TALLAHASSEE, September 2, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Terri Schindler-Schiavo’s parents, who have spent years battling for their daughter’s life in the courts, are being threatened with contempt of court for airing a video that showed Terri responding to her mother and attempting to speak. Michael Schiavo’s attorney, Deborah Bushnell, says she will pursue contempt charges if the family do not remove the video from their website. The video has aroused sympathy for the Schindler’s case all over the world. A court ordered in 2002 that the video not be made public. However, the video was never declared sealed by the court and are therefore in the public domain.
In the meantime, the Florida Supreme Court will consider the constitutionality of “Terri’s Law,” legislation that was enacted by Florida governor Jeb Bush to save Terri from death by starvation and dehydration last year. Terri had already starved for six days when the statute was passed allowing the governor to overrule court ordered starvation. The issue in question is whether the law violates the principle of separation-of-powers between the legislative, executive and judicial branches of government and the right to privacy. “The Legislature gave this power to the governor because the governor historically … [is] the ultimate defender of people’s civil rights in the state of Florida – he’s sworn to see that the law’s faithfully executed,” said Bush attorney Robert Destro. “The allegation here is that Terri Schiavo was denied due process in the proceedings below [in the trial court].”
Michael Schiavo’s primary attorney, George Felos, was arguing the opposite side. Felos has recently signed on with a talent agency for speaking engagements where he stands to profit even further from the attempt to have Terri killed. He will command up to US $15,000 in speaking fees, after having already acquired over US $500,000 of legal fees which came from funds allocated to Terri’s medical care and possible rehabilitation. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition, in a media release, has said, “Terri Schiavo has a cognitive disability but she is not otherwise dying. To intentionally dehydrate and starve her to death is an act of euthanasia and must be vigorously opposed by everyone who believes in justice and the rule of law.” The organization’s executive director, Alex Schadenberg goes on, “If the Florida Supreme Court agrees to have her dehydrated and starved to death they in fact will be agreeing to allowing euthanasia by dehydration and starvation and will have opened wide the door to mercy killing in their State and eventually throughout the USA.” The judge who has consistently ruled against any attempts to save Terri’s life, Circuit Judge George Greer has just been re-elected to his post. World Net Daily coverage: https://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=40242 ph