 20 times daily and told her she was not following the "commandments" of marriage.
Mrs. McGee also told deputies that McGee had burned her collection of angels, icons, crosses and other religious items.
Deputies returned to her house Feb. 26 after another argument. Photographs of her ex-husbands and family members had been torn from frames and burned in the fireplace, along with 30 pairs of her shoes. The house was ransacked, and telephone lines were cut.
That day, Mrs. McGee petitioned for an injunction to protect her from domestic violence. The next day, she filed for divorce.
The man had previous history of violence, yet…because Mrs. McGee did not state dates of him physically hitting her…Judge Greer refused to sign the protective order..knowing the above actions that he committed against Mrs. McGee.

G. Odd, isn’t it? Attorney Larry Crow, initially the FIRST lawyer hired by the Schindler family…. Is the FIRST SIGNATURE on a campaign fund flyer to re-elect Judge George Greer this coming November, 2004.

H. It seems to be a common problem…Judge George Greer, even in his County Commissioner days, seems to act out on his “opinions” rather than research the issues. Copyright Times Publishing Co. May 22, 1992
As a citizen of Pinellas County, I am very angry that the County Commission voted to approve a project with no input from the very people who were being affected - the homeowners-taxpayers!
I would hope that Commissioner Greer is sincere in his concern about this project and not using it for political gain. To date, I have seen no other commissioner express concern about the impact of this project. It is quite obvious to all of us that this was not thoroughly researched. This is certainly an example of how very removed our elected officials are from the citizens they are to serve.

I. CNSNews.com Congressional Bureau Chief September 10, 2003
The Schindlers' lead attorney, Pat Anderson, claims Greer talked to reporters about the case after a teleconference between the judge and attorneys for both parties ended on Tuesday, Aug. 26.

"On Wednesday or Thursday, I learned from a local reporter that, in fact, the reporters stayed in Judge Greer's chambers after the conclusion of the telephonic hearing for some period of time, asking him questions and recording his responses," Anderson charged. "It is my firm conviction that Judge Greer, in effect, held an impromptu press conference about the merits of the case pending before him without counsel for the parties being present."

Anderson referenced testimony from other individuals, corroborating her accusation that Greer had discussed the case with reporters, colleagues and elected officials outside his office, in alleged violation of the Florida Canons of Judicial Conduct.

"It is my belief that Judge Greer is no longer possessed of the cold, impartial neutrality that the Canons require of any judge," Anderson wrote in her affidavit supporting the motion.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.