JUDGE WASHES HIS HANDS OF TERRI’S CASE
U.S. District Judge James Whittmore has, like Pontious Pilate, washed his hands of Terri’s case letting stand the Florida State Court’s decision to remove her feeding tube:
A federal judge in Tampa early this morning denied a request from the parents of Terri Schiavo to reinsert a feeding tube into the brain damaged woman.
U.S. District Judge James Whittemore wrote that Terri Schiavo’s “life and liberty interests” had been protected by Florida courts, the Associated Press reported. Despite “these difficult and time strained circumstances,” he wrote, “this court is constrained to apply the law to the issues before it.”
The next stop in this excrutiating process is the 11th Court of Appeals. Since Whittmore ruled that the Schindler’s case has little chance of winning on its merits, the prospects in the Appeals Court are very slim.
And since these lower federal courts refused to hear the case, it’s extremely doubtful that the Supreme Court would do anything to stop what is now a tragic near certainty; the slow and painful death of an American citizen at the hands of the judiciary.
A judge who applies the law despite fierce outside pressure and death threats. Imagine that! You know tort reform would have prevented her parents from repeatedly filing “frivolous” lawsuits.
Comment by judgemc — 3/22/2005 @ 9:22 pm
Pontious Pilate went against his personal convictions and caved in to the masses. That is not what any of the judges in this case have done.
Comment by judgemc — 3/24/2005 @ 12:03 am
Why not give the child back to her mom and dad the people that truely love her and would take care of her. What cruel and inhuman careless treatement of a fellow human being over the need to be justified on paper when a life that could be saved is at stake. It only takes common sense to see that this is corporate murder. Why would it be denied to a mother and father to take care of their little girl, what possible good reason is there?
Comment by dave biehl — 3/25/2005 @ 1:17 pm
i can’t believe these parents have no rights to help their daughter ,and yet a husband who is living with another women and has 2 kids has all the legal rights . how can this seem normal and just to any human being in this country? a women is dying and we have people washing their hands and saying it would not be legal to help her. michael knows his intentions are for his own selfish reasons. do you really think a young couple in their early 20’s discussed right to die issues? why did he wait 7 years to tell anyone….why ? because he has a new family and wants terri out of his life. i have not seen one ounce of emotion from this man. my God, this is inhumane and barbaric. God help us all.
Comment by susan manoff — 3/25/2005 @ 1:55 pm
Why did the parents say Micheal was the greatest son-in-law in the world during the malpractice suit? In Mr. schindler’s own words Micheal was they best husband Terri could have ever had, taking care of her, sticking by her side, and getting her the best medical care possible.
Micheal, who took care of Terri on a daily basis, was and still is in the best position to decide what is best for her. He has through out this ordeal said the same thing: This is what Terri would want. He has even turned down large amounts of money to continue doing what he believes his WIFE wanted. He has tried to keep her privacy intact, shunned the spotlight, suffered through hate mail and death threats, had his whole life thrown into the public arena by overzealous parents, and had his home and the hospice picketed by people who think they know more about his life than they do. (There is nothing like having your child harassed by right to lifers; especially when they are mad that you exist.)
Her parents have: told the courts that Terri’s wishes didn’t matter they wanted to keep her alive, defied court orders, snuck in a video camera and released the tape to sway popular opinion in their favor, agreed to the release of their donors list for Conservative fund raising purposes, repeatedly filed frivolous claims in order to put of the inevitable, and tried to emotionally blackmail politicians for their own personal gain.
Now Terri’s video is being used for Religious Right fund raising that has nothing to do with her and her case.
Who exactly is exploiting who?
Comment by judgemc — 3/29/2005 @ 11:30 pm