by AARON SHAROCKMAN, St. Petersburg Times
May 7, 2005
CLEARWATER - The judge at the center of a worldwide frenzy over the life and death of Terri Schiavo was honored by colleagues for refusing to bend to the intense political assault the case brought. Circuit Judge George Greer was chastised by politicians in Washington and Tallahassee after ordering Schiavo's feeding tube removed March 18.
He received death threats and e-mails calling him a murderer.
Yet he stood his ground based on the law, said F. Wallace Pope Jr., chairman of the Clearwater Bar Association's awards committee.
To celebrate Greer's resolve, the lawyers group created the George W. Greer Judicial Independence Award on Friday as part of its annual Law Day luncheon.
It then awarded the honor to another local judge who came under fire during the Schiavo case, Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird.
"In Clearwater, we have been in the vortex of the greatest assault on judicial independence that most of us have seen in our lifetime," Pope said, announcing the new honor. Lawyers and elected leaders in the room gave Greer a 45-second standing ovation.
Greer did not speak publicly. Later, he thanked his colleagues.
"I've had better years," said Greer, a former Pinellas County commissioner who became a judge in 1992. "But this is very gratifying, for sure. These are the folks that know what the rule of law means. When they appreciate the fact that you've done a good job, it is humbling."
Baird, the first recipient of the award, ruled "Terri's Law" unconstitutional in 2003. The law had allowed Gov. Jeb Bush to force doctors to reinsert Schiavo's feeding tube. Baird's decision was upheld on appeal.
Greer, 63, also was honored Thursday by the West Pasco Bar Association. At that evening dinner, Greer was met by about a
dozen protesters. There were no protesters at the Clearwater luncheon Friday; his honor had been kept secret, even from him.
"I hope that future generations and future lawyers will cite Schiavo," said George Felos, the attorney who represented Schiavo's husband, Michael. Felos attended Friday's luncheon.
"At least they'll see that in our generation, the courts stood up to tests against freedom," he [Felos] said.