Judge won't hear new arguments for Schiavo; pro-life groups begging Gov. Bush to act

Mar 23, 2005 / 22:00 pm

As options slowly deplete for the family of brain-damaged Terri Schiavo, a Florida state judge has now denied a request to hear Governor Jeb Bush's arguments in favor of saving the 41-year old woman's life.

 

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube, which has provided her with food and water for over a decade, was removed by court order last Friday at the request of her husband Michael Schiavo.

 

Since then, a legal battle involving the U.S. Supreme Court, Congress, President Bush, two appeals courts, the Florida State Senate and many exhausting emotions, has ensued.

 

Governor Bush's request had cited charges of abuse and neglect on the part of Schiavo's husband as well as new medical evidence suggesting that the woman's state might not be as severe as once thought.

 

Florida judge George Greer, who originally ordered the feeding tube removed denied Bush's request claiming he was not convinced by the new arguments.

 

Experts say that Governor Bush now has the legal authority to replace Schiavo's feeding tube if he chooses to utilize it.

 

Richard Thomson, one of the prosecutors of assisted suicide doctor, Jack Kevorkian, said that he is asking the governor "to initiate an independent criminal investigation based on a list of facts that suggest criminal wrong doing."

 

He said that, "We have outlined for the Governor some of these facts, and confirmed his Constitutional authority to act. The fact that he has chosen to confuse the public by referring to the civil case, completely ignoring the request that we presented, reveals a lack of moral courage and political will. We expect the Governor to do the right thing, and so far, he has refused to do so."

 

Governor Bush can be contacted at his office at (850)488-4441 or (850)488-5603 or e-mail jeb.bush@myflorida.com

 

The group Concerned Women for America has also spoken out, severely criticizing the Supreme Court for their denial today to hear Schiavo's case.

 

Jan LaRue, CWA's chief counsel said that, "It's tragic that the Supreme Court's 'evolving standards of decency' haven't evolved enough to protect Terri Schiavo…You'd think that a Court that prohibits states from executing retarded, convicted murderers would prohibit the state ordered death of an innocent woman when there's so little evidence of her wishes."

 

"How could any court find it clear and convincing evidence sufficient to order a woman's death by starvation?" she asked, "If this satisfies constitutional due process, God help us."