The legal battle to save Terri Schiavo is for all intents and purposes over.
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (AP) – The U.S. Supreme Court turned down Terri Schiavo’s parents Thursday, declining to intervene to keep the brain-damaged woman alive, but their supporters pressed a last-ditch effort in Florida courts.
Justices didn’t explain their decision, which was received by somber supporters outside the woman’s hospice with bowed heads and prayers for help from Gov. Jeb Bush.
Gov. Bush and the state’s social services agency filed a petition in state court to take custody of Schiavo and, presumably, reconnect her feeding tube. It cited new allegations of neglect and challenges Schiavo’s diagnosis as being in a persistent vegetative state. The request is based on the opinion of a neurologist working for the state who observed Schiavo at her bedside but did not conduct an examination of her.
The custody request by Bush was made before Circuit Judge George Greer, who has presided over the case for years and ordered the feeding tube removed last month. Greer planned to decide by noon Thursday on whether the case would go forward.Judge Greer undoubtedly will deny the custody request. Game, set, match, death…
On a related note there have been a lot of stories about polls showing support 60% to 80% support for keeping the courts and/or the government out of this messy family affair. A lesser publicized statistic is that 80% of Terri’s immediate family wishes that the courts not order that she be killed by starvation.
W. or Jeb could end this I think just by executive order. It’s apparent they would both have the backing of Congress. They just have to take up their roles and openly defy these judges and put them in their place.Of course that would open up one helluva can of worms. But Judicial fiatism,anti-constitutional grandstanding has got to stop. Otherwise under the right circumstances, eventually, any one risks death by Judicial whim. Perhaps a few Judicial impeachments by congress would cause other Judges to back up and realize who REALLY has the power.
Julie, I’ve never had a disagreeable word to say to you. Why must you insist on being disagreeable to me? Why are you butting into a trivial matter than is none of your concern? Because I am a hypocritie (sic)? Please explain to me what I have said “of late” that you find hypocritical.
Lord above, isn’t there something more important you can find to argue about than whether or not I choose to (gently) scold Biker Babe for telling someong they’re “so full of shit their eyes are brown” without adding anything to the discussion???? Is that what you want this comment section to devolve into? Mindless bickering?
Julie, I’ve never had a disagreeable word to say to you.
Obviously, you do not see your tendency to boss people around as to what they can and cannot post or discuss as disagreeable. I do.
Why must you insist on being disagreeable to me?
See above.
Why are you butting into a trivial
See above. So trivial that you have insulted three people over it.
matter than is none of your concern?
You made it my concern when you started sniping at other people. That you complain when I snipe back at you, is well, again hypocrisy. And this is a public forum, I’ll post what I want until told to do otherwise by the owners, which, last time I checked, is not you.
Because I am a hypocritie (sic)? Please explain to me what I have said “of late” that you find hypocritical.
Sorry, I’ve already told you now for the fourth and last time.
Is that what you want this comment section to devolve into? Mindless bickering?
If you don’t want to hear mindless bickering, try shutting up.
Hey, everybody, take a coupla deep breaths and calmmmdownnn. We like Wizbang so let’s keep the place moving forward.
Wow, -S-.
You bang a mean gavel. Are any of your names “Wapner” or “Judy”?
James Joyner,
Judge Greer has issued an order preventing anyone from even attempting to feed Terri Schiavo.
That is not “allowing her to die.”
It is ensuring that she will die.
Rick, there will always be the possiblity of error, but the error should be in same sense that we require for criminal trials. That is, we should err on the side of making people live when they don’t want to, if we cannot be 100% sure.
I’m not morally opposed to suicide or even assisted suicide. My problem with the Schiavo case is that the evidence for Terri’s supposed wishes was held to a lower standard (“clear and convincing”–no jury) than we require for an accused criminal (“beyond reasonable doubt”–and a jury).
I guess we should just all let the government make decisions for us. Where we live. What we do for a living. How much money we make. How many kids we have. If we can marry the person we want to. Now… some are saying we should let them make decisions that have always been left to the next of kin….. and when you’re married that is your spouse. When you leave your childhood home and venture off into this great big world you become an adult and leave the nurturing of your parents …. and often their values and their beliefs… as you take on your own. Our freedoms in this country are slowly being sucked away by the conservatives who believe it’s OUR WAY OR NO WAY. This countrys foundation … it’s pricipal is based on SEPERATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. You think what you want and I’ll think what I want…. just dont make laws that make your beliefs seem logical when they are just amendments to the bible. This great nation we live in is and always has been a melting pot of different nationalites and religions from around the world … with one common goal…… EQUALITY. So enough of the religious right wing dictating RIGHT AND WRONG to the common population. Go to church and pray and leave personal decisions about life, liberty and the persuit of happiness up to the individual.Lets keep the government out of our personal lives…. they already have more control than the should have. Lets not give them more.