Court overturns law on feeding tube

THE Florida Supreme Court yesterday struck down a law that was rushed through the legislature last fall to keep a severely brain-damaged woman hooked up to a feeding tube against her husband’s wishes.

The unanimous court said the law that kept Terri Schiavo alive violated the separation of powers between the judicial branch and the legislative and executive branches.

Lower courts had ruled that Michael Schiavo could have the tube removed, but the Legislature passed the law to overrule the courts. Governor Jeb Bush then used the law to order the tube reinserted.