Legal group joins Schiavo fray

WASHINGTON, March 21 (UPI) -- A conservative legal group specializing in constitutional law cases filed a "friend of the court" brief in Florida Monday in support of Terri Schiavo.

The American Center for Law and Justice, originally founded by evangelist the Rev. Pat Robertson, in a statement issued in Washington urged the federal court in Tampa to "re-insert Terri's feeding tube without delay."

"To delay is to sentence Terri to an inhumane death. An injunction can always be reversed. But the federal court has no power to resurrect the dead. The time for action is now. "

The ACLJ's chief counsel, Jay Sekulow, previously represented Schiavo's parents before the Supreme Court in an unsuccessful attempt to defend special Florida legislation on behalf of Schiavo. That legislation was subsequently declared unconstitutional.

The center said it filed the brief on its own behalf and on the behalf of Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., a chief sponsor of legislation opened the door of the Schiavo case to be heard in federal court. The center wants Schiavo to be reconnected to feeding and hydration tubes until the case is adjudicated.