by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
January 24, 2005
Clearwater,
FL (LifeNews.com) -- The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal
of a Florida law the state legislature passed to prevent Terri Schiavo's
estranged husband from starving her to death. The court's decision came
without comment and will likely allow Michael Schiavo to remove Terri's
feeding tube soon.
Governor Jeb Bush had appealed a Florida Supreme Court decision striking the law to the nation's high court. He said the Florida courts did not hold hearings and offer him a chance to defend the law and prove Terri would not want to die a painful starvation death.
Michael contended Terri's Law violated the separation of powers clause of the state constitution by improperly allowing Bush to intervene and restore the feeding tube.
"It's judicial homicide. They want to murder her," her father, Robert Schindler, told the Associated Press on Monday in reaction to the decision. "I have no idea what the next step will be. We're going to fight for her as much as we can fight for her. She deserves a chance."
Michael Schiavo, who is seeking to end his wife's life and marry his fiancé, with whom he is currently living and has two children, now has the authority to ask doctors to remove the feeding tube.
How soon he can do that is unclear, as Terri
parents are waging last ditch efforts to prevent her death and replace
Michael as her legal guardian based on numerous conflicts of interest.
Bush attorney Ken Connor, former head of the Family Research Council
and a pro-life advocate, says the Supreme Court's decision on could
have a huge nationwide impact.
Connor told the Tampa Bay Tribune newspaper that the Supreme Court's
decision could affect other people with "profound cognitive disabilities"
like Terri.
Related web sites:
Supreme Court docket - http://www.supremecourtus.gov/docket/04-757.htm
Terri Schiavo's parents - http://www.terrisfight.org
