Terri Schiavo’s Husband May Remove Feeding Tube Despite Appeal
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
May 10, 2004
Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) — An appeal by Florida Governor Jeb Bush of a local judge’s decision to overturn Terri’s Law was expected to allow Terri’s feeding tube to remain in place while the lawsuit continues. However, her estranged husband Michael may attempt to remove the tube now, which would likely lead to her death.
When attorneys for Governor Bush appealed Circuit Court Judge Douglas Baird’s decision overturning the law that allowed him to ask doctors to reinsert Terri’s tube, an automatic stay went into effect.
However, attorneys for Michael Schiavo say he may not wait for an appeals court or a state Supreme Court decision in the case. Michael may ask the courts to lift the stay. If that happens, Terri’s life could be over.
Both George Felos, the assisted suicide advocate who is Michael’s attorney, and Ken Connor, the pro-life lead attorney for Gov. Bush, say they expect the legal battle over Terri;s Law to finally land at the steps of the Florida Supreme Court.
Felos said on Thursday that he would wait until higher courts have decided the case before trying to remove the feeding tube. "The last thing we want is a situation where her feeding would be started and stopped repeatedly,” he said.
But Felos tells the Tampa Tribune newspaper that his comments were taken out of context.
He said Michael and his legal team have not yet ruled out asking Judge Baird or the appeals court to lift the automatic stay. That concerns Connor.
"It’s disgusting to think they could take action to cause her death during the pendency of the appeal,” Connor told the Tribune newspaper. "It shows the goal is not to be governed by the rule of law but to facilitate the agenda they have that Terri should die.”
