Terri Schiavo’s Family, Michael’s Attorney React to Judge’s Decision
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
February 25, 2005
Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) — After a local judge ruled that Terri Schiavo’s estranged husband must wait until March 18 to remove her feeding tube and starve her to death, Terri’s family and Michael’s attorney reacted to the decision.
Bob Schindler, Terri’s father, spoke with reporters at a news conference outside Woodside Hospice where Terri lives. He called the decision "a temporary relief."
"We’re happy that we have at least three weeks before they’re going to kill Terri," Schindler said.
However, he said he and his family don’t see the decision as a victory.
"The victory is when we take Terri home and we get her therapy," he said.
Schindler was concerned that the short delay does not give he and Terri’s mother Mary much time to pursue their appeals of various legal motions designed to save Terri’s life.
However, Circuit Court Judge George Greer wrote that the three week postponement gives the Schindlers "ample time to appeal this denial, similar in duration to previous short-time stays granted for that purpose."
One motion has them going next to the Supreme Court — arguing that starving Terri to death violates her religious liberties.
Other motions seek to replace Michael as Terri’s guardian with her brother Bobby because of numerous conflicts of interest and to allow Terri to have cognitive ability tests showing she interacts with her environment more than some doctors and Michael claim.
But, Judge Greer seemed to indicate he won’t hold hearings on those two motions.
"[T]he Court is no longer comfortable granting stays simply upon the filing of new motions and petitions since there will always be ‘new’ issues that can be pled," Greer wrote in his ruling. "[The Schindlers] will need to demonstrate before the appellate courts that their requests have merit and accordingly are worthy of a stay."
Meanwhile, George Felos, the euthanasia advocate who is Michael’s attorney, issued a statement on Michael’s behalf responding to Judge Greer’s decision.
"I am very pleased that the Court has recognized there must be a finality to this process." Felos said. "I am hopeful and confident that the appellate court will also agree that Terri’s wishes not to be kept alive artificially must now be enforced."
Related web sites/articles:
Terri Schiavo’s family – https://www.Terrisfight.org
Michael Schiavo Attorney Justifies Affair, Leaving Terri For Another Woman – https://www.LifeNews.com/bio729.html
