Official Seal of Pinella County Florida
Posted on 03/30/2005 6:01:21 AM PST by Born Conservative
Dr. Dow Pursley, Ed.D, returned home from teaching an ethics class Monday night at Baptist Bible College and Seminary and told his wife Joanne he was flying to Florida to protest against Terri Schiavo's impending death.
The family counseling professor booked the first flight out of town -- a 4 a.m. red-eye Tuesday -- and the couple of 37 years then spent the balance of the night praying.
Advertisement Click Here! Later Tuesday morning Dr. Pursley, 56, was shocked with a Taser stun gun and arrested by Pinellas Park (Fla.) police on charges of attempted burglary and resisting arrest without violence after he tried to bring two bottles of water to Mrs. Schiavo's hospice room.
Dr. Pursley, of the city's Hill Section, never reached Woodside Hospice's doors, police said.
"He said he needed to be there, and I said 'I understand,' " Mrs. Pursley said of the couple's conversation late Monday night.
They never talked of any specific actions, and she figured he was going to protest with prayer, she said.
"It was very late," she said. "We just prayed."
She did not know of her husband's arrest until a Times-Tribune reporter called her Tuesday afternoon seeking comment.
Still, she said the arrest hardly surprised her. She described her husband as a "passionate" man of "conviction" and "action" and said he was "overwhelmed" Monday night about Mrs. Schiavo's impending death.
"He is driven by his conviction about the sanctity of life," she said.
Of his decision to bring Mrs. Schiavo water, she added, "He was compelled to do what he did. That was between him and God."
Dr. Pursley is the 47th protester to be arrested, and the first to be shocked with a Taser stun gun since Ms. Schiavo's feeding tube was removed 13 days ago. Efforts to reach Pinellas Park Police spokesman Sanfield Forseth about the use of force were unsuccessful.
Mrs. Pursley said she spoke with her husband Monday afternoon from Pinellas County Jail, where he was remanded in lieu of $20,500 bail. Police said a hearing on his case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. today.
A supporter in Florida has since posted Dr. Pursley's bond, and he will be released later today, Mrs. Pursley said.
The father of three and grandfather of six has received full support from his family, Mrs. Pursley said, as well as numerous calls and prayers from faculty and staff at the Clarks Summit college where he has been a full-time professor in its graduate school of Counseling Ministries for the past five years.
Mark Robbins, spokesman for the college, said Dr. Pursley's actions did not reflect the college's position on the Terri Schiavo case.
"He was not representing the school at all," Mr. Robbins said. "He was acting on his own behalf."
Mr. Robbins said Baptist Bible College and Seminary has no official position on the right-to-die case.
"It's a complicated issue," he said. "We certainly pray for and have sympathy for the Schindler and Schiavo families."
Asked if Dr. Pursley could be reprimanded for his arrest, Mr. Robbins said it was too soon to tell.
"It's hard to speak to what may be discussed a week or a month from now," he said. "We encourage our faculty to be involved in the community. Obviously each person takes that to a matter of degree. Dr. Pursley is a man of action and conviction."
Mr. Robbins added the college's administration has yet to contact Dr. Pursley.
Dr. Pursley is the clinical director of counseling programs at Baptist Bible College and Seminary. He received his master's degree in psychology from the University of Central Arkansas and his doctorate in education from the University of Arkansas.
Where does a judge get the power to ban oral feeding?
That's what I was thinking too.
It sounds to me like the Pinellas Park Police are trying to up the bail amount to scare off further protestors.
Two bottles? Overkill. Would take less than a bottle to drown Terri.
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Is it that much fun to get arrested and pay a fine? It certainly isn't helping Terri.
Something wrong here, if the BAPTIST Bible College and Seminary has no position. And later in the article, it said they don't know if they'll discipline him for this. HELLO!??? Tasering sometimes kills - he took the chance of dying to save a life. Sounds like a medal is more in order than discipline. Yeesh.
Official Statement on Dr. Dow Pursley
Dr. Dow Pursley is the Clinical Director of Counseling Programs at Baptist Bible Graduate School. We do not know the details of what occurred. While taking some personal time in Florida, he was apparently arrested. Dr. Pursley was not acting on behalf of Baptist Bible College & Seminary.
At BBGS, Dr. Pursley serves as a graduate-level professor and is Clinical Director of the Love-Life Marriage and Family Center. He is a dedicated man with strong beliefs and God-given convictions.
This is a copy of the e-mail I sent to the president of Baptist Bible College & Seminary:
To: jjeffery@bbc.edu
Signed
Official Seal of Pinella County Florida
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1372142/posts
STOP RESISTING OR YOU WILL BE TAZED!!
CLEAR THE AIR!! EMERGENCY TRAFFIC!!
OFFICERS NEED ASSISTANCE!! REPEAT, WE NEED HELP!!
SUSPECT IN CUSTODY, RADIO SECURE...
RETURNING TO POSTS!!
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
Eventually one may get by the Gestapo. Or the police themselves will be arrested when the Gadsden Militia finally shows up.
Good point. The ironies of Judicial Murder.
Well,they can't take the chance of upsetting a potential tuition paying student,can they?What was that about serving two masters?
(Denny Crane: "Sometimes you can only look for answers from God and failing that... and Fox News".)
I think that, given that their instructions are to prevent people from crossing the police barricade, preventing somebody from crossing the police barricade is probably "maintaining order".
Hey I just had a thought. You can't give her water. Well, I was wondering if we could charge the bad guys in this action for murder. Stay with me as I try to explain.
While the order is to not give water or food, right. Well what about rain. I don't know what the ranifal is there. By keeping her unexposed to the elements they are killing her. They are preventing her from having the chance of getting God's help. Put her outside and see how fast it rains.
I mean if she could curvive on her own they would let her right? If for some reason she lived without water and food being provided by humans they wouldn't shoot her would they? Well, my arguement is by sheltering her via artificial means they are violating the courts wishes, right? Provide no artificial sustanence. The weather is not artificial. The humidity itself could help.
Point 2. IF she is in an airconditioned room they are killing her. Hear me out. I believe the first step in airconditioning is to dehumidify the air. If it is not a step of the process it is one effect. If they are killing her by providing her with shelter agianst God's Rain(Reign) and then aritficially dehidrating her via Air conditioning they need to stop now.
On top of this They should immediately rehydrate her until she can take food again(a reset the clock type thing) Move her outside into the weather. The medical facilty and ALL associated persons(Judge Greer and his buddies) should be charge with attempted murder.
This is the same thing as giving her the chair. Except horribly slower.
the bottom line is..
If she would be able to survive on her own they would have to let her, right? Well they need to give her the chance to survive OWN HER OWN. With out intervention. No A/C no roof to block the rain and natural humidity.
Look she would have given up long ago if she didn't want to live.
Any ideas on this?
You are, of course, correct.
But, he's done far more than I have. People have reached a point of desperation. She is almost certainly very close to death, and all we do is pound away on our keyboards complaining about it. That doesn't help her much, either.
Neither of those charges will be supported when it comes to a hearing, so this is yet another case of prosecutorial misconduct (overcharging in the hopes of a guilty plea). Burglary?! Yes, a man carrying water to a dying woman is hell-bent on looting the place... of what, bedpans? And then they Taser him for being able to outrun them. Hence the 'resisting arrest without violence charge'. Which is yet another specious charge dreamed up by prosecutors in order to intimidate the arrestees that they have no case against.
Justice? We don't need no stenking justice. WE ARE THE LAW!
John 4:13 Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again:
4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.
In the circus this has become, everybody gets to be a performer.
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