Legal group to make Schiavo appeal

WASHINGTON, March 23 (UPI) -- A conservative legal group said Wednesday it would file a court brief seeking a full federal appeals court hearing in the Terri Schiavo case.

The request to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals follows rejection of the case by a three-judge panel, which left the permanently brain-damaged woman unconnected to feeding and hydration tubes.

"We are preparing briefs for the federal appeals court and ultimately for the (U.S.) Supreme Court," Jay Sekulow, chief counsel of the American Center for Law and Justice said. "We will continue to file briefs in support of Terri Schiavo while at the same time urge the Florida legislature and the Florida governor to step in and take action to save Terri."

The ACLJ specializes in constitutional law. It was originally founded by evangelist Pat Robertson.

It said it was filing the brief on behalf of Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., a chief sponsor of legislation passed by Congress to allow federal review of the Schiavo case, which was fought in state courts.

The brain-damaged Tampa woman has been without sustenance since Friday. A Florida court had ruled in favor of her husband, who said she would not have wanted to be kept alive by artificial means.