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Judge Greer to be awarded for among other things aiding and abetting murder of Terri

Greer ordered that an incapacitated person be denied all nutrition and hydration. He ordered that an incapacitated person may not receive sustenance naturally. He ordered a county Sheriff's department to interfere with the statutorily mandated duties of a state agency. He refused to read affidavits from physicians, neurologists and pathologists that supported the life of the incapacitated person. He refused to allow investigation into how the person became incapacitated in the first place. He ordered the commission of a felony under a number of Florida Statutes.
 
And he's being thanked for it.

-P
Schiavo Judge To Be Honored
 
Pinellas- Pasco Circuit Judge George Greer, who was thrust into the national spotlight and scrutinized by pro-life advocates during the Terri Schiavo case, was a consistent judge who followed the law, colleagues say.
 
His professionalism and integrity was punctuated by the way he handled the Schiavo case, said Alan Scott Miller, a New Port Richey lawyer and member of the West Pasco Bar Association.
 
As part of Law Week, which kicks off today, the association will award Greer, 63, its Special Justice Award.
 
''He's getting this award for all of his contributions on the bench, not just the Schiavo case,'' Miller said. ''It's like a lifetime achievement award for an actor.''
 
Greer will receive the award during a banquet Thursday at the Heritage Springs Golf and Country Club, 11345 Robert Trent Jones Parkway.
 
For years, Greer presided over the politically and emotionally charged Schiavo case, which ended when the 41- year-old woman died March 31, 13 days after her feeding tube was removed a third time on a court order.
 
Some doctors said Schiavo was in a persistent vegetative state since suffering brain damage after her heart stopped in 1990.
 
Her husband, Michael, fought for years to have her feeding stopped, saying his wife didn't want to be kept alive by artificial means.
 
Her parents, hoping she would recover, fought him in court after court.
 
Eventually, Florida's governor and Legislature and then Congress took up the battle.
 
Supporters and detractors watched as Greer made rulings backing Terri Schiavo's purported wishes and received threats on his life.
 
''I don't think anyone could ever say his decisions were unlawful,'' said Joan Nelson Hook, president of the West Pasco Bar Association. ''They were very thoughtful. His decisions were meticulous.
 
''We admired his ability to sustain the pressure not to follow the law. ... I think that shows his character.''
 
Steve Doran, association president-elect, echoed Hook's thoughts on Greer's handling of the Schiavo case.
 
''His decisions in that unfortunate case withstood the test of every appellate court in the country,'' Doran said. ''Those who are criticizing him are not seeing the big picture.''
 
When the association voted this month on this year's recipient of the Special Justice Award, the result was almost unanimous for Greer.
 
''He's a man of integrity. He's followed the flow. He's done an excellent job on the bench,'' said Miller. ''That's why he's getting this award.''
 
In addition to Greer's award, the Law Week celebration offers events that allow the community to get a closer look at what the West Pasco Bar Association and the law profession are about, Hook said.
 
''It's an opportunity to interact with all levels of the community,'' she said.
 
''It's not just about battles; law is a way of life.''

May 2, 2005 in Current Affairs | Permalink

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Comments

Does this include the murder of Helen Ball McGee, also? This woman came to his court begging for a restraining order against her husband. Judge Greer denied this woman saying that she did not have enough evidence. Two weeks later, he stabbed her to death. Bravo, Judge Greer on another abused woman's death!

Posted by: Cheryl Formosa | May 2, 2005 12:32:19 PM

(This was sent in as a Special to TBO.com & affiliates) Op-Ed Submission - with a pep talk.

"If your browser does not support forms, send e-mail to tribletters@tampatrib.com or write to P.O. Box 191, Tampa, FL 33601-4005."

I don't know if my browser supports forms. Here is my response to the story I read.

In a message dated 5/3/2005 12:39:28 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, drrohe@yahoo.com writes:
A protest needs to be held this Thursday. If any one is interested in facilitating a protest at this location, please email me at Fight4Terri@aol.com

Schiavo Judge To Be Honored - from TBO.com

http://pasco.tbo.com/pasco/MGBHNYJW78E.html
pep talk:

#1: I was the most successful litigant in the Schiavo saga on the side that lost.

#2: I document this richly with links and cites to my court cases.

#3: This gives me the "gravitas" to expect I will be able to submit 950 words and get away with it, as I let my feelings be known about TBO, writer Lisa Davis, and a recent good editorial by The Tampa Tribune.

#4: The piece, below, is actually 949 words, and has a little fluff at the end that can be edited out --where I praise the various writers.

Here is the 949-word Special to TBO.com and any of its affiliates, such as The Tribune or WFLA.

TBO.com ran a story on May 02, by Lisa A. Davis, which gave news coverage on the accomplishments of Pinellas Circuit Judge, George W. Greer; yet, TBO glaringly kept silent regarding of the accomplishments of the most successful litigant on the pro-Terri side, Gordon Watts of Lakeland.

Although Davis doesn’t directly say that she agrees with the many claims that “Circuit Judge George Greer … was a consistent judge who followed the law, colleagues say,” TBO and Ms. Davis implicitly endorse him by giving him press while refusing coverage on more worthy efforts, like those of Watts.

I am Gordon Watts, and I take offense at that endorsement.

As an example of these “more worthy” efforts, I attempted to save Terri’s life, and lost a 4-3 court decision in the Florida Supreme Court, a habeas plea, and the percentage of votes I received on my panel, in case SC03-2420, almost 43%, was higher than any other participant’s, including the talented Gibbs team. By contrast, in case SC04-925, the “Terri’s Law” case, the Governor received 7-0 defeat both in his initial hearing and his rehearing motion.

Thus, TBO’s implicit endorsement of colleagues’ claims that Greer followed the law is bad journalism. Greer, Davis, and TBO are collectively wrong: Greer (and other judges) did not follow the law:

For example, Terri was not terminally ill by federal definitions (“prognosis is for a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal course.” 42C.F.R.§418.22(b)), and thus, it was illegal by state law for her to even be admitted to hospice (§400.6095(2), Fla.Stats. Admission to hospice limited to “terminal illness by a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459...”)

The judge declared Terri PVS in violation of State Law §765.101(12)(a): "'Persistent vegetative state' means a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is: The absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of ANY kind." (Emphasis added; she obviously had some cognitive behavior, as the clips show; many experts agree with this analysis.)

Of course, Terri had the rights to rehabilitation and appointment of counsel, guaranteed by Florida Laws §744.3215(1), subsections (i) and (l). Even criminals on death row get appointment of counsel -and endless appeals.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the judge did not comply with state laws mandating that a “caregiver's failure or omission to provide an elderly person or disabled adult with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the elderly person's or disabled adult's physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food…” shall be deemed a felony! The law makes no exceptions for PVS or terminal patients, even assuming Terri to be in these categories -and Federal Law supports this: OASAM Code of Federal Regulations, §35.130(e)(2) states, "Nothing in the Act or this part authorizes the representative or guardian of an individual with a disability to decline food, water, medical treatment, or medical services for that individual." (A recent Zogby poll even found that most people would NOT want to be denied regular food and water, when the poll was worded in less confusing terms than other recent “push polls.”)

Even if it were “her wishes,” the law makes no exceptions -as we found out when Jack Kevorkian landed in jail (even though it was indisputably his patients “wishes” to die).

The judge legislated from the bench, that is, he issued many rulings contrary to state and federal laws. This, of course, is repeated violation of separation of powers, no different than if, say, a judge ruled that one police officer should shoot another, simply because it was “his wishes.” (Are we fast following the Nazi goose-steppers?)

When the judge attempted to prohibit an autopsy in recent rulings, I knew he was trying to hide something, but what? Trying to hide the same incompetence that motivates liberal, “easy-way-out” news media, such as Davis to give preferential news coverage to those who make clearly false statements such as “Greer was a consistent judge who followed the law?”
This is disappointing because TBO is a interesting and informative website; and, Davis seems to be a bright, hard-working writer too, so I am amazed and let down. In fact, The Tampa Tribune, for whom she works, recently ran en editorial asking Mike Schiavo to simply give Terri’s parent’s a chance to care for her. While this is commendable, The Tribune, did not have the fortitude to go all the way and demand that the judge either follow the law -or get impeached -as I am now doing here.

If these judges aren’t brought into check by free press and other branches of government, then routine visits to the hospital for those with speech impediments might end up with hungry patients! And, don’t tell me that “living wills” will solve problems: Mae Magouirk, the famous Georgia woman, was almost starved to death, when she had a living will. (Magouirk, like Schiavo, was able to eat, even if it wasn’t very well.)

In conclusion, I note that Greer isn’t the only judge who needs to be fired: The Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal, in Schindler v. Schiavo, 800 So.2d 640, at 646 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001) admitted that "...the opinions of the remaining doctors may have been limited by their inability to examine Ms. Schiavo or obtain necessary diagnostic information..."So, why then, did they insist on prohibiting a whole multitude of experts from therapy or mere examination. What were they trying to hide?

So, if you go to the hospital and are paralyzed or have speech problems, will you be safe? (Verification of some of my accomplishments and claims are found the links below.)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb212613.htm

http://press.arrivenet.com/nfp/article.php/603000.html

http://hometown.aol.com/gww1210/myhomepage/PressRelease02-25-2005.html

http://geocities.com/Gordon_Watts32313/PressRelease02-25-2005.html

Gordon Wayne Watts
Lakeland


Gordon Wayne Watts http://GordonWatts.com
BS, The Florida State University, Biological and Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute

ALWAYS FAITHFUL - To God
And God bless my friends who made me this picture.
821 Alicia Road, Lakeland, FLA, USA 33801-2113 http://HomeTown.AOL.com/Gww1210 or http://www.GeoCities.com/Gordon_Watts32313
Home: (863) 688-9880 Work: (863) 686-3411 Voice&FAX: (863) 687-6141
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe.
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants.
Gordon Wayne Watts
Get Truth.

"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.

(Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's far more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, and other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up;" But, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due, in part, to their own silence. So the general idea is correct: "Speak up now, or forever hold your peace." --Gordon)
*
*

Posted by: Gordon W. Watts | May 3, 2005 4:47:18 AM

I ALSO gave the St Pete *TIMES* ... a hard ... TIME.. get it?

Subject: (Special to The Times) Op-Ed Submission - with a pep talk.
Date: 5/2/2005 4:46:31 P.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: Gww1210@aol.com
To: gailey@sptimes.com
CC: Gww1210@aol.com, Gww12102002@yahoo.com, GordonWWatts@aol.com


pep talk:

#1: I was the most successful litigant in the Schiavo saga on the side that lost.

#2: I document this richly with links and cites to my court cases.

#3: This gives me the "gravitas" to expect I will be able to submit 850 words and get away with it, as I let my feelings be known about writer Lucy Morgan.

#4: The piece, below, is actually 849 words, and has a little fluff at the end that can be edited out --where I praise the various writers.

here is the 849-word Special to The Times:

Lucy Morgan, Tallahassee bureau chief for The Times, did news coverage on Attorney Matt Conigliaro, whose blog, http://AbstractAppeal.com featured coverage of the Schiavo case; yet, Morgan glaringly missed this one: http://GordonWatts.com by the most successful litigant on the pro-Terri side.

Although Morgan doesn’t directly say that she agrees with Conigliaro, she implicitly endorses him by giving him press while refusing coverage on more worthy efforts.

For example, I attempted to save Terri’s life, and lost a 4-3 court decision in the Florida Supreme Court, a habeas plea, and the percentage of votes I received on my panel, in case SC03-2420, almost 43%, was higher than any other participant’s, including the talented Gibbs team. By contrast, in case SC04-925, the “Terri’s Law” case, the Governor received 7-0 defeat both in his initial hearing and his rehearing motion.

Thus, Morgan’s implicit endorsement of Conigliaro’s claim “I think the judges followed the law” is bad journalism. They are both wrong; The judges did not follow the law:

For example, Terri was not terminally ill by federal definitions (“prognosis is for a life expectancy of 6 months or less if the terminal illness runs its normal course.” 42C.F.R.§418.22(b)), and thus, it was illegal by state law for her to even be admitted to hospice (§400.6095(2), Fla.Stats. Admission to hospice limited to “terminal illness by a physician licensed pursuant to chapter 458 or chapter 459...”)

The judge declared Terri PVS in violation of State Law §765.101(12)(a): "'Persistent vegetative state' means a permanent and irreversible condition of unconsciousness in which there is: The absence of voluntary action or cognitive behavior of ANY kind." (Emphasis added; she obviously had some cognitive behavior, as the clips shoe; many experts agree with this consensus.)

Of course, Terri had the rights to rehabilitation and appointment of counsel, guaranteed by Florida Laws §744.3215(1), subsections (i) and (l). Even criminals on death row get appointment of counsel -and endless appeals.

Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, the judge did not comply with state laws mandating that a “caregiver's failure or omission to provide an elderly person or disabled adult with the care, supervision, and services necessary to maintain the elderly person's or disabled adult's physical and mental health, including, but not limited to, food…” shall be deemed a felony! The law makes no exceptions for PVS or terminal patients, even assuming Terri to be in these categories -and Federal Law supports this: OASAM Code of Federal Regulations, §35.130(e)(2) states, "Nothing in the Act or this part authorizes the representative or guardian of an individual with a disability to decline food, water, medical treatment, or medical services for that individual." (A recent Zogby poll even found that most people would NOT want to be denied regular food and water, when the poll was worded in less confusing terms than other recent “push polls.”)

Even if it were “her wishes,” the law makes no exceptions -as we found out when Jack Kevorkian landed in jail (even though it was indisputably his patients “wishes” to die).

The judge legislated from the bench, that is, he issued many rulings contrary to state and federal laws. This, of course, is repeated violation of separation of powers, no different than if, say, a judge ruled that one police officer should shoot another, simply because it was “his wishes.” (We’re fast following the Nazi goosesteps, er, footsteps.)

When the judge attempted to prohibit an autopsy in recent rulings, I knew he was trying to hide something, but what? Trying to hide the same incompetence that motivates liberal, “easy-way-out” news media, such as Morgan to give preferential news coverage to those who make clearly false statements such as “I think the judges followed the law.” (This is disappointing because Matt is a polite and intelligent webmaster who once featured a link to one of my Florida Supreme Court cases on his website; Lucy Morgan is a bright, hard-working writer too, so I am amazed and let down.)

If these judges aren’t brought into check by free press and other branches of government, then routine visits to the hospital for those with speech impediments might end up with hungry patients! And, don’t tell me that “living wills” will solve problems: Mae Magouirk, the famous Georgia woman, was almost starved to death, when she had a living will. (Magouirk, like Schiavo, was able to eat, even if it wasn’t very well.)

In conclusion, I note that Greer isn’t the only judge who needs to be fired: The Florida 2nd District Court of Appeal, in Schindler v. Schiavo, 800 So.2d 640, at 646 (Fla. 2d DCA 2001) admitted that "...the opinions of the remaining doctors may have been limited by their inability to examine Ms. Schiavo or obtain necessary diagnostic information..."So, why then, did they insist on prohibiting a whole multitude of experts from therapy or mere examination. What were they trying to hide?

So, if you go to the hospital and are paralyzed or have speech problems, will you be safe? (Verification of some of my accomplishments and claims are found the links below.)

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/2/prweb212613.htm

http://press.arrivenet.com/nfp/article.php/603000.html

http://hometown.aol.com/gww1210/myhomepage/PressRelease02-25-2005.html

http://geocities.com/Gordon_Watts32313/PressRelease02-25-2005.html

Gordon Wayne Watts
Lakeland

Gordon Wayne Watts http://GordonWatts.com
BS, The Florida State University, Biological and Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
ALWAYS FAITHFUL - To God
821 Alicia Road, Lakeland, FLA, USA 33801-2113 http://HomeTown.AOL.com/Gww1210 or http://www.GeoCities.com/Gordon_Watts32313
Home: (863) 688-9880 Work: (863) 686-3411 Voice&FAX: (863) 687-6141
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe.
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants.
Gordon Wayne Watts
Get Truth.

"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.

(Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's far more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, and other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up;" But, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due, in part, to their own silence. So the general idea is correct: "Speak up now, or forever hold your peace." --Gordon)
*
*

Posted by: Gordon W Watts | May 3, 2005 4:49:49 AM

Did I say that I had sent the LEDGER a letter too? No! I forgot. Here it is...

-----------------
Forwarded Message:
Subj: correction - please consider this one instead
Date: 4/29/2005 11:23:54 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: Gww1210@aol.com
To: voice@theledger.com, ledgereditorials@yahoo.com

Dear Editor: (I forgot this top paragraph - here it is)

You ran a poll this past Tuesday, April 26, 2005, asking: “Do you favor changing the Senate rules to make it easier for the Republicans to confirm President Bush's judicial nominees?”

(In a message dated 4/29/2005 8:54:58 A.M. Eastern Standard Time, Gww1210@aol.com writes:)

I have four problems with your poll:

#1: You say I have to call in by 5pm each day for my results to count for the next day. That was inconvenient, but it’s YOUR right to set the rules as you see fit, and MY “personal responsibility” to find out what the rules are. (Although this was my fault, I’m including this complaint to remind other readers of Ledger rules.)

#2: The print version indicated 584 responses had been received with 54% saying that the rules shouldn’t be changed; however, when I went online at http://TheLedger.com and saw the past poll results, I found that merely 40.7% of 884, not 584, responders felt that the rules didn’t need changing, as they have been periodically changed in the past..

#3: Just as we found with recent disparities between the ABC and the Zogby polls, the wording here not only obscured what was being proposed in the Senate, but also distractive by use of Bush’s name. While not technically a lie, this was a classic “push poll.”

A more accurate question could read: “Do you favor changing the Senate rules to prohibit the practice of the ‘filibuster’, a parliamentary procedure in which a minority of senators can prevent the full Senate from voting on a judicial nominee, thereby frustrating the Democratic process?”

#4: When I called The Ledger and asked about this, a news person told me your paper couldn’t rerun a question with the same topic. Not only is this running from seeking the truth (bad for a paper), but also he was incorrect: You paper HAS rerun a question on a topic, when it asked about term limits on the 1st of this month and then again on the 15th.

By running the poll with Bush’s name, you guaranteed ALL anti-Bush people would vote against it, and then some of the pro-Bush people randomly vote against it. Would The Ledger not run the question I propose?

Gordon Wayne Watts http://GordonWatts.com
BS, The Florida State University, Biological and Chemical Sciences
AS, United Electronics Institute
ALWAYS FAITHFUL - To God
821 Alicia Road, Lakeland, FLA, USA 33801-2113 http://HomeTown.AOL.com/Gww1210 or http://www.GeoCities.com/Gordon_Watts32313
Home: (863) 688-9880 Work: (863) 686-3411 Voice&FAX: (863) 687-6141
Gww1210@aol.com ; Gww12102002@Yahoo.com
Truth is the strongest, most stable force in the Universe.
TRUTH doesn't bend to the will of tyrants.
Gordon Wayne Watts
Get Truth.

"First, they [Nazis] came for the Jews. I was silent. I was not a Jew. Then they came for the Communists. I was silent. I was not a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists. I was silent. I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for me. There was no one left to speak for me." (Martin Niemoller, given credit for a quotation in The Harper Religious and Inspirational Quotation Companion, ed. Margaret Pepper (New York: Harper &Row, 1989), 429 -as cited on page 44, note 17, of Religious Cleansing in the American Republic, by Keith A. Fornier, Copyright 1993, by Liberty, Life, and Family Publications.

(Actually, they may not have come for the Jews first, as it's far more likely they came for the prisoners, mentally handicapped, and other so-called "inferiors" first -as historians tell us -so they could get "practiced up;" But, they did come for them -due to the silence of their neighbors -and due, in part, to their own silence. So the general idea is correct: "Speak up now, or forever hold your peace." --Gordon)
*
*

Posted by: Gordon W. Watts | May 3, 2005 5:22:49 AM

** Updates: **

#1: I see you edited & fixed my link in my previous post, so people who click on "Posted by Gordon W. Watts" get to the right website. Thanks for fixing my typo.

#2: I got a response from the TBO.com and Tampa Tribune people:

Subject: RE: Feedback received online
Date: 5/3/2005 9:20:21 A.M. Eastern Standard Time
From: Feedback@tbo.com
To: gww1210@aol.com
CC: tribletters@tampatrib.com

Thanks for writing, Mr. Watts.

Your comments are being forwarded to the Editorial department.

TBO.com

Posted by: Gordon W. Watts | May 4, 2005 4:06:19 AM

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