Michael’s Attorneys Examine Subpoenas, Terri Schiavo’s Parents Hopeful 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
March 18, 2005
Pinellas Park, FL (LifeNews.com) — Attorneys for Terri Schiavo’s estranged husband Michael are 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 House and Senate issued subpoenas for Michael, Terri and doctors and administrators of the Southwest Florida hospice where she lives.
Howard Simon, director of the Florida ACLU is working with George Felos, the euthanasia advocate who is Michael’s lead attorney.
"This is clearly an effort to circumvent a lawful court order by a state judge," Simon told the Associated Press. "I am not sure how a subpoena, which is ordinarily done to produce records or somebody to testify, can essentially have the effect of an injunction overriding the orders of a court."
Meanwhile, David Gibbs, the lead attorney for Terri’s parents Bob and Mary Schindler said they are hopeful that these last minute actions will save their daughter’s life.
"We are just thrilled that the Congress and the federal courts may step in to spare Terri once again," Gibbs told MSNBC in a morning interview.
Gibbs talked about the protective nature of the subpoenas issued by the Congressional committees.
"It is a contempt of Congress to prevent or discourage someone from following the subpoena that’s been issued," Gibbs indicated.
Terri’s family is "optimistic that no responsible doctor, no responsible guardian, no responsible Hospice would take any action to kill Terri and possible find themselves subject to federal crimes."
Gibbs said he would be in contact with Woodside Hospice, the Congressional legal team and U.S. marshals to determine if the subpoenas would prevent the removal of the feeding tube.
Gibbs also told MSNBC that he is hopeful Terri could go to Washington, D.C. She has not been let out of her hospice room since the last time she had her feeding tube disconnected in late 2003.
"We want Terri to go to Washington, we want the world to see her … and we believe she deserves that right [to] go to Washington D.C. and let her true condition be shown," Gibbs said.
Related web sites:
Terri’s parents – https://www.terrisfight.org
