Day 10: Forced Starvation of Terri Schiavo: Terri’s Family Plead with ‘Powers That Be’ to Do More

It’s been a long haul, folks. I know that probably a lot of you are sick and tired of hearing this case, but try to hang in there. As Rome wasn’t built in a day, neither are these cases over with in a day as well. We’ve got to be committed to what we believe in, and I know that it’s really hard dealing with such a depressing and frustrating case like this day-in and day-out. We’ve just got to keep at it. Please keep the prayers going even though it looks like Michael Schiavo’s going to finally get his wish. Let’s be with Terri through the final haul.

I would like to call attention to something that has been bothering me for several days now. I find it very hard to believe that one judge (on an appeals court, no doubt) has more power than all of Congress combined. Judge George Greer’s rejections stand, Terri’s bill or not. I don’t think that judges should have (or if they’re allowed to have) so much power individually. I mean there’s over 500 people in Congress (plus the president’s signature) who put forth that bill (some more willing than others) and one judge gets to make a ruling rejecting the reinsertion of Terri’s feeding tube, and we have to go by him alone. I’m no law student by any stretch of the imagination, but I always thought that all three branches (legislative, executive, and judicial) had about equal powers and that that’s why we have the system of checks and balances – To keep one branch from getting more power over the others. I also thought judges were supposed to uphold the law, not make it (that’s what the legislative branch does). This sounds a lot like judicial tyranny – Something’s definitely not right here.

Terri’s Family Appeals to ‘Powers That Be’

Article Summary

Gov. Jeb Bush said that he’s talked with his legal counsel and has not seen any way the executive branch can get involved. He apologizes for not being able to do more for Terri.

At least two more state-filed appeals are pending, but they’re going up against the 2nd District Court of Appeals, which has rebuffed Gov. Bush’s efforts in the past.

“Bob Schindler, Terri's father, didn't mention Bush by name when he talked to reporters outside the Pinellas Park hospice, but he did offer a plea to the "powers that be" as he described his daughter as being "very, very, very weak."

"She has just incredible strength to live," Schindler said, telling those unnamed powers, "Don't give up on her. We haven't given up on her and she hasn't given up on us."”

“…The chief medical examiner for Pinellas County, Dr. John Thogmartin, had agreed to perform an autopsy. He said her husband wants definitive proof showing the extent of her brain damage. Michael Schiavo contends his wife told him years ago she would not want to be kept alive artificially under such circumstances.

An attorney for Schiavo's parents, David Gibbs III, said her family also wants an autopsy. "We would certainly support and encourage an autopsy to be done with all the unanswered questions," Gibbs said.”

“Schiavo's mother did not visit her daughter on Easter, emotions keeping her from the hospice for the first time since Terri's feeding tube was removed 10 days ago, O'Donnell said.

"If she goes in there again, we might have to take her to the hospital," O'Donnell said.”

During Easter at about 4:00 P.M., Terri received a drop of Christ’s blood (wine), but could not take the tiny piece of His body because her tongue was cracked and too dry. She was also anointed with holy oil, and absolved of her sins by Rev. Thaddeus Malanowski.