Source: http://www.anitacrane.com/attention-ben-carson-inside-the-terri-schiavo-case-and-why-it-matters-now/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 02:57:00+00:00

Document:
Preface: The Terri Schiavo case is now a big deal in presidential politics with media focusing on two Republican contenders. According to Ed O’Keefe at the Washington Post, Dr. Ben Carson opined that the federal government shouldn’t have intervened: “When the reporter asked whether Carson thought it was necessary for Congress to intervene, he said: ‘I don’t think it needed to get to that level. I think it was much ado about nothing.'” This is cold. Apparently Carson doesn’t know that it is the federal government’s duty to defend American citizens. Americans need all public officials to know this and do their duty. Meanwhile, former Governor Jeb Bush is claiming that he did everything he could do, but he did not. He should have upheld his oath to Florida’s people and her Constitution by writing executive orders over the criminal court orders. He should have ordered the armed Pinellas County officers to leave the nursing home instead of holding Terri hostage and starving her to death. Then after Terri was murdered, Gov. Bush signed a law that seems to make no sense. At the time, I was an editor of Celebrate Life and LifeSiteNews published my special report showing why it was necessary for Congress and President George W. Bush to intervene, and why it is righteous. The execution of Terri Schiavo is a painful and heartbreaking American tragedy. I’m re-releasing this now because Robert Destro’s 2005 advice can help Americans elect the best person as president in 2016 and all forthcoming elections.
Well, no one longs for a brain injury, yet it could come upon anybody. No matter where you stand on the issue, this eyewitness account will help you understand what happened to Terri Schiavo and why it was a tragic violation of her constitutional rights.
Attorney Robert Destro represented Florida Governor Jeb Bush (R) as well as Terri Schiavo’s parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, in the legal case. From 1983 to 1989, he served as a commissioner on the U.S. Civil Rights Commission and led its discussions regarding discrimination on the basis of disability, national origin and religion.
Now he’s a professor at the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law in Washington, D.C. Destro joined Terri’s case as advisor to Kenneth Connor, lead counsel in Bush v. Schiavo. While the governor’s office paid his travel expenses to the Florida Supreme Court, all Destro’s work on behalf of Terri was done pro bono.
“Judges are supposed to determine clear and convincing evidence in light of the whole, but the problem with Terri’s case was that the evidence was only as good as the judges,” said Destro.
In Bush v. Schiavo petitions to the Florida and U.S. Supreme Courts, Destro emphasized what he referred to as Greer’s illegal position of simultaneously acting as Terri’s judge and surrogate guardian.
Even so, Barbara Weller of the Gibbs Law Firm (currently representing the Schindlers) said Greer’s breaches took place under 2nd District Court of Appeal Judge Christopher Altenbernd starting with his Jan. 24, 2001 ruling on In re: Guardianship Theresa Marie Schiavo; Robert and Mary Schindler v. Michael Schiavo. Then during his tenure as chief judge, Altenbernd’s opinions show persistence in ordering Greer’s abuse of power (In re: Guardianship Schiavo, June 6, 2003 and March 16, 2005).
Furthermore, the Destro-Connor petitions indicate that the judges’ ethical and legal violations were so numerous and intertwined; it would take volumes to spell out the details.
Nevertheless, on May 6, 2004 the governor lost Michael Schiavo v. Jeb Bush when Pinellas Circuit Judge W. Douglas Baird ruled Terri’s Law unconstitutional.
And so it went. The imperiled person was irrelevant. Thus, Destro was banned from stating the case. After all, judges possess the power to stifle testimony. The trial video and Pariente’s opinion are online.
If only the Florida Constitution had prevailed over their hearts. But all was not lost because, as Destro and Connor wrote, the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment obliges Gov. Bush and the federal powers to protect innocent citizens like Terri Schiavo.
After the Florida justice system failed Terri, Destro and Connor filed Bush v. Schiavo at the U.S. Supreme Court on Dec. 1, 2004. It was distributed for a full-court review Jan. 5, 2005 and was denied without comment on Jan. 24. Destro then joined David Gibbs in representing the Schindlers.
Destro wrote the bill as an amendment to federal habeas corpus law, which says a writ may be issued to bring a party before a court or judge, thus having as its function the release of the party from unlawful restraint. However, that brought up death-penalty politics and some lawmakers feared it could result in too many appeals by convicted murderers. Therefore, S. 686 was written more broadly; but still there were clashes in Washington.
“The thing that saved us was the influence and intervention of the disability rights groups,” said Destro. Consequently, some unlikely allies worked behind the scenes to save Terri. Destro believes that the bill wouldn’t have passed without support from Senators Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Arlen Specter (R-Pa.).
As lawmakers debated, Destro and Gibbs filed the emergency petition Schindler v. Schiavo at the U.S. Supreme Court on March 17, 2005.
Within hours, the full court reviewed and denied it without comment, thus Terri’s nutrition and hydration were withdrawn on March 18.
The Florida Supreme Court denied appeal and Gibbs made one last plea to the U.S. Supreme Court on March 30, 2005. Within hours, the court reviewed and denied the case without comment. Terri died the next day.
Destro also stated that opposing forces were “very powerful,” but refused to comment further.
This was news to Destro who hasn’t had a chance to fully consider the law. He continues advising the Schindlers through the Gibbs Law Firm.
How can we prevent another Terri Schiavo tragedy? In addition to preparing a written advance directive such as American Life League’s “Loving Will” for yourself and family members (in Canada, see the Euthanasia Prevention Coalition’s Power of Attorney for Personal Care), consider Destro’s public policy counsel.

References: v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v. 
 v.