Judge Denies Bush's Request To Rehash Terri Schiavo Case

TBO News ^ | August 28, 2003 (actual date) | David Sommer

[NYer]

CLEARWATER - A judge on Tuesday quickly rejected Gov. Jeb Bush's request for a fresh look at whether Terri Schiavo's feeding tube should be removed.

``I read [the request from Bush] because it came from the governor and I respect his position,'' Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer said. ``Beyond that, it is going in the file.''

Greer received a letter from Bush asking that he appoint an independent guardian to investigate whether Schiavo would want to be taken off life support.

Schiavo's husband, Michael, and her parents have been battling for years over whether she should be allowed to die. The 39-year-old woman has been in a comalike state since suffering heart failure in 1990.

``This case represents the disturbing result of a severe family disagreement in extremely trying circumstances,'' Bush wrote to Greer. ``Emotions are high, accusations abound, and at the heart of this public and private maelstrom is a young woman incapable of speaking for herself.''

But appeals courts have already looked at the guardian issue and decided that Greer fulfills that role, the judge said Tuesday. Also, Greer said, he is under specific orders from the 2nd District Court of Appeal to schedule the removal of Schiavo's feeding tube.

In his letter, Bush said he realizes he has no role in the process of deciding whether Schiavo would want to be kept alive with no realistic chance of improvement. But after receiving more than 27,000 pieces of e-mail, ``I feel compelled to write,'' the governor said.

Greer said he is treating the governor's letter like the many others he has received and will place it in the case file.

Greer also summarily rejected Michael Schiavo's request to discontinue medical treatment for a severe infection that resulted in his wife's hospitalization this week.

In the three years Greer has been holding trials and hearings on Michael Schiavo's request for permission to remove his wife's feeding tube, the issue of withholding medical care for any illnesses Terri Schiavo might suffer has not come up, the judge said. The issue would require another trial, the judge said.

Michael Schiavo said Bush's letter was inappropriate.

``The governor has deliberately twisted the facts in this case in an apparent effort to kowtow to his `right-to-life' political supporters,'' Michael Schiavo said. ``This has nothing to do with him. He should stay out of it.''

Michael Schiavo said his in- laws, Bob and Mary Schindler, orchestrated a campaign to send e-mail to the governor through a Web site that also raises money from right-to-life supporters. He accused the Schindlers of using his wife's Catholic faith to their own ends.

``Suddenly, they are on the religious kick. They never went to church a day in their lives,'' he said. ``I believe in God and so did Terri, but they are out to push it on people.''

Bob Schindler said his son- in-law is forgetting he and his wife sent Terri and her siblings to Catholic schools and that the Schiavo wedding was performed by a priest.

``It [Michael Schiavo's comment] is really upsetting to my wife because she is a better Catholic than I am,'' he said.

The Web site has drawn a good response, Schindler said. Any donations it generates are going to family attorney Pat Anderson, who had been working for free, he said.

In a third development Tuesday, Greer denied Michael Schiavo's request for an immediate hearing to set a date for removing his wife's feeding tube. That matter will be handled at a hearing previously scheduled for Sept. 11 to decide whether Michael Schiavo can ban a priest from visiting his wife, the judge said.

Michael Schiavo's attorney said that Terri Schiavo's right to die has been thoroughly litigated and that it is time for the courts to call a halt to endless delay tactics on the part of the Schindlers.

``There ought to be a prompt hearing, and there ought to be a prompt decision,'' attorney George Felos said.

Reporter David Sommer can be reached at (727) 799-7413.

[floriduh voter]

Here's the thread with the phone numbers and I think emails to Hannity, Michael Savage, Rush and Joe Scarborough would be in order. Oh, and Imus in the Morning, Fox & Friends. Forget CNN. They should have to play catchup.

[Ff--150]

she=he

[floriduh voter]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/970917/posts?page=96

THREAD WITH LINKS AND PHONE NUMBERS ON IT.

[mict42]

The governor does have the right. He is the only person in State government who can stay an execution. What do they think pulling the tubes is, It's execution.

[Republic]

Does anyone have the judges address. I hold him accountable for this woman's life.

[floriduh voter]

You should see hubby's press conferences, especially yesterday. He was complaining because it's been five years. He's been "waiting five years". What a selfish, cruel boob. He never uses the word that he's getting ready to "starve her". Hubby spin it as "Terri's wishes". How the heck does he know? Nobody knows I don't think she had a Will or instructions therein. But she's not in a coma! If she was, her parents would not be fighting so hard.

[cake_crumb]

There's a possiblity she'll be able to swallow after her feeding tube is removed. Karen Ann Quinlan was able to breath on her own after her family successfully lobbied to have her life support unplugged. I wonder if Schiavo thought of that? If he did, I hope the thought gives him nightmares.

[novacation]

The appeals court has determined that the idiot judge fulfills the role of guardian? One idiot gets support from a group of idiots. This is so sick.These judges are out of control.I want to puke

[Theodore R.]

So, would this be considered "execution"? I bet the judges would step in and overrule the governor on the matter. Besides, I am not sure that he is convinced Terri's life should be spared. Perhaps he thinks it should, but his hands, like ours, are tied.

[floriduh voter]

Go up a few posts. The url for the thread with all the names and phone numbers is there. Pinellas County Circuit Court has a web site. I'm not sure if J. Greer is at the Clearwater courthouse complex or the St. Pete complex. He's the antithesis of Judge Roy Moore.

[novacation]

From what he says and the impression I got from him in the TV interview I think he deserves something along that line. Real scum.

[Theodore R.]

He is PERVERSE

You know, cake_crumb, in this Age of Clinton, being PERVERSE often translates into popularity. And that's what counts now, popularity. Many people would actually "sympathize" with Michael Schiavo, so that he can go ahead and collect this money. We might say that their consciences have been seared.

[mict42]

The woman should at least have a jury trial. The state, as it stands, has, without jury, been condemned to death at the will of one man. Give me a break. This is not justice. She must have more defense than this politically correct judge.

[floriduh voter]

The idiot husband remains the guardian. He has kept her parents from her, tried to medically neglect her so she would die before Sept. 11th, failed to get her therapy, lives with another woman who is expecting his child. The idiot husband is not looking out for Terri's best interest. I can't understand how he can get away with this. He won't even let the family's priest see her because he said yesterday "well, since he's on the witness list, he can't see her anymore." His attorney sits next to him - SILENT but getting paid big bucks.

[Republic]

I am very grateful to Jeb for writing a letter to the judge. I am very interested in writing to this judge and not above begging him to reconsider. This is so serious and so important. My heart breaks for her family.

[cake_crumb]

"He never uses the word that he's getting ready to 'starve her'."

Shame she's not in a Catholic hospital. There would be nothing he could do to force the staff to allow her to starve. He might be able to force them to remove her feeding tube, but if they are able to feed her without it he couldn't say a word. I imagine that's different in "secular" hospitals though. The precedent made a huge, confusing grey area.

[Calpernia]

This is totally insane. Cowgirl, your ping list too, ok?

floriduh voter posted all the contact information last night. I will go pull thoses contacts now unless someone beat me to it.

[Calpernia]

Just hyperlinking it:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/970917/posts?page=96

[floriduh voter]

Well, we took care of the dems handily in 2002. Hopefully, Pinellas will be back in the GOP column in 04. The sign waving we conducted before the 2000 and 2002 elections brought out the worst of the democratic party faithful. They didn't even rise to the level of guests on Jerry Springer. Rule of thumb: Never do sign waving alone.

[cake_crumb]

"Many people would actually 'sympathize' with Michael Schiavo, so that he can go ahead and collect this money"

Yeah, the same type of sickos who sympathize with that Peterson guy in CA. I'd say a large number of people sympathize with Terri and her parents as well. We haven't descended to the point where we're ALL morally bankrupt...YET.