Saving Terri Schiavo

Subject: Terri Schiavo turns 41; governor’s lawyers file appeal with U.S. Supreme Court
Time: 5:30:10 PM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

Terri Schiavo turns 41; governor’s lawyers file appeal with U.S. Supreme Court

Published December 9, 2004

 

TALLAHASSEE (BP/FBW)--The U.S. Supreme Court may have the final say as to whether Terri Schiavo, a disabled woman living in Florida, lives or dies.

Click on image for related coverage

Lawyers for Florida Gov. Jeb Bush filed an appeal with the high court Dec. 1, asking the justices to take the case and overturn a ruling by the Florida Supreme Court that could lead to her death.

Legal briefs were filed with the U.S. Supreme Court just two days before Schiavo's 41st birthday, Dec. 3. Lawyers argue that if Schiavo dies, her constitutional right of equal treatment under the law will have been violated.

"It has taken our nation many years to make good on its commitment to equal justice for persons with profound cognitive disabilities," the brief states, in part. "Unless the State of Florida retains the power to protect the rights of its most vulnerable citizens to due process and equal protection of the laws, the Fourteenth Amendment's guarantees will apply only to those who are capable of defending them on their own."

The woman at the center of the legal debate, Schiavo has been in what some doctors consider a persistent vegetative state since 1990, when she collapsed in her home. Her husband and legal guardian, Michael Schiavo -- who has fathered two children with his live-in girlfriend -- has sought the removal of his wife's feeding tube for nearly a decade, saying it is what she would have wanted. However, no written request from Terri Schiavo exists.

Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have long maintained their daughter has not received the rehabilitation and care she requires.

Schiavo's feeding tube was removed in October 2003, but the Florida legislature passed a law giving Bush the authority to order re-insertion of the tube. He did so, and Michael Schiavo challenged the constitutionality of the law.

But in September of this year the Florida Supreme Court ruled the law violated the Florida Constitution. Bush's attorneys are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the law.

The U.S. Supreme Court does not have to take the case; it could decline to hear it and let the Florida high court's ruling stand.

In related news, Terri Schiavo supporters will hold a special birthday party for her Dec. 12 at Helen Howarth Park, 6301 94th Ave. N. in Pinellas Park.

Terri Schiavo resides at the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, which has recently undergone renovation.

According to Terri’s parents, Terri is kept inside and allowed only limited access to visitors, on the orders of Michael Schiavo.

According to a release from the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation, friends and family will assemble at the park from 2-6 p.m. in order to celebrate her 41st birthday.

Wayne Galley, a Christian musician from Calif., at the party will perform pro-life songs he has recorded about Terri’s situation, and the family’s priest will lead in prayer for Terri Schiavo at 5 p.m., according to the release

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Subject: Opinion -by Terry Mitchell
Time: 11:44:39 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

December 08, 2004

The Hidden Danger of the So-Called "Right to Die"

Terry Mitchell

In October of 2003, the case of 39-year-old Terri Schiavo once again brought into focus the debate over the so-called "right to die." The Florida woman was temporarily removed from her feeding tube (via a court order received by husband), but was put back on it a few days later when the Florida legislature authorized Governor Jeb Bush to issue a stay. As of this writing, her fate is still being debated in the courts and her case might now be headed for the U.S. Supreme Court. But I wonder if the right to die is something we really want? I always shudder a bit when politicians start talking about giving me more rights. Rights have a funny way of morphing into obligations.

In the state where I live, you can legally make a right turn at a red light if there is no sign stating that you can't. This right is supposedly optional. However, if you've sitting at a red light with your turn signal on and five vehicles behind you with horns honking, it doesn't seem quite so optional. I fear this will be the case with the right to die if it ever becomes law.

Some people just don't have strong wills and I'm one of them. Many times in my life, someone with a stronger will has coaxed me into doing something I really didn't want to do. I could never serve on a jury because I wouldn't be able to maintain my independence. I would just go along to get along, even it meant not expressing what I honestly felt.

Recently, there was a study released which found that many of the people who signed up for the federal do-not-call list regularly bought stuff from telemarketers. The conclusion reached by thy group that did the study was that these people lied when they said they did not want to be called. I see it differently. I think they honestly do not wish to be called by telemarketers. Why then have they been buying from telemarketers? Because they don't have very strong wills and telemarketers pressure them into buying stuff they do not really want. That's why they have registered for the do-not-call list.

I believe a similar thing would happen with the right to die. Many people will say they don't ever want to be kept alive artificially because that's the fashionable thing to say and they know that's what other people want to hear. However, deep down, some of them would like for all means possible to be used to keep them alive. Saying you want to be kept alive artificially is not a popular thing to say. Most people will criticize you for it. Even people who have enough courage to actually say this will often back down when the pressure begins to mount. People will scold them with statements like "you shouldn't be so selfish", "why do you want to be such a burden to your relatives and friends?", or "you're old, you should be willing to die and make room for the younger people."

When someone is on life support and is subsequently found to be brain dead, they can be taken off life support without the permission of their family in many states. Even with that being the case, most doctors will still euphemistically tell the family they need to make a "choice." Of course, in the case of brain death, there is no real choice, since it's totally different from euthanasia or cutting off life support from someone who is still alive. I wonder, though, if we would have any real choice if we actually got our "right to die."



Terry Mitchell is a software engineer, free-lance writer, and trivia buff from Virginia, USA. He operates a website - http://www.commenterry.com - on which he posts commentaries on various subjects such as politics, technology, religion, health and well-being, personal finance, and sports.

http://www.opinioneditorials.com/freedomwriters/tmitchell_20041208.html

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Subject: IF ONLY-MICHAEL WERE REMARRIED
Time: 6:03:12 PM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

    Terri Schiavo's Lawyers Continue Legal Efforts for Her Life

By Bill Fancher
December 7, 2004

(AgapePress) - The legal battle continues in Florida over the court-ordered removal of feeding tubes from a young invalid woman.

The effort to keep Terri Schiavo alive has moved into several appeals courts. Terri's ex-husband, who has now remarried, won a court order to remove her feeding tubes. A law passed by the state legislature that prevented the removal of such feeing tubes was declared unconstitutional -- a ruling that is now being appealed by lawyers for Florida Governor Jeb Bush.

Dana Cody of the Life Legal Defense Foundation explains the attorneys' position is that Terri "has due process rights that aren't being recognized and that are being violated -- and therefore Terri's Law is still needed."

And according to Cody, another avenue of petition is being pursued. He says lawyers have filed another appeal -- a separate issue that is "going up a different chain of appeal" -- with a religious argument. "[This appeal is] saying that, based on the pope's recent statement about euthanasia and that feeding tubes should not be removed from disabled people, the court should reconsider based on Terri's Catholic beliefs," Cody explains. Terri's priest has submitted an affidavit testifying to her faith.

The original court refused to accept this new effort, which is also now being appealed. Meanwhile, Terri's parents are fighting for the ability to care for her. The original court said they have no standing in the case.

Terri's lawyers indicate her case could eventually end up before the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Subject:   Right-to-die case appealed in US
Time: 6:45:12 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall



Right-to-die case appealed in US Published in: Legalbrief Today
Date: Tue 07 December 2004
Category: Human Rights
Issue No: 1233


Florida Governor Jeb Bush has filed an appeal in the US Supreme Court against an earlier ruling that said a law introduced to prevent a comatose woman’s feeding tube from being removed was a violation of the separation of powers between the legislative and judicial branches, reports the Los Angeles Times.

Dubbed Terri’s Law, the legislation prevented authorities from allowing Terri Schiavo, who is at the centre of one of the country’s longest and most bitter right-to-die battles, to die. The law was pushed through six days after the woman’s husband had the tube removed with a judge's approval. Now, the Governor's attorneys are arguing in the Supreme Court that the Florida Supreme Court ruling has ‘ominous’ implications for ‘the most vulnerable of our citizens who cannot speak for themselves’.
Full report in the Los Angeles Times


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Subject: Questions Raised about Terri's collapse-Oct. 26, 2003
Time: 3:52:37 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows.
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=35276

Sunday, October 26, 2003
<FONT face=Verdana, color=#440000 size=-1 Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif>MATTERS OF LIFE AND DEATH
<FONT face=Palatino, color=#000000 size=+2 Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif>Questions raised
about Terri's collapse
<FONT face=Palatino, color=#000000 size=+1 Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif>Celebrated forensic pathologist says 1990 injuries should be investigated
Posted: October 26, 2003
5:45 p.m. Eastern

<FONT face=Palatino, Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif>By Sarah Foster
© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

A world-renowned forensic pathologist with over 40 years experience as a medical examiner is challenging the official version of early events in the Terri-Schindler Schiavo case, providing the parents of the brain-disabled woman with powerful ammunition in their battle to save their daughter's life from her court-ordered starvation death.

Interviewed on the Fox News Channel, Dr. Michael Baden, co-director of the Investigative Unit of New York State Police in Albany and former chief medical examiner for New York City, ruled out potassium imbalance and a heart attack as factors in Terri's mysterious collapse 13 years ago – which left her severely incapacitated and unable to speak – and pointed to head trauma and bone injuries as a more likely cause.

Baden explained to host Greta van Susteren it was unlikely for a woman of Terri's age at the time to have a potassium imbalance, unless she had certain types of diseases, which she didn't have.

"Too little potassium can cause the heart to stop beating properly and lead to lack of blood flow to the brain and death of brain cells by lack of oxygen, but that's very unusual, Greta, extremely unusual," he said.

That Terri's heart was healthy would rule out the likelihood of cardiac arrest, he said.

"The reason she's in the state she's in is because there was a period of time, maybe five minutes or eight minutes, when not enough oxygen was going to her brain," said Baden. "That can happen because the heart stops for 5 or 8 minutes, but she had a healthy heart, from what we can see."

Baden said he studied a bone scan made in March 1991 at a rehabilitation facility that describes her as having a head injury: "That's why she's there, that's why she's getting a bone scan."

"A head injury can cause, can lead to the vegetative state that Ms. Schiavo is in now," he continued, adding the scan showed evidence of other injuries, bone fractures.

Something totally different

Van Susteren asked if he were suggesting a potassium imbalance caused a fall that led to a head injury, or perhaps some "pre-existing head injury [led] to her passing out."

"Something totally different," he answered. Because cardiac arrests triggered by low potassium are so rare, "the other issue is: Could it have been due to some other cause, which is raised by the family. [That] has to be looked at."

Baden said the injuries were caused by some kind of trauma. "The trauma can be from an auto accident, the trauma can be from some kind of beating that she obtained from somebody somewhere. It's something that should have been investigated in 1991 when those findings were fresh," and added, "Maybe they were. Maybe they were investigated by the police at that time."

As far as Terri's family knows, they were not.

In fact, her parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, knew nothing of the existence of the bone scan until their attorney Patricia Anderson was collecting evidence for a hearing scheduled for October 2002. Prior to that time, Terri's medical records had been kept sealed under court order at the request of her husband, Michael Schiavo, who had launched his crusade to remove his wife's feeding tube.

As WorldNetDaily reported last November, when the scan was discovered through sifting Terri's early medical records, Anderson checked with several physicians as to its significance and filed an emergency motion to have Schiavo removed as guardian. Schiavo's attorney, George Felos, denounced the motion as "garbage" and characterized it as being "rife with unattributed hearsay, rank innuendo and libel."

Nonetheless, the scan and other documentation are so compelling it was decided to make the possibility of foul play a large part of the petition on the terrisfight.org website, that people from around the world signed and e-mailed to Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, urging him to launch a full-scale investigation.

"The suspicions that Dr. Baden raised on Fox News are suspicions that the family members have had since learning of Terri's bone scan last November," said Pamela Hennessey, spokesperson for the Terri Schindler-Schiavo Foundation. "And we've been making it known for many months on the website."

"We felt the evidence was so strong that we included the information in the petition to the governor which over 165,000 people have signed," she said. "I'm happy to see someone like Dr. Baden is taking a hard look at this, and I hope his coming forward encourages the governor to look into this. I believe the governor should go full force in ordering an investigation into Terri's collapse and into allegations of abuse over the past 13 years."

The Fox News interview with Michael Baden and information on Terri's fight for life are posted on the family's website.

Previous articles:

Media 'getting it wrong' on Terri Schiavo story

Doctors: Terri case not 'death with dignity' issue

Constitutional showdown brewing over Terri's Law

Terri snatched from hospital

Terri lives!

Florida legislators move to rescue Terri

Will 'Terri's Bill' save her life now?

Terri Schiavo denied Last Rites

Gov. Bush 'fails' Terri

Abuse report filed for Terri

Desperate parents petition High Court

Lawyers: Bush can step in for Terri

Starvation begins for Terri Schiavo

Husband protests video showing alert Terri

Terri Schiavo wants to live

No intervention for Schiavo

Joni Eareckson Tada joins vigil for Terri Schiavo

Federal judge says Terri Schiavo must die

Hearing today on woman scheduled to starve

Prayer vigil for Terri Schiavo

Bush steps in for Schindler-Schiavo

Florida AG intervenes in Schiavo lawsuit

Order signed for starvation of disabled woman

Disabled woman wins reprieve

Another 9-11 date with death

Federal judge considers Schiavo case

Federal Court grants emergency hearing in Schiavo case

Attorney: Jeb Bush letter only a 'good first step'

Gov. Bush's plea for Schindler-Schiavo rejected

Jeb Bush intervenes for Schindler-Schiavo

Legal setbacks clear way for Schiavo starvation

Schindler-Schiavo on 'death row'

Husband bars priest from brain-damaged wife

Brain-damaged woman hospitalized

Fight for life bombshell: Terri trying to talk

Petition drive launched for Terri Schiavo

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Subject:  a WorldNetDaily 2003  article-Pathologist's statement in Terri Schiavo case
Time: 11:33:32 PM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

This is a WorldNetDaily printer-friendly version of the article which follows.
To view this item online, visit http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=33875

Saturday, August 2, 2003
<FONT face=Palatino, color=#000000 size=+2 Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif>Pathologist's statement in Terri Schiavo case
Posted: August 2, 2003
1:00 a.m. Eastern

© 2003 WorldNetDaily.com

AFFIDAVIT

STATE OF ILLINOIS
COUNTY OF COOK

BEFORE ME the undersigned authority personally appeared Sara Green Mele, MS, CCC-SLP, who being first duly sworn, deposes and says:

1. My name is Sara Green Mele, and I have been engaged in the continuous private practice of speech-language pathology since 1996, and have served on the staff of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago from 1996 to 1999 and from 2001 to the present. Prior to that I practiced cognitive therapy at Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation in Dallas Texas. In both settings I worked with the broad range of brain injured populations. The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago is affiliated with Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and is recognized in the United States rehabilitation community as the top facility in the United States. The Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation is affiliated with Baylor University Medical Center, and is recognized in the United States rehabilitation community as one of the top ten facilities in the United States. I am a clinical lecturer at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and lecture for continuing medical education credits (CME) through the Rehabilitation Institute's continuing education program as well as at national conferences. In April of this year I participated in the presention of a two-day head injury course entitled Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Management in Traumatic Brain Injury to over two hundred health professionals in Tampa, Florida. My full curriculum vitae is attached.

2. In my practice, I treat many patients who have had diffuse brain injury, both anoxic and hypoxic, and I am familiar with states of impairment known as coma, coma-like, minimally conscious and persistent vegetative state. I regularly participate in the evaluation and cognitive/linguistic diagnosis of patients whose differential diagnosis include such conditions. In connection with my practice of speech-language pathology, I also evaluate patients, and train others in the evaluation of patients for swallowing function. During my career as a speech-language pathologist, I have personally treated approximately thirty patients similar to Terri Schiavo.

3. In evaluating patients for rehabilitation, the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago does not track the diagnosis of patients by their referring caregivers, but rather evaluates them for itself because the misdiagnosis rate is so high.

4. While I have not physically examined Terri Schiavo, I have looked at her medical records at MediPlex covering the period from January to July of 1991, including physical therapy, speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy. Also, I have studied the video clips presented at the October 2002 Medical Evidentiary Hearing, along with audio recordings of Terri Schiavo interacting with her father in November of 2002. The observations that follow are all within the parameters of speech-language pathology, and are similar to the observations that I am called upon to make regularly in the course of treating patients as a speech-language pathologist. All conclusions are based on standards used in the speech-pathology profession in the treatment of patients such as Theresa Schiavo.

5. Based on my experience and my observations, Mrs. Schiavo is clearly aware of her environment and interacts with it, albeit inconsistently. She is able to comprehend spoken language, and can, at least inconsistently, follow simple one-step commands. This is documented both in the MediPlex records and in the following behaviors noted in the following video segments:

C 01 (Examination of Dr. Cranford on July 9, 2002) – Terri appears to respond to her mother's voice, although there is not much to differentiate between a generalized and localized response in this clip.

C 02 (same exam as above) – Terri appears to track a balloon. This is difficult to verify with complete certainty for two reasons. First, many of the camera shots are too "tight" on Terri's face to be certain of the location of the balloon. Second, Dr. Cranford presents a great deal of information to Mrs. Schiavo very quickly. Even moderately brain-damaged patients have severe difficulty responding that quickly to commands. Such patients display a significant delay in processing, which Dr. Cranford does not seem to allow for. In the same clip, Terri appears to move her head toward Dr. Cranford's voice, despite limited motor ability. Clearly, once her head is positioned, she appears to move her gaze toward a voice.

M 01 (Examination of Dr. Maxfield 9/4/02) – Although it is difficult to hear on the video, Terri appears to respond to the sound of her mother's voice on a cell phone held to her ear. Additionally, Terri appears to move her head as well as her eyes in tracking a balloon.

M 03 (same exam as above) – Terri appears to have a purposeful laugh in response to the story from her childhood as related by her father in the video. This would appear to be an appropriate emotional reaction to latent memory.

H 01 (Examination of Dr. Hammesfahr 9/3/02) – Although Terri seems to fixate on the source of the music, there is little response until she hears her mother's voice, at which time she smiles and moans purposefully.

H 04 (Same exam as above) – A loosening of Terri's muscular tone appears to be a result of a soothing effect on Terri of her father's voice. This could indicate recognition of the voice as her father's, and an appropriate emotional response. Later in this clip, Terri's behavior of looking first at Dr. Hammesfahr and then at her mother appears to be responsive to the request that she do so. When she opens and closes her eyes, she clearly appears to be following the commands of Dr. Hammesfahr to do so, although she cannot engage in this behavior consistently .

H 09 (Same Exam as above) – Terri appears to keep her eyes closed on command, but it would be helpful to assess in other venues, such as relative to her neck position and visual stimulii.

H 11 (Same exam as above) – Terri appears to track a balloon but appears to be challenged by motor deficiency to move past midline. This could be secondary to an oculomotor dysfunction.

6. Terri is clearly vocalizing. She does not appear to vocalize at random during these examinations. Her vocalizations are generally purposeful and usually in response to specific environmental stimuli, most particularly family members.

7. Over the years since her injury, Terri has infrequently spoken audible words. The records of MediPlex reflect the fact that she has said "stop" in apparent response to a medical procedure being done to her. The family reports that they have heard Terri say "ugh-hugh," ugh-ugh," and "No" on a few occasions.

8. Since the time of the medical evidentiary hearing in October of 2002, family members have made a concerted effort to encourage Terri to vocalize, and have attempted, as laypersons, to coach her in basic speech.

Most prominently, they have coached Terri in trying to say "yea", as a way in which she may answer "yes" to questions. The family has an audiotape recorded in November of 2002 in which Terri vocalizes in apparent response to her father. Her vocalizations include repeated sounds which approximate the word "yeah," in the same manner in which she was coached. Prior to that time, no member of her family recalls Terri being able to approximate the "yeah" sound. I cannot conclude that Terri can accurately answer a yes/no question without the therapy suggested below.

9. The apparent addition of an approximation of the word "yeah" to Terri's repertoire of responses is clearly a learned behavior. Her use of this sound on the audiotape is apparently in response to her father. It is reasonable to conclude that Terri is trying, despite her motor deficits, to speak as best she can. Terri is clearly a suitable candidate for speech-language therapy.

10. It is not my opinion that Mrs. Schiavo is in a coma or in a persistent vegetative state. In my opinion, she exhibits purposeful though inconsistent reactions to her environment, particularly her family. Her eye movements, easily observed on the videotape, are particularly suggestive that she recognized family members and responded. She also appeared to have sufficient sustained attention to track a balloon. It is not my opinion that these behaviors are merely reflexive. The entire range of behaviors listed above, and each and every one of them, are inconsistent with a diagnosis of persistent vegetative state.

11. Even without the benefit of any medical treatment which successfully improves this patient's organic medical condition or cognitive abilities, in my opinion Terri would benefit from speech-language therapy, physical therapy and occupational/recreational therapy. Her ability to interact with her environment and her ability to communicate can be enhanced. Her quality of life can be significantly enhanced.

12. I would specifically recommend that Terri be given access to a system known as an environmental control system. We use such systems at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago to permit patients such as Terri to exercise control over their environment, such as to turn their television or radio on or off, change channels, and to control volume. Such environmental controls may also permit Terri to control room lighting. In my opinion, Terri could make use of such a system if it were made available and she received training in its use. I would further recommend that a yes/no system be implemented, and that Terri be trained in its use from the beginning of her rehabilitation regimen. Such a system could permit Terri to more effectively communicate.

13. It is apparent that Terri has sufficient swallowing ability to handle her own secretions, therefore it would be my recommendation that she receive a modified barium swallow study to assess swallow function for intake trials of thin and thick liquids and pureed consistencies. It has been my experience that patients similar to Terri have been able to accomplish food intake. This would permit Terri greater interaction with her family and in social situations through the enjoyment of mealtimes. I have worked with numerous disabled patients who have expressed to me that being able to eat would make the difference between their desiring to live or die.

14. It is my judgement based on my training and clinical experience working with patients similar to Terri that she would, within a reasonable degree of clinical probability, be able to improve her ability to interact with her environment, communicate with others, and control her environment if she were given appropriate therapy and training as outlined above. These recommendations, in my opinion, would greatly improve Terri's quality of life.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.

Sara Green Mele, MS, CCC-SLP

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Subject: News Releases From Life Legal Defense Foundation
Time: 11:08:42 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

News Releases

December 3, 2004
TERRI SCHIAVO LIVES TO CELEBRATE ANOTHER BIRTHDAY

Pinellas Park, FL: The legal battle over whether or not Terri Schiavo should continue to receive nutrition and hydration continues this week in Florida. Attorneys for Governor Jeb Bush asked the United States Supreme Court to hear the case which would determine whether the Florida law enacted to protect Terri's life, and others similarly disabled, is constitutional. This happened on the heels of the Florida Supreme Court's decision on Tuesday to lift a month long stay granted to Governor Bush to appeal the case.

Despite the controversy surrounding Terri, today she celebrates another birthday. The obvious reason for celebration was the fact that Terri is still alive, despite relentless efforts by Terri's estranged husband, Michael Schiavo, to end her life.

"Another reason for celebration was that although the stay was lifted, there was no direct effect on the continuation of Terri's nutrition and hydration due to an earlier trial court decision protecting Terri from efforts to dehydrate and starve her into an early death," says Dana Cody, attorney with Life Legal Defense Foundation.

Video from the trial court file shows that Terri is conscious and interactive with her environment, although Michael Schiavo maintains she is in an unconscious state.

Also filed this week was the initial brief in the appeal by Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, based on the Pope's recent statement on euthanasia. Although the trial court determined that the Pope's statement had no impact on Terri's case, Terri Schiavo is a practicing Catholic. Terri's priest, Monsignor Malanowski, submitted an affidavit testifying to Terri's faith.

Life Legal Defense Foundation continues to provide funding for Terri's parents in this case, along with Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund.

Life Legal Defense Foundation, was established in 1989, and is a non-profit organization composed of attorneys and other concerned citizens, committed to giving helpless and innocent human beings of any age, and their advocates, a trained and committed voice in the courtrooms of our nation. For more information, call Dana Cody at 916.727.4396. End

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Subject: Where is Justice?
Time: 4:31:51 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

The court concludes that while it might be interesting to pursue the issue of trauma as it may have occurred almost twelve years ago, that has nothing to do with Theresa Marie Schiavo in 2002 and the mandate of the Second District Court of Appeal in cause rendered October 17,2001...(Judge Greer)

http://zimp.org/stuff/112202%20order%20denying%20bone%20scan%20investigation.pdf

http://journals.aol.com/shjusticeforall/SavingTerriSchiavo/entries/386 

 Court document :Second District Court of Appeal,October 17,2001

 

http://www.hospicepatients.org/terrischiavodocs/Terri-Schiavo-1991-bonescan.jpg

http://journals.aol.com/shjusticeforall/SavingTerriSchiavo/entries/386 copy of St.Peterburg police report-1990

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Subject: Michael Gives Terri his kiss of death
Time: 2:24:26 AM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

Michael Schiavo kisses his wife Terri in this

1991 file photo from WFLA-TV in Florida.

WFLA-TV via Tampa Tribune/Associated Press

 

This picture appears under a newspaper artical that reads:  Ruling:Clearwater woman in coma 11 years can be allowed to die , Friday, January 26, 2001, Associated Press

The picture was taken in 1991, and the date the news artical was published was 1/26/01, why doesn't Michael Schiavo release any recent pictures of himself kissing his wife Terri? Or would that be to much to ask of a man who is engaged to another woman?

Now, look below, at the picture taken in 1990.  

When Michael Schiavo decided to take his wife off life support, her parents saw things differently. Michael Schiavo's wife, Terri, has remained in a persistent vegetative state through years of hospital and nursing home stays. [Times file photo: 1990]

By ANITA KUMAR

© St. Petersburg Times, published January 25, 2000

 

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Subject:  Something to think about
Time: 9:46:35 PM EST
Author:  shjusticeforall

NOTE: Michael Schiavo and George Felos talk about Terri as if she were already dead. The fact of the matter is: If Michael and George get their way, in the eyes of Florida law, anyone diagnosed as PVS would be considered legally dead......

 

KING: We're back with Michael Schiavo. With him is his attorney, George Felos. What is the current medical state of Terri?

SCHIAVO: Terri is in a chronic, persistent vegetative state.

KING: Meaning she has...

SCHIAVO: She has no awareness, no consciousness. She's in a contracted state. Her hands, her arms, her legs are contracted.

KING: We see now there, we see the eyes open. A smile. It looks like a smile.

SCHIAVO: Now, you've got to remember here, too, when the Schindlers show their little snippets of Terri, there's four and a half hours of tape. OK?

KING: This is edited?

SCHIAVO: This is edited. This is a tape where they snuck in against a court order after the judge said, do not photograph her.

KING: But she looks like -- right, she's not in a coma

SCHIAVO: Right. But you're missing half -- you're missing three-quarters of the other tape where her mother does the same thing, and she does nothing. Now, Terri makes the same noises for the last 14 years. She's made the same facial expressions. She blinks her eyes. She has normal sleep/wake cycles.

Now, the nurses have even testified in the trial that Terri makes those noises when nobody's in the room.

KING: I see.

FELOS: Larry, that's one of the controversies in this case, that people see these videos and say, oh my God, here's a person that's aware. Terri has the classic symptoms of a patient in a vegetative state. If I can have just a couple of seconds. There is the article, the seminal article on that is "The Medical Aspects of the Persistent Vegetative State." And what it says here is: "Patients in a vegetative state are usually not immobile. They may move their trunk and limbs in meaningless ways. They may even occasionally smile, and a few may even shed tears. Some utter grunts, or on rare occasions moan or scream. These motor activities may misleadingly suggest purposeful movements." And that's the case with Terri.

KING: And you've made available for us a brain scan of her, right?

FELOS: Yes.

KING: Let's show that. And I saw the piece in "The New York Times" yesterday, in which a neurologist says that this is a brain- dead person.

FELOS: What you see in the middle of Terri's skull there, that black area is spinal fluid. That's where her cerebrum used to be. And because of the lack of oxygen, it atrophied and decayed away. What the court-appointed expert said that you can't get any more abnormal than this. Literally, her cerebrum isn't there anymore.
http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0310/27/lkl.00.html

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