Jacksonville News Conference: The Justice Coalition's
Founder Considers Terri Schiavo Victim; Pledges Assistance
March 02, 2005
by Salvatore' Antonio,
Sessam E. Devas,
David Kirkland
Jacksonville, Florida | WakeMeUpNews | Much was learned from attending the news conference that was held at 1:30 PM Monday, at the US Courthouse, to take a peek at the future surrounding Terri Schindler-Schiavo’s days and years to come. It was inspiring and had the flavor of a motivational circling of the wagons.
The press conference was organized and held at the request of The Justice Coalition founder Ted Hires, who is also owner of several Sonny's Real Pit Bar-B-Q restaurants. Being a victim of a violent crime, Ted found the criminal justice system worked harder for the criminal than the victim. As a result of Mr. Hires’ experience, he formed the (501C3) nonprofit organization, and is making an effort to reprove the judicial system for the better.
Hires’ team of investigator advocates who defend victims, have moved in recent days to announce the entrance of his Victim's Justice organization to help save Terri Schindler-Schiavo. There were many news reporters and cameras from at least two local TV stations including WJXT-TV4. Approximately 100-125 people attended.
There was an all-star cast of enthusiastic people. In addition to Hires, Terri's mother, father, and brother were there. Bishop Galeone, Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine (Jacksonville is in this diocese) attended, along with several other priests, and area clergymen. Two local politicians Don Davis and Jerry Holland attended.
State Senator Stephen Wise gave a report, which appeared to give the crowd a real big boost. He was speaking when I arrived missing the very beginning of his statements, but this developing story seems significant. Wise announced that he is sponsoring a companion bill to that of Rep. Dennis Baxley's HB-0701 (HB stands for House Bill). In a phone call by Wise, to this reporter on February 24th, 2005, he stated he was "personally sponsoring a companion Senate Bill to Baxley's bill and the wording will be the same. It's not filed yet but will be announced soon."
While the House Bill appears to amend Florida Statute (FS) 765, so that receiving food and water via a feeding tube or any method possible would [then] be considered an ordinary means of sustaining life (an essential for life itself; a natural function everyone needs for life), this change would then cause the statute to be in line with state criminal laws which currently prohibit the denial of food, water and nutrition from any person, by intent or neglect. A fault that may have been previously disregarded.
Many following this situation ask: If Judges can order crimes to be committed, why have criminal laws, police, courts and jails? They appear to be on the mark at least with this Judge’s (George Greer) order to perform an act that is expressly prohibited by crime law.
Readers are encouraged to be precisely informed by going to www.myflorida.com and searching for FS 765, reading this short but potentially detrimental set of laws, then reviewing and comparing the proposed changes to it found in the 10 pages of this proposed HB.
When you look to current Florida Criminal Law FS825.102(3), to the Florida Constitution, and the US Congress which long ago adopted the UN Human Rights laws, all concur stating the same -- that denying nutrition from any person is criminal, shall be prosecuted and will not be tolerated.
People will no doubt draw from this event and get mobilized now. Letters, e-mails and phone calls to all state representatives, state senators, Governor Bush and Attorney General Crist undoubtedly will continue to keep flowing with intensity.
The question rising from the core of this issue, is whether causing a person’s death by denying them any one of the three basic essentials for life -- food, water and air -- is permitted by man or only by natural course (some say God) and is the taking away of life the killing of that person? Even without religion, for us all, the law does say -- Thou Shalt Not Kill.
Several other initiatives were mentioned on the courthouse steps. A request is being made to the Governor and the Attorney General for an investigation into the circumstances of Terri's injuries. Some in law enforcement continue to suggest that any pertinent statute of limitations have run out on bringing criminal charges. Has the statute of limitations on all crimes against Terri really run out? That would seem to imply that there was a crime or multiple crimes in the past with nothing on-going. This misconception is one that the media seems to play to the hilt or completely ignores. Those who have done the research as well as lodged complaints know otherwise.
The Schindler's, along with hundreds of thousands of other people who are flooding the system with verbal and written inquiry, appear to be asking the same question of law enforcement -- Exactly on what date did the crime[s] happen they infer were committed upon Terri Schindler-Schiavo? And why did they not act to protect their daughter from more of the same?
With law enforcement consistently inferring that statute of limitations have run out, even though not being specific to which crimes were committed and when, this admission to thousands who complain by phone, may be one of the items which the DCF Attorney and the Governor are interested and show their concern, especially since it appears that law enforcement has been sitting on this and not seeking prosecution. Who has been ordering the fix?
That brings questions of whether departments and agencies of state are complicit and participants in abuse. However, this Governor, now with DCF, seems committed to getting to the bottom of the reported breakdowns and the seeming criminal blockade by those who may have abused their positions, to facilitate this extrajudicial execution. The public that says they have done the digging claims state attorneys say local law enforcement has brought them nothing. Local law enforcement tells the public that the state attorney says not to take complaints or investigate anything surrounding anyone involved with those who seek her death. Witnesses to these occurrences have reportedly turned this information over to public officials as early as October of 2002.
By getting to the truth and prosecuting any public officials who may be found to have participated in any criminal victimization of Theresa Marie Schiavo, this Governor will certainly be living up to his Campaign Slogan -- Champion of the Disabled.
This is one of many points being advanced in the suits the Schindler's and their growing numbers of attorneys from around the country bring to the Governor and file in the courts. One of their objectives is removing Michael as guardian. Governor Bush, it is becoming clear, wants to know with certainty whether Terri Schindler-Schiavo is the victim of abuse, by many, and across many sets of hands.
DCF is investigating. The Schindler's attorneys are asking that DCF place Terri under protective custody of the state. They are also trying to get Judge Greer removed, plus a new initiative seeks a divorce for Terri due to the admissions of the Guardian Living in Open Adultery in violation of Florida Crime Law FS798 as is thoroughly documented to be by open admission. Some of this may work. But it appears the Judges will have to be forced to follow the laws, as Terri's Judge seems to have bunkered himself against.
The question now seems to be: How long will the "20 Judges" of the Circuit, District and Supreme Courts, that Attorney George J. Felos frequently states in court and to the press "as concurring with" the Greer court's 'civil judicial death warrant' continue in carte blanche complicit support?
The actions of the Governor of late appear to have also brought a renewed confidence in disabled people and the Disability Advocacy Community. The effect has given energy and hope that the disabled's complaints of discrimination in services and uninvestigated occurrences of criminal abuse, neglect and exploitation of them, by those who take advantage of their disabilities, is finally going to be addressed by this administration and Legislature to the fullest extent of the law and to the fullest extent of their resolve.
Disabled persons and their advocates appear more motivated and vocal than ever before with confidence in their Governor, to stand up to the threat they perceive will result from a disastrous and improper outcome for Terri. The precedent they say, could spell the deliberate and legally caused deaths of hundreds in their community, even while criminal law currently on the books prohibit the same. Disability advocates say that the next step by the new form of genocide, will be to eliminate the criminal laws that protect vulnerable elderly persons and disabled adults, to which they are set against.
For more info about the controversy surrounding Judge Greer, the appearance of gross improprieties and violations of law, and to view his Campaign TV commercial which used government personnel and property provided by those who may be blocking the criminal investigations, you can go to the NY newspaper: www.theempirejournal.com -- and also visit Terri Schindler-Schiavo's parent’s website www.terrisfight.org for documents and video of Terri. There are now tens of thousands of other websites and a uniquely constructed and growing network of over 200 linked blogs www.blogsforterri.com posting information, public documents and links to even more related topics and issues. Additionally, Internet browsers merely need to type in the name Terri Schiavo or Terri Schindler in Google and hit GO!
Permission is granted by the authors Salvatore' Antonio: Asalva1526@aol.com and Sessam E. Devas: WakeMeUpNews@aol.com for purpose of reprint, copy and distribution in other places of this article when done in complete form to which copyright protection is claimed (c)2005. This permission statement must be included in any reprints.
