A couple of emails have floated into my inbox, and it seems a few people have noticed that I haven’t written much this week, aside from posting the Noir. Not to worry on that note, as I’m just very tired, and the only topic I want to post about is far too depressing for anyone here to appreciate.
The Scott Peterson jury returned a death penalty sentence, not that he’ll be executed in the next thirty years or anything. (‘Tis true, California averages a handful of execution each decade, although San Quentin’s Death Row grows daily.) Robert Blake is celebrating the jury’s verdict in his wife’s murder case, since the prosecution wholly failed to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Two women, both mothers, are still dead.
Another woman will soon face her untimely end, and in this case, it’s bloody clear that her husband wants to see her dead. Terri Schiavo will have her feeding tube removed at 2pm on Friday afternoon. A judge refused to issue an order that would allow Terri to stay alive while her parents pursued the appellate process, and this woman hasn’t even been granted her own attorney in the fight to keep her alive. Ahem. I do believe that is a denial of her right to due process.
If you wish to learn more or have the gumption to speak up, learn what needs to be done.
UPDATE: Jonathan over at the Galley Slaves points out a dot that I failed to connect here. Scott Peterson, a convicted murderer, is entitled to appeals automatically. On the other hand, an upstanding citizen such as Terri Schiavo isn’t entitled to squat. What’s wrong with this picture, America?
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… and I’m not goin’ leave no comment neither!
How can they do that? This woman is a living being. It isn’t like she is in a coma and never going to wake up or in an unresponsive state beign kept alive mearly by machines. This woman can interact with other people, she has a functioning brain and if they just gave her the chance she could improve her situation with some therapy.
The decision is so damn wrong it’s unbelievable and I hope the judge can live with himself and her money grabbing husband does not!
Yeah I know that’s supposed to be funny Bruce, but damn you’re insensitive! I thought you were a bleeding-heart liberal.
Oh I hear you, Silk. It seems that when one is declared mentally incapacitated, their rights are far less important….and unfortunately, the husband, who has fathered two other children since then, BTW, has the decision-making authority. As it stands now, anyway, unless Congress or a member of the Executive branch steps in.
The guy is obviously nothing but a money grabbing bastard. He’s feeding his new girlfriend and two kids on the ‘benefits’ of his wife. He has the cash and now he wants rid of the burden.
I can’t understand why he just wont pass guardianship back to her parents, he obviously doesnt want it!
Silk and Sadie,
You both seem to be laboring under a misconception. Terri does not have a functioning brain. The space once filled by her cerebral cortex is now filled with spinal fluid.
The videos trumpeted by Terri’s parents as “evidence” of her reaction to stimuli were snippets cut from much longer periods. Those snippets show a few seconds where her involuntary movements happened to match the actions of her parents. In the court hearings, the judges have viewed the complete tapes and ruled that the movements are consistent with brain stem (note: not brain) activity, are nonreproducible, and not evidence that she is alive.
Don’t believe me? I linked to the court rulings over at Nakedvillainy. Read ‘em yourself.
Oh Smallholder, of course I believe you. I read that utter crap as well. Fundamentally though, I take issue regardless of the whole concept of ‘brain death.’
This ain’t the Cruzan case.
I don’t know much about this, but I have read that her brain is not functioning. Can your life still be meaningful? Regardless of that I can’t believe House conservatives would go so far as to subpoena the woman to testify before Congress.
Heh. Wonder if that was Hillary’s doing? She is known for pulling a few strings.
Tom Delay is trying to cover up his ethical “lapses” by dragging a comatose women over them.
“upstanding” citizen?
Yeah, I’m insensitive.
Whatever bruce. Bite me.