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Diary of a vigil

By Times Staff Writer
Published March 27, 2005

	[Times photo: Lara Cerri]
	Supporters of keeping Terri Schiavo alive walk with crosses alongside the protest area in front of Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park on Saturday. Three people were arrested during the day for trespassing.

The man wanted to be arrested. It was easy enough. Pinellas Park police at Woodside Hospice have a fixed line. Cross it, and you get your wish. He stepped over, and was taken into custody on trespassing charges. As he was being led away, someone shouted "Shame on you police. Shame on you, Pontius Pilate."

While they were loading the man into the sheriff's van to go to jail, someone was beating a rhythm slowly on an upturned plastic bucket. On the back of the drummer's shirt were the words "Terri's heartbeat."

Pinellas Park police Capt. Sanfield Forseth said three people were arrested Saturday. He identified them as Ernesto Jacinto, 36, from Angola arrested for trespassing after he walked past one of the police cars guarding the entrances; Michael Anderson, 54, from Iowa; and David M. Currell, 43, from Indiana, also charged with trespassing. In all, 33 people have been arrested for trespassing in the protests.

It was early afternoon, and Chet Gallagher, an associate pastor from San Jose, Calif., was talking to the assembled protesters. Think carefully, he cautioned, before you try to get inside the hospice. Soon after, Bob Schindler, Terri Schiavo's father, came out to speak with Gallagher. "Please do not make any scenes," Schindler said. "It comes back on us."

Christine May, from Lenexa, Kan., drove here Wednesday, packing a sleeping bag and salt.

Turns out she didn't need the sleeping bag. May, who is married with three children, said she met a local woman at the protest who originally hails from Kansas City, and the woman has given her a place to stay.

As for the salt, she said she brought it for Schiavo. She said a priest schooled in Latin rites blessed it two months ago for her. Saturday morning she walked in front of the hospice sprinkling the salt along a worn-down path used by protesters and reporters. She said she was consecrating the ground.

The protest took to the skies Saturday, as two airplanes buzzed the protest site with banners in tow. One said: "Who's Gov. - Bush or Greer?" Later came another with a banner reading "Terri: I want to live."

- ANNE LINDBERG and JOSH ZIMMER, Times staff writers

[Last modified March 27, 2005, 00:35:15]