Daily Archives: March 22, 2005

Property has more rights than Terri

The American Spectator Where There’s No Will By Clinton W. Taylor

In Florida under the intestacy (dying without will) statute, everything goes to the spouse no matter what. Clinton Taylor states: “[T]he kind of testimony Michael Schiavo gave would not be sufficient (or even admissible) to affect the disposition of Terri’s property — but it is sufficient to end her life.”

Go read the rest.

Via Patterico’s Pontifications.

"Expert" Concluded Schiavo in PVS after 45 Minutes

Hannity and Colmes just did an interview with one of the “experts” who testified that Terri Schiavo was in a PVS. He admitted that he based his conclusions on one 45 minute session. One. In that 45 minute session he had Terri’s eyes follow a balloon as he praised her for doing a good job.

Incidentally one of the nurses that cared for her was also on and she said Terri was was responsive, aware, had spoken and thus couldn’t be in a PVS. I wonder how many hundreds of hours she spent with Terri in comparison to the one hour the “expert” spent with her.

Also our good doctor further admitted to previously opining that persons in a PVS should not be afforded constitutional rights, and that we shouldn’t bother tube feeding alzheimer’s patients.
UPDATE: For those readers interested in the nurse’s revelations about Michael’s conduct, we’ve previously posted on another Fox interview she did earlier in the day, along with the transcript and video here.

UPDATE II: Here’s the transcript of the “expert” for Michael Schiavo. Also, hat tip to PoliPundit reader Newton for pointing me to this transcript of an expert who says Terri can get better. I’ll let you go right to the link but here’s a hint, he spent a bit more than 45 minutes with Terri.

He Wants a Stay on Replacing Feeding Tube…

Just heard on Fox News: Reporter Julie Banderas:

Michael Schaivo, of course, hopes they [the 11th Circuit] reject that appeal. Sources tell us, this is what he plans to do next, he wants to take the additional step of asking the courts, if, and I repeat if, they rule in favor of the Schindlers’ to include an 8 hour stay before putting that feeding tube back in Terri Schaivo, giving him time to file his appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

Time to make sure she dies.

Schiavo's "Life and Liberty Interests Were Adequately Protected"

The decision of Whittemore is out. Included in the decision is the finding that Terri Schiavo’s “life and liberty interests were adequately protected by the extensive process provided in the state courts.” I hate to throw a wrench in his fancy decision and all, but doesn’t it matter that this “extensive process” to protect her “life interests” will result in her death by starvation?

Schiavo Breaking: Terri's Nurse Interviewed on Fox

Had Previously Gone to Police About Michael Injecting Terri with Insulin

J$P Instant Transcript here.

Check out this interview with Terri’s nurse. Among other things she claims to have found Terri in distress after Michael visited, along with a vial of insulin concealed in the trash and numerous needle marks on Terri. Her blood sugar level had also dropped dramatically. She reported it to the police and was fired the next day.

Police reports don’t just vanish. This is very significant if verified. Also, note her demeanor. I had heard about this previously but seeing her live she certainly comes across as believable. (Hat tip PoliPundit)

Welcome Michelle Malkin and Blue Eyed Infidel Readers.

UPDATE: The Anchoress has an interesting link to a doctor’s analysis of a Terri Schiavo bone scan regarding possible signs of abuse. Conclusive, no. But certainly enough to prompt further examination.

Welcome Junk Yard Blogs readers.

UPDATE II: From Lorie at PoliPundit: another nurse who worked with Terri will be on Hannity tonight with some more interesting things to say. That’s two nurses now (Correction: it’s the same nurse). I’m not sure how many of you have spent any length of time in a hospital type setting, but from my experience, its the nurses that really know what’s going on. They experience the day to day nitty gritty with the patients while the doctors briefly stop in for the rounds, make a note or two and then move on.

UPDATE III: More nurses are coming forward to substantiate some of the allegations.

Schiavo: Who Would You Believe

David Limbaugh has an excellent piece out today about the Schiavo case. While I suggest you read it all, I found this excerpt to be particularly compelling:

But do we actually believe that loving parents — parents who would eagerly trade places with Terri in an instant — would place their own comfort above their daughter’s? If not, how can we possibly believe they would fight to prolong her suffering? In examining this case from a distance, isn’t it much easier to believe Terri’s parents’ assessment of her desire to continue living than that of her adulterous husband, whose conflict of interest should disqualify him from guardianship in this case and participation in this decision?

It’s remarkable that there is a system in place that permits life to come down to the word of one party over another. It’s unbelievable that the court would choose Michael’s word over the parents and err on the side of death.

Judge Denies Request to Feed Schiavo

From the AP:

A federal judge on Tuesday refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo’s feeding tube, denying an emergency request from the brain-damaged woman’s parents.

The ruling by U.S. District Judge James Whittemore comes after feverish action by President Bush and Congress on legislation allowing her contentious case to be reviewed by federal courts. The judge said the 41-year-old woman’s parents had not established a “substantial likelihood of success” at trial on the merits of their arguments.

Rex Sparklin, an attorney with the law firm representing Terri Schiavo’s parents, said lawyers were immediately appealing to the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta to “save Terri’s life.”

I was lying in bed with my wife this morning thinking about all the things that just don’t seem right about this case: a “husband” who’s living with another woman wants her dead, apparantly loving parents are willing to care for her, the scenes of Terri laughing or otherwise responding, the fact that experts think that she could improve with therapy while at the same time she has been denied any therapy, her diagnosis didn’t even include an MRI scan, real questions remain about the actual cause of her condition. I was thinking about all these things and asking myself, “how can this be happening?”

mm-5