New chief judge won post by more than 2-to-1 vote

By Times staff writers

© St. Petersburg Times, published February 9, 2001

Pinellas-Pasco Circuit Judge David A. Demers won election as the circuit's chief judge by a more than a 2-to-1 ratio over Circuit Judge Ray Ulmer on Tuesday.

Demers takes over as chief judge on July 1, replacing Circuit Judge Susan Schaeffer, who is stepping down after six years as chief judge. Schaeffer will work in the court's civil division until her scheduled 2004 retirement.

Demers, 54, received 39 votes to Ulmer's 16 among the 55 ballots cast by every county and circuit judge in the Pinellas-Pasco Circuit. There were no other candidates.

Schaeffer, 58, had declined on Wednesday to release the vote total. But her office released the tally late Thursday after a written demand for public records by the St. Petersburg Times.

After the vote, Ulmer asked his colleagues to make it unanimous, which they did.

The chief judge's term is two years.

Parents appeal ruling in right-to-die case

The parents of a woman whose right-to-die case has drawn national publicity is asking the 2nd District Court of Appeal to reconsider its decision last month to allow the removal of their daughter's feeding tube.

Bob and Mary Schindler also filed motions Thursday with the court in Lakeland, requesting all the judges review the case -- not just the three-judge panel that ruled last month. If the court declines, the St. Petersburg couple will appeal to the Florida Supreme Court.

In last month's ruling, the appeals court upheld a Pinellas judge who agreed with Terri Schiavo's husband, Michael, that she would not want her life prolonged by a feeding tube.

Mrs. Schiavo, now 37, collapsed at her St. Petersburg home on Feb. 25, 1990. Her heart stopped beating, and she was deprived of oxygen for five minutes.

Though she can breathe, her doctors say she is in a persistent vegetative state. They say she is unaware of what is happening around her and that her motions and sounds are based on reflex only -- and will never improve.

But her parents dispute that, saying she responds to sounds, sights, even jokes and might get better one day.

Lawyer turns up to face charge of sex with teen

TAMPA -- A lawyer wanted by sheriff's investigators on a charge he had sex with a 13-year-old girl turned himself in Thursday afternoon, officials said.

David Russell Stahl, 58, of 10203 Tarpon Springs Road in Odessa agreed to meet deputies outside the Hillsborough County courthouse annex at 1:30 p.m., said sheriff's Lt. Rod Reder.

Stahl then appeared before Judge Walter Heinrich on the charge of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child.

Investigators said that some time between November and December, Stahl had sex with a 13-year-old runaway being harbored by Shawn Robert Martin, a paralegal in his firm.

Martin was advertising the girl for prostitution on the Internet, deputies said.

Warrants were issued for both Stahl and Martin, who officials said fled together. Martin's whereabouts were still unknown Thursday. Stahl was held Thursday afternoon in lieu of $100,000 bail.

Journalism instructor is Teacher of the Year

TAMPA -- For the second time in two years a high school journalism teacher has been named Hillsborough County teacher of the year.

Christie Gold, 34, who teaches English and journalism at Gaither High School, was chosen from 180 nominees. She received the award Thursday night.

As teacher of the year, Gold received a Compaq computer, gift certificates to Outback Steakhouse, a limousine ride to school this morning, a guest appearance on Star 95.7 radio morning show, a $1,000 scholarship to Nova Southeastern University, and $2,000 from the Hillsborough Education Foundation.

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