Terri Schiavo & Jessica Lunsford: This Week's Top Stories Should Serve as a Call To Action

Generation Why? ^ | March 20, 2005 | Jason Smith

[TexasRainmaker]

The top two stories this week involve cases that could've potentially been prevented if people had taken the right precautions.

First, the case of Terri Schiavo ought to encourage EVERYONE to prepare a Living Will (aka "Physician's Directive" or "Advanced Directive") as soon as possible. This will remove any misunderstandings or doubt about what you would or would not like to receive in the way of life-supporting medical care/treatment.

Second, the case of Jessica Lunsford, who was killed by a registered sex offender and predator of the worst kind. Parents should take a moment and search their states' Registered Sex Offender List to see if such predators are lurking in their neighborhood. Some argue these folks should be left alone because they've either served their time or only received some probation or deferred adjudication in a deal with prosecutors. I disagree. These kind of people are not capable of rehabilitation. If their mind is so sick and twisted that they could engage in such unspeakable acts, they should forever live with the stigma and the rest of normal society should be alerted to their perverse presence.

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[Jeffery T.]

I dont know if this is the place to ask these questions, but I will ask anyway. I am a Republican and understand the position of many who post here who view life as being sacred as well it is. However, if the Supreme Court was wrong to rule in Roe vs. Wade, as some say (siting the limitations of the Constitution) then why is the Supreme Court right in giving a ruling in the Terry Schiavo case? Just need some clarity here.

[SittinYonder]

The maggot that killed Lunsford wasn't registered at his sister's address (across the street from Lunsford) as I understand it.

[TexasRainmaker]

Both cases involve the death of a person by an act or omission of another. In Roe, the SCOTUS improperly viewed it as a right of privacy (which is not enumerated in the Constitution - so it had to be "created by case law") instead of the child's right to due process. In Terri's case, it's a matter of a state court improperly ruling that a woman can be starved to death by caregivers, without knowing her true wishes and affording *her* due process. A jurisdictional issue where a state court is trying to trump the 5th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Btw, affording *her* due process does not mean taking her cheating husband's word for it.

[TexasRainmaker]

Very good point. But if we're vigilant, as a society, about the registry, we can keep better tabs on these animals.

[Logical me]

To TexasRainmaker

You are absolutely right. This Judge should be impeached for not assigning representation to Terri before any decision should be made. An investigation should be made to determine why Terri was placed in a hospice instead in the proper facility for proper therapy. Her deterioration was a direct product of the lack of this therapy. She is not brain dead!

[SittinYonder]

I agree. If these criminals who prey on children can't control themselves and suffer from a sickness, then we need to either imprison them for life or offer the death penalty for child molestation. I miss the good ol' days when all you needed was some torches and a rope and you could have yourself a good old fashioned lynch mob for these sorts of low-lifes.

[RHOACO]

No he did not live there but he stayed there and the half sister lied about it......
She should be investigated too

Detectives grew interested in Couey while interviewing all registered sex offenders in the area. They tried to contact Couey five days after Jessica disappeared and discovered he no longer lived there.

When investigators followed up with the half sister, who lives about 150 yards from the Lunsfords, she denied Couey had lived there. But another relative confided to a detective that Couey had stayed at her home, authorities said.

The half sister said Couey had traveled to Savannah, Ga., knowing authorities were interested in questioning him. Police picked up Couey on Saturday at a Salvation Army shelter at the request of Citrus officials, Savannah-Chatham County Police Chief Dan Flynn said Wednesday. Flynn said Couey came to police headquarters voluntarily and was interviewed for about two hours.

Citrus County officials asked them Monday to talk to Couey again, but by then he could not be located.
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http://news.bostonherald.com/national/view.bg?articleid=73765&format=text