NYT: Protesters Hold Vigil for Schiavo at Hospice

[DeepModem Mom]

Protesters Hold Vigil for Schiavo at Hospice
By ABBY GOODNOUGH
Published: March 20, 2005


PINELLAS PARK, Fla., March 19 - The morning after Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed, lawyers for her parents sought new avenues to keep her alive and protesters were arrested trying to deliver bread and water to the door of the hospice where Ms. Schiavo, a critically brain-damaged woman who a judge has ruled would not want life-prolonging measures, lay in bed.

Just before 11 a.m. on Saturday, three men were taken into custody when they tried to force their way past officers guarding the driveway of Woodside Hospice to take bread and water to Ms. Schiavo as a symbolic gesture.

The three - led by James Gritz, a former Green Beret commander from Nevada known as Bo - were arrested on misdemeanor trespassing charges, police officials said. About 30 people prayed outside the hospice on Saturday morning and waved signs reading "Stop Renegade Judges" and "Colorado Loves Terri." Others stood in circles reciting the Lord's Prayer. Passers-by looked on, drinking coffee.

The Rev. Patrick Mahoney, director of the Christian Defense Coalition, said protesters planned to drive to Tallahassee, where they would spend the next few days lobbying the State Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush to somehow force the feeding tube's reinsertion.

Mr. Mahoney, one of several conservative religious leaders trying to rally a national protest of the tube removal on the ground that no life should end prematurely, said he hoped more people would travel here as Ms. Schiavo's condition deteriorated....


http://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/20/national/20schiavo.html