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Pressure put on Bush to defy court
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Advocates for the family of Terri Schiavo increased pressure on Florida Gov. Jeb Bush to defy court orders and intervene physically in the case of the brain-damaged woman whose feeding tube was removed Friday.
Such an action could result in a confrontation between state and local police.
“The governor is the chief executive of the state,” said Randall Terry, an anti-abortion advocate and spokesman for Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler.
“The last time I looked, he doesn’t have to ask permission to enforce the laws of the state.”
But, Lt. Kevin Riley of the Pinellas Park Police Department, commander on the scene at the hospice where Schiavo lies, said his officers are under the orders of State Court Judge George W. Greer not to allow the state Department of Children and Families or any other agency, to interfere with Schiavo.
“We intend to enforce that order,” he said.
The Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalitions, said advocates for the family had expected the governor to take custody of Schiavo Wednesday night, but Bush apparently decided to wait on a Supreme Court ruling and for a new ruling expected today from Greer.
The Supreme Court refused this morning to take up the case.
Terry accused “pro-life, pro-family Republicans” of succumbing to what he called “tyrannical judges.”
“If Terri Schiavo dies,” Terry said, “there will be hell to pay.”
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