Terri Schiavo Update
Word out of Florida today is that the stay application for Terri Schiavo has been denied. It is possible that her feeding tube containing hydration and nutrition could be removed as early as this afternoon. On Jay Sekulow Live! we will have as our guest David Gibbs, who is the Florida lawyer handling this matter. Our senior staff at the ACLJ has been working with David Gibbs and his law firm regarding possible remaining avenues. As I mentioned on the broadcast last week, options to preserve Terri Schiavos life are beginning to run out. This case has huge ramifications, not only with regard to the respect and dignity of human life, but also for respect and dignity of individuals with handicaps. We anticipate some last-minute legal efforts and will keep everybody posted. Please tune into our radio broadcast and visit the ACLJ website for frequent updates.
There are also stories this morning about the Chief Justices retirement from the Supreme Court. Linda Greenhouse, a well-known Supreme Court reporter with The New York Times, has a piece out today talking about the Chief Justices retirement, which is expected no later than the end of June. As I mentioned in yesterdays posting, we are hopeful that the Chief Justice will participate in the Ten Commandments cases. It is critical that his vote be cast. The Chief Justice has been a defender of allowing the public display of the Ten Commandments in courthouses and on other government properties. In fact, three years ago, we had a case out of Elkhart, Indiana, where the Chief Justice issued a dissent from denial of review that talked about the important role the Ten Commandments have played with regard to the development of law in the United States.
We have additional reports posted to www.aclj.org.
Yesterday, I participated in a symposium at William & Mary Law School regarding the public display of the Ten Commandments. Nadine Strossen, President of the ACLU, as well as Congressman Bobby Scott also participated in this lively discussion. We have a news article posted about the event on the ACLJ website. On Thursday, I will be at the Pew Forum in Washington, DC, for an event being held at the National Press Club regarding the public display of the Ten Commandments. We will be participating in moot courts on Friday and Monday for final preparation of these cases before the Supreme Court. I encourage you to be in prayer for all of our lawyers, as well as Mat Staver of the Liberty Counsel, Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott, and Acting Solicitor General of the United States Paul D. Clement as we help prepare them for the important oral arguments to be held on March 2nd.
