Contact: Steve Kluth, Gibbs Law Firm, P.A., 727-399-8300, 727-408-2213 cell, skluth@gibbsfirm.com

SEMINOLE, Fla., May 23 /Standard Newswire/ -- Attorney David C. Gibbs III is encouraging the candidates and the public to learn the truth behind Terri's death.  Gibbs says, "It's insane that convicted murderers are more protected than innocent disabled people in our nation.  That is ludicrous public policy by any standard."

Photo: Attorney David C. Gibbs III

Recently, Republican strategist Rich Galen told USA Today that Congress' intervention in the right-to-die case of Terri Schiavo in 2005 was "a pivot point" for many Republican voters. A majority of voters disapproved of the lawmakers' actions in the case of the brain-damaged Florida woman." 

Gibbs disagrees with Galen.  Gibbs said, "When given correct information, the vast majority of American people favor protecting innocent life as our founding fathers did.   Most Americans do not favor giving death row convicts more due process of law protection than we provide for senior citizens or disabled Americans!"

The leading Republican presidential candidates demonstrated during their initial debate with moderator Chris Matthews that they do not understand the important disability issues involved in the 2005 Terri Schiavo case.  Gov. Mitt Romney said he thought it "was a mistake" for Congress to get involved and the matter should have been left at the state level."  Sen. John McCain said Congress "probably acted too hastily."  Mayor Rudy Giuliani continues to see the matter as merely a "family dispute."

Only Sen. Sam Brownback and Rep. Duncan Hunter, both of whom participated in the Congressional action in 2005, got this issue right, correctly pointing out that all Congress did was to give Terri a chance to appeal her state death sentence to a federal court and reminding Americans of President Ronald Reagan's admonition to always "err on the side of life."

Bobby Schindler explains that his sister's case "was not about someone's 'right-to-die', nor was it an 'end-of-life' issue as was so often reported.  Instead, heinous criminals on death row have more protection and are treated with more dignity than people like Terri.  Congress saw this and intervened to protect her.  Not only was it appropriate for Congress to try and help Terri, but it is what they are morally obligated to do in such cases."

Gibbs explains, "America needs to know what really happened to this lady because Terri's death by dehydration should never have been permitted in a civilized society.  These candidates must understand the truth because if elected, they will be making policies that impact all of us." 

Attorney Gibbs has released a video giving an insider's perspective to the life and death of Terri Schiavo.   This emotional, dynamic presentation can be downloaded at www.fightingfordearlife.com free of charge.