by
Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 18, 2005
Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) -- A Florida judge has reissued
his previous order allowing Terri Schiavo's estranged husband to remove
her feeding tube and begin her 7 to 10 day long starvation death.
Circuit Court Judge George Greer handed down the decision almost immediately after a fellow judge issued an order temporarily stopping the removal of the feeding tube so Judge Greer could examine subpoenas issued by Congress.
Greer
said he saw no reason not to move ahead with his previous order removing
the gastric tube that provides Terri with food and water. He said it
could be removed at once.
"I have had no cogent reason why the (congressional) committee
should intervene," Greer told attorneys for Michael and Terri's
parents in a conference call, according to an Associated Press report.
He said that last-minute action by Congress cannot nullify years of
court proceedings.
David Gibbs, the attorney for the Schindlers, said he would appeal the
decision.
Earlier,
Pinellas Circuit Court Judge David Demers ordered the feeding tube to
remain in place past
the 1 p.m. EST deadline originally scheduled by Circuit Court Judge
George Greer.
Just
before the deadline, administrators at the Florida hospice where Terri
lives confirmed they received subpoenas issued by Congress.
Woodside Hospice is consulting with its attorneys to determine whether it can allow Michael to proceed with removing the feeding tube.
Woodside spokeswoman Louise Cleary told the Associated Press that the hospice received the subpoenas late Friday morning.
"At this time, we are monitoring developments and consulting with legal and ethical advisers to determine what to do,'' she said.
Attorneys for Michael are also trying to determine if subpoena's issued on Friday by Congress are sufficient to stop the removal of Terri's feeding tube this afternoon.
The Senate Health Committee has asked that Terri and her estranged husband Michael appear before the committee on March 28 to discuss, according to a statement by Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, "health care policies and practices relevant to the care of non-ambulatory people such as [Terri]."
Meanwhile, the House Government Reform Committee said it would issue a subpoena to the doctors and hospice administrators who would be responsible for removing Terri's feeding tube.
According to the Fox News Channel, which obtained the subpoenas, they specifically direct that Terri's feeding tube not be removed.
"This request is continuing in nature and applies to any newly deployed things required for the continued hydration and nutrition of Theresa Schiavo," the subpoenas say.
"None of those things reflecting data, information or records called for by this request shall be destroyed, modified, transferred, disconnected, discontinued or otherwise made inaccessible to the committee," the subpoenas warn.
White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the president appreciates the last-ditch effort of Congressional leaders to save Terri's life.
"We appreciate action by members of Congress to defend life," he said.
"The president believes very strongly in building a culture of life in America. And that means welcoming and protecting and valuing all Americans, particularly, or, I should say, including those with disabilities. And the president will continue to stand on the side of defending life," the White House spokesman said.
Related
web sites:
Terri's parents - http://www.terrisfight.org
