The actor and director spoke out Wednesday night in a telephone interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

"I heard their cry for help," Gibson explained his public comments. Gibson insisted that Terri Schiavo is not in a vegetative state.

Gibson said he decided to take a public stand because "it is completely wrong to deprive this poor woman of food and water."

He added that the court-ordered method of killing – depriving Terri Schiavo of basic sustenance – "is a prolonged and cruel execution."

Gibson said he is closely following the case and is astounded by the developments.

"I just sit here watching this whole scenario play out in front of me with my mouth wide open that our country has come to this," he said, adding, "I think it’s a really black day."

The actor offered little hope for Terri Schiavo at this point, describing the appeals as "too little too late."

"It’s nothing more than state-sanctioned murder," Gibson continued.

He was also disturbed that a local Florida judge was given the unquestioned power to sentence Schiavo to death.

"All the big guys, they’ve got their hands tied by some tinhorn judge down there," he said. "Come on. When they want to whip a judge, they got no problem getting Judge Moore in a heartbeat."

"It’s so wrong and I watch it, appalled and stunned, that we have gotten to this."

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