No legal power to help Schiavo – Jeb Bush News
No legal power to help Schiavo – Jeb Bush

[JURIST] Florida governor Jeb Bush [official website] said Sunday that he had no legal authority to do anything more for Terri Schiavo [JURIST news archive], the brain-damaged Florida woman now entering her 11th day without food or water at a Pinellas County hospice. Speaking publicly on the case for the first time since Thursday, he told reporters after an Easter Sunday service:

I cannot violate a court order…I don't have powers from the United States Constitution — or for that matter from the Florida Constitution — that would allow me to intervene after a decision has been made.
As Schiavo's condition continued to deteriorate, supporters said they would refocus their remaining legal efforts on Washington in a final and doubtless forlorn bid to persuade federal authorities to enforce subpoenas to call Schiavo before Congress to appear at House and Senate hearings which have now been canceled. The Schindlers gave up their own legal fight after the Florida Supreme Court denied their final appeal late Saturday [JURIST report]. CNN has more. A supporters' press conference [Christian Defense Coalition press release] has been called at Noon across the street from the White House.