Terri Schiavo's judge is no Solomon

WND ^ | 10-27-03 | Barbara Simpson

[JustPiper]

Where's Solomon when we need him? He threatened to cut a baby in half, knowing the real mother wouldn't allow that. He was correct.

In Florida, Judge George Greer of the Sixth Circuit Court isn't attempting to be Solomon ... he's playing God.

What an outrage!

Bottom line: Michael Schiavo, the husband, wants his 39-year-old wife Terri, dead. He's battled in court for 10 years, spending more than half a million dollars on legal fees to get a judge's OK to have her feeding tube removed.

Judge Greer did that, consistently fending off Terri's parents' desperate attempts to stop the deliberate killing of their daughter. When they presented reasoned opposition to the husband's case, Judge Greer refused to consider it. When they begged for therapy to help Terri learn to eat and drink again, he refused.

The feeding tube was pulled Oct. 15, condemning her to starve and dehydrate to death.

Michael Schiavo refused to allow her family to visit, or would he tell them her condition

Finally, Terri's mother and priest were allowed to visit. Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski, an elderly priest who'd ministered to Terri for three years, gave her Last Rites and wanted to administer Holy Communion. He wanted to place a tiny crumb, like a flake of a cracker, in Terri's mouth.

Not only was he told "no" by one of Michael's lawyers (who was one of two witnesses always in the room when any of Terri's family are there) but, he was threatened by the armed policeman, always in the room.

Yes, armed, who informed the priest, that if he gave Terri communion, he would be arrested. (The priest was willing but Terri's mother wouldn't allow it.)

ARRESTED? For what? Communion without a permit?

What happened to Freedom of Religion? For all the talk about what's being done to Terri Schiavo, little is mentioned about this additional outrage.

Maybe they'd have charged the priest with trespassing if he'd put the tiny piece of the Host in Terri's mouth as she was moving along the road to court-ordered death.

That's it! If he'd given her the Host, he'd have been trespassing on Michael's property. That is exactly what Terri has become – just a piece of property owned by her husband, and one he wants to be rid of. After all, he has a girlfriend and a child with another on the way.

Michael is the only person in the world who can decide what can be done to and with his young wife who is brain damaged.

And not a word from women's rights groups.

Terri's been like that since she collapsed one evening in 1990. No one knows why despite media reports of heart attack or chemical imbalance.

A successful medical malpractice suit awarded over $1 million, with some $750,000 specifically for Terri's care. Michael vowed to the jury he'd care for her for the rest of his life.

You decide.

He ordered no therapy of any kind for the last 12 years, even though doctors testified she could learn to eat on her own.

She went for seven years with no dental care, with nurses not permitted to brush her teeth.

He refused treatment for an infection, testifying later, he expected the infection to end her life.

Ten years ago, he put a "DNR" on her medical chart – Do Not Resuscitate – in the event a crisis occurred.

He made it difficult, if not impossible, for her parents or siblings to visit her, at times moving her secretly to another facility.

But Terri didn't die. So five years ago, he hired high-powered, right-to-die lawyer George Felos, and told him that Terri had once said she didn't want to live artificially sustained. No one ever heard that before, but it's become the crux of the legal /media argument.

They've got it all wrong.

This isn't about the "right to die," it's about the right to kill. She's not on life support – she's on food and water.

Michael Schiavo's side rails that the new Florida law, signed by Gov. Jeb Bush, to order the reinsertion of the feeding tube is unconstitutional.

Michael's lawyers sent a letter to area doctors threatening to sue them if they followed the new law and reinserted the tube! Despite that, it was done, after six days of starvation.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which consistently ignored family requests to consider the abridgement of Terri's rights in the effort to keep her alive, is now supporting the husband.

It appears the AARP will do the same. Ironically, they're signing away their rights to be humanely treated.

The dirty medical secret is that inconvenient people – sick, handicapped, old – are starved and dehydrated to death every day without their permission.

Is this what we want?

It is what we have. And Terri struggles to live.

[XJarhead]

Such an innocent babe in the woods you are. This is essentially a custody case, and in that regard, the bottom line in a lot of courts is who can kick in the most to the judge's pet kitty in whatever form that takes.

How much experience do you have as a domestic relations attorney and in what state? Just curious....

[Theodore R.]

What happened with Wolfson, who was to be named guardian at litem on Monday by the new judge, Demers? Was he appointed? did the Schindlers present evidence that Wolfson favors killing Terri?

[Held_to_Ransom]

Not a lot, but I did have a judge once explain to me how it works as he tossed out a motion that cost me 5 g's and gave the nod to the other side after explaining that the case had already been heard from the other attorney on the golf course the day before and that any input from me was unnecessary.

[XJarhead]

He may have been right. Or he may have been one crummy judge. How you go from there to assuming that is how business is "usually done" is beyond me.

[JustPiper]

Wish I knew Ted

[JustPiper]

I also hate seeing the underdog kicked under over and over.

Agreed, no one likes a bully and our morals are stablished mostly through spiritual belief

[floriduh voter]

Good for Barbara getting this info out. It backs up my account from the front lines but it sounded beyond belief coming from me.

This kind of flies in the face of separation of church and staters who are already mistaken, because the Government threatened Clergy with arrest for exercising his freedom of religion. That's against the U.S. Constitution. Judge Greer must go. He's a danger to everyone living in Pinellas County.

[floriduh voter]

Judge George Greer IS A BAD JUDGE. I don't have time to go into detail but he should be in Federal Prison. I don't even need to say "in my opinion" at this point.

[MVV]

Great post. What a shame we here on the east coast can't get the west coast programs....thanks again for the post.

[floriduh voter]

The spouse has broken numerous guardianship rules and therefore, should not even be her guardian. That's only the tip of the iceberg. Solid research isn't being posted on the forum. Michael Schiavo has his own freepers trying to keep up with all the Terri threads. If you don't get much information, it's because we're trying to abide by "loose lips sink ships". This is a war against Terri.

[MVV]

I heard Bob Schindler say last night that the way MS became guardian of Terri was very odd, MS's employer contacted the Schindler's soon after Terri's "accident" to suggest MS be put on as guardian to handle all of Terri's affairs, medical decisions. For whatever reason they agreed, and I am sure have ever since regretted that decision.

[MVV]

Michael Schiavo has his own freepers trying to keep up with all the Terri threads.

Really? Very interesting indeed, thanks again.

[floriduh voter]

Until public awareness hit the big time, nobody realized the power of Judge George Greer, Attorney George Felos, Michael Schiavo, their buddies in law enforcement and the micromanagement of Terri at Hospice and Morton Plant Hospital.

People are starved every day across America. Many seniors get Living Wills but they don't really read them and when food is withheld from them, are they shocked and afraid. They end up dying of hunger a week or two later.

Moral of the Story? Get a Living Will and be very clear about what you want. If you want nutrition and hydration, better say so, or you'll be starved-dehydrated to death, not from natural causes, because there's another client waiting for your bed.

[floriduh voter]

Correcting a misconception again. Terri was unrepresented by counsel for a number of years. Terri's attorney is capable and one of a handful of attorneys in the State of Florida whom I respect.

You must consider that she's up against a Judge who imo needs a competency exam and an investigation by law enforcement, an attorney who gets whatever he wants from that Judge and a husband who screams at little old ladies at Hospice and other people he comes in contact with.

These men all want Terri to be starved to death and unless you've seen a George Felos press conference, you are really missing the full effect. HE'S A LITTLE MAN BUT HE TALKS OF DEATH, DEATHBEDS, DEATH PROCESS... Talk about delusional, OCD and spooky. HE OWNED PINELLAS COUNTY but public awareness hopefully, is ruining all his plans to begin THE DEATH PROCESS. Shame on Jeb Bush for dragging her from her DEATHBED!!!

Terri has no disease process and is not terminally ill. She is disabled and today "she looked really good." Per local account.

[floriduh voter]

Terri's fight imo is a fusion of principle and religion. I started out on the side of principle and after attending much of the 24/7 Vigil, I had a spiritual awakening. You know the expression "You had to be there." It's really true.

[JustPiper]

Hopefully we all are lucky enough FV to have a spiritual awakening. I searched for 50 years and just when I thought...but it finally happened on a West Coast trip 2 years ago. Since I was 19 I always found my spirituality in CA ;)

[JustPiper]

Your most welcome MV and thank you ;)

[JustPiper]

Judge Greer must go

I would love to know is part in the Fla voter fraud debacle in 2000!

Why not recommend him to be reviewed by the judiciary panel for indiscrepancies? Judicial Review, Hey Clayman whatchya doin'?

[msmagoo]

Click for large photo of Greer

Schiavo's Guardianship Challenged
Gov. Bush asks court to dismiss "Terri's Law" lawsuit.

Published Thursday, November 6, 2003

Pinellas County Circuit Judge George Greer refused Wednesday to block an effort by Terri Schiavo's parents to try to have her husband removed as the comatose woman's legal guardian. CHRIS O'MEARA/The Associated Press

By MITCH STACY
The Associated Press

CLEARWATER -- A judge ruled Wednesday that the parents of a severely brain-damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die battle can seek to have the woman's husband removed as her guardian.

Michael Schiavo likely will now be forced to respond in court to charges in the petition that he withheld proper care and therapy from his wife, Terri Schiavo, and that he has a conflict of interest because he's in a romantic relationship with another woman and has fathered her children.

Bob and Mary Schindler, Terri Schiavo's parents, have asked Circuit Judge George W. Greer to appoint Terri's brother or sister as guardian instead. Michael Schiavo had asked for the Schindler's request to be dismissed, but Greer said he will allow it to proceed.

Also Wednesday, an lawyer for Gov. Jeb Bush asked another judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by Michael Schiavo challenging the constitutionality of the law that allowed the governor to order reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube two weeks ago.

That action argues that the governor was never served with the suit, which would make it invalid. It also argued that it should have been filed in Leon County -- where Bush is based -- instead of Pinellas County.

Michael Schiavo's lawyer, George Felos, questioned Bush's integrity in filing the motion, calling it "a legal move out of the gutter" and "low-ball delaying tactic."

Greer has already denied three previous requests by the Schindlers to remove Michael Schiavo as guardian and has repeatedly affirmed his legal right to remove his wife's feeding tube and allow her to die, as he says she would have wished.

Pat Anderson, lawyer for the Schindlers, said she was pleased with the Wednesday decision from Greer, who she has claimed is biased in favor of Michael Schiavo.

"It's very important because the fact of the matter is, Michael should not be her guardian," said Pat Anderson, lawyer for the Schindlers. "He has a gross, gross conflict of interest."

Some doctors and Greer have ruled that Terri Schiavo is in a persistent vegetative state with no hope for recovery. She suffered severe brain damage in 1990 when her heart temporarily stopped, cutting off oxygen to her brain, because of a chemical imbalance.

But the Schindlers said their daughter had no end-of-life wishes and believe she could be rehabilitated. They also dispute that she is in a vegetative state and believe she has enough mental abilities to respond to them.

Scott Swope, who argued for the dismissal on behalf of Michael Schiavo, called the ruling "unfortunate" and said his side will prepare to fight the petition.

"(Michael) should remain her guardian because he has her best interests at heart," Swope said.

Terri Schiavo had gone without food and water for six days when the Florida Legislature passed a law Oct. 21 giving Bush authority to order that her feeding tube be reinserted.

Felos filed suit challenging the constitutionality of the law. In a brief filed last week, he charged that the hastily passed law infringed on Terri Schiavo's right to privacy and the separation of power provisions of the Florida Constitution.

Lawyers for Bush were given until today to file their own arguments supporting the law, but instead filed the motion to dismiss Wednesday. Lawyer Kenneth L. Connor, representing Bush, said the governor is not shying away from judicial review of the statute, but that proper procedure must be followed first.

Connor said that starts with having the lawsuit filed in Tallahassee and having the governor properly served.

"The governor has the right to a home venue privilege," Connor said. "As you can imagine, this is not the only lawsuit brought against the governor, so if you wind up forcing the governor and the staff to trot all over the state, that winds up being an extraordinary consumption of state resources."

Felos said his lawsuit was faxed to Bush's office, and counsel for governor was present at the emergency hearing Oct. 21 and did not raise those concerns.

---

[HiTech RedNeck]

Michael Schiavo's lawyer, George Felos, questioned Bush's integrity in filing the motion, calling it "a legal move out of the gutter" and "low-ball delaying tactic."

Live by the technicality, die by the technicality. SWEET.