.- A Florida judge has temporarily blocked the removal of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube past today’s scheduled 1:00pm EST deadline.
David Demers, Pinellas Circuit Court Chief Judge, sitting in for Judge George Greer, who originally ordered the feeding tube removed, issued the statement amid legal races by pro-life lawmakers to save Schiavo’s life.
Just earlier, the Senate Health Committee issued a subpoena for Schiavo to appear before congress on March 28th. Under federal law, it is illegal to impose harm or death on anyone who has been issued a congressional subpoena.
Simultaneously, the Pinellas Park hospice where Schiavo currently resides also received a subpoena although its specific details are unclear.
David Gibbs, attorney for Schiavo’s parents said that, “It is a contempt of Congress to prevent or discourage someone from following the subpoena that's been issued. What the U.S. Congress is saying is, `We want to see Terri Schiavo.'"
He added that, "The family is prayerfully excited about their daughter going before the United States Congress for the whole world to see how alive she is."
