Terri Schiavo Supporters Seek Relief Through Gov. Bush
Florida Governor Jeb Bush on Friday ordered his legal team to comb through the state laws for a way to intervene as a federal judge again refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube.
Florida Governor Jeb Bush on Friday ordered his legal team to comb through the state laws for a way to save Terri Schiavo as a federal judge again refused to order the reinsertion of the disabled woman's feeding tube.
For the second time this week, U.S. District Judge James Whittemore ruled against Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, who had asked him to grant their emergency request to resume their daughter’s nourishment while he considers a lawsuit they filed, according to AP.
And in a painful recapitulation of the last 72 hours, the Schindlers appealed again to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to review Whittemore’s ruling. The Atlanta court on Wednesday refused to overturn a previous Whittemore ruling.
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In his 11-page ruling on Friday, Whittemore wrote that the Schindlers couldn't establish "a substantial likelihood of success on the merits" of their case. He also noted "the difficulties and heartbreak the parties have endured throughout this lengthy process" and praised the lawyers' civility, saying it was "a credit to their professionalism ... and Terri."
Meanwhile, Terri’s health continued to wane as she approached the seventh full day of starvation and dehydration.
Terri’s tube was removed at 1:30 p.m. (EST) last Friday on a state judge’s order that sided with Schiavo’s husband. Michael Schiavo, her legal guardian, contends his wife has no chance for recovery and would not have wanted to be kept alive “artificially.”
The Schindlers, however, believe their daughter could improve and would not want to die by starvation.
Terri is not dependent on a respirator but does need a feeding tube to supply her with food and water. In an earlier interview with the Christian Post, Mary Schindler said her daughter knows how to swallow her own saliva, and could eat on her own if given the right physical therapy. Mary added that “Terri is no different from you or me” except for the fact that “she eats through a tube while we eat with spoons.”
According to David Gibbs III, the Schindlers requested that they spoon-feed their daughter, but were denied by the courts that once again sided with Michael.
In Tallahassee, Gov. Jeb Bush ordered his legal team to search through state laws for a way to reconnect Schiavo’s tube, after a judge on Thursday denied his request to let the state take Terri into protective custody.
According to AP, Bush said his powers “are not as expansive as people would want them to be. ... I cannot go beyond what my powers are and I'm not going to do it,” following the ruling.
However, Terri’s supporters believed otherwise.
"Bob and Mary are begging Governor Bush to save their daughter on this Good Friday day," said Paul O'Donnell, a supporter of the parents. "Now is the day. Now is the time for the governor to have courage. The governor needs to take action and take action soon. She's dying."
"[Gov. Bush] must act and he must act immediately on her behalf. He must disregard the order of Judge Greer,” said Dr. D. James Kennedy, president of Coral Ridge Ministries
Others planned vigils in front of his home and flooded his office with calls.
