With all hope practically exhausted that Terri Schiavo's life might be legally prolonged, the vigil at the hospice in Pinellas Park, Florida, where she has lain without nourishment since last Friday became a death watch last night. Conor O'Clery reports
There were emotional scenes outside the tree-shrouded building in Pinellas Park as Catholic and evangelical protesters learned yesterday morning of the apparent end of the federal appeals process.
The US Supreme Court, without giving any reason, turned down a request by Ms Schiavo's parents, Bill and Mary Schindler, to intervene to keep the brain-damaged woman alive. "There is no legislative and legal option open to us now," said the Rev Patrick Mahoney, who has been comforting the Schindlers. "Governor Bush is now the only practical hope for Terri Schiavo."
Florida governor Jeb Bush had applied on Wednesday for a court order to allow Florida social services to take Ms Schiavo (41) into protective custody so that her feeding tube could be reinserted.
However, shortly after midday Florida judge George Greer turned down the governor's request, made under the Florida Protective Services Act that allows the state to take control of a person subject to abuse, neglect or ill-treatment.
With reports that a federal judge might rehear an appeal last night, protesters maintained a prayer vigil in the street, clutching rosary beads and bibles and holding up slogans such as "Legal Killing" and "Stop the Murder". Police stood at the hospice entrance to prevent protesters bringing water to Ms Schiavo.
Randall Terry, head of the extreme anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, said: "If she dies there's going to be hell to pay." He accused Republicans of using "pro-life rhetoric to get into office" and then abandoning Ms Schiavo to a lingering death.
Doctors say she could stay alive for another week as a lack of food and water shuts down major organs.
The Schindlers now seem to have no hope of having the feeding tube reinserted, having lost four days of frantic legal activity since the US Congress rushed through legislation on Monday to allow them to appeal through the federal court system.
Their daughter's feeding tube was removed on Friday by order of a Florida court in response to a petition by her husband Michael Schiavo that she be allowed to die. Mr Schiavo was yesterday keeping a vigil at his wife's bedside. She suffered permanent brain damage 15 years ago when her heart stopped for 15 minutes.