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Lawyer: Terri still in danger
WorldNetDaily.com ^ | October 22, 2003, 5:15 p.m. Eastern | By Sarah Foster

Posted on 10/22/2003 2:50:08 PM PDT by nickcarraway

Family barred from visiting brain-disabled woman, judge drags feet on appointment of new guardian

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted: October 22, 2003

5:15 p.m. Eastern

ven though Florida Gov. Jeb Bush and state legislature yesterday halted the court-ordered starvation death of brain-disabled Terri Schindler-Schiavo, her family and legal counsel are afraid her life will be increasingly at risk as long as the courts allow her husband to remain her guardian and do not appoint a guardian ad litem as demanded by the special legislation that was passed.

"My greatest fear is that Michael [Schiavo] will order Terri out of the hospital before she is medically stabilized and rehydrated – as he did three times last August when she had pneumonia," said Patricia Anderson, attorney for Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler.

"That is why we need a guardian ad litem," she added. "That is what Terri's Bill is about. We've got to have a guardian ad litem to put a stop to that kind of hijinks, because his primary objective is to kill her."

Schiavo very nearly succeeded in his five-year quest to end his wife's life by court-approved starvation. With only a few hours remaining before she slipped beyond the point where she could be saved, Florida lawmakers yesterday delivered to the governor legislation empowering him to order Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted, and Bush signed the life-saving law as well as an implementing executive order.

"Terri's Bill" specifically directs the chief judge (David Demers) of the 6th Judicial Circuit Court to appoint a guardian ad litem to represent Terri "upon issuance of a stay," but he has not yet done so – which Anderson views as a matter of urgency.

"Terri will be out of danger only when Michael is no longer her guardian and no longer has access to her," she said bluntly.

Crowds of demonstrators cheered wildly, as Terri was transferred by ambulance from Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, about 25 miles away, where upon her feeding tube was reinserted and rehydration begun after her six days ordeal of judge-ordered starvation.

Family locked out

No sooner was his wife admitted to Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater, Fla., than Schiavo sent an order barring Terri's parents and siblings from visiting her.

The Schindlers were not informed of Schiavo's action, and only learned of it late that evening from Terri's brother, who had driven to the hospital to visit his sister and was escorted from the premises by an armed security guard. Bobby Schindler, 38, told WorldNetDaily he was told by the administrator on duty that Schiavo had left instructions that "no family members, no anybody is to visit Terri," and that they were to be given no information about her medical condition.

Schindler was too exhausted by worry over the fate of his sister and the events of the past seven days to express anger. But he said he's not surprised by this recent action by Schiavo.

"Michael's been doing this kind of thing for almost as long as he's been guardian of my sister," he exclaimed. "It's been going on for over a decade and it continues. Even after the governor stepped in and did what he did today, [Schiavo] continues to use his power as a weapon against our family and Terri."

It's one of many times her husband has ordered Terri isolated from family and those close to her. In mid-August, he barred a Roman Catholic priest from visiting her at Morton Plant Hospital where she was taken due to a sudden medical crisis.

Schiavo said his action that time was prompted by a late-evening visit by Monsignor Thaddeus Malanowski, a former Army chaplain, who had been asked by Terri's father to drop by the hospital to see how she was faring.

Even though the monsignor was on a court-approved list of visitors and regularly visited her at the hospice where she has been a patient for three years, Schiavo had a long-standing policy that no one could visit Terri unaccompanied either by himself or family member and that Malanowski had knowingly violated his order.

Schiavo's attorney Deborah Bushnell told WorldNetDaily that her client was concerned about Malanowski's "integrity" and felt the 81-year-old priest was not "the kind of person that he wanted visiting Terri or that he felt comfortable visiting Terri." Eventually he relented slightly and the monsignor was allowed to resume his visits subject to week-to-week approval by Schiavo.

Last Wednesday, the day Terri's feeding tube was removed, Schiavo's attorneys ordered family members barred from being alone with Terri at the hospice following Robert Schindler's release to the media of a videotape distributed in evidence that the woman is not in a "persistent vegetative state," as Schiavo's advocates claim.

Schindler admitted the tape was made surreptitiously in violation of a court order by probate Judge George Greer of the Pinellas-County Circuit Court. The video, which shows Terri alert and laughing and trying to speak, further indicates attempts at rehabilitative therapy, also banned by the courts.

Following the video's release, her family was told they were barred from visiting the dying woman "unless [Schiavo] or his representative is present."

In at least one instance, the "representative" that accompanied Robert and Mary Schindler to the bedside of their daughter was none other than the mother of Schiavo's mistress, Jodi Centonze, with whom he has been living for a number of years. He and Centonze have a 1-year-old daughter and are expecting a second child.

As WorldNetDaily reported, the Schindlers had been fighting their son-in-law for 10 years over the lack of care and therapy Schiavo as her guardian provided for their daughter, who suffered massive brain damage when she collapsed at her home 13 years ago under mysterious circumstances at the age of 26.

The ongoing dispute escalated five years ago when Schiavo petitioned the court for permission to end his wife's life by removing her feeding tube, insisting she is in a "persistent vegetative state" and had told him years before she would not want to be maintained "by tubes" and "artificial means." Although Terri breathes on her on and maintains her own blood pressure, she requires a simple tube into her abdomen to her stomach for nourishment and hydration.

The Schindlers fought tenaciously to keep their daughter and the case alive in the courts, but they have been basically blocked at every turn, in particular by Greer, who has had charge of the case almost from the beginning. When the seven-member Florida Supreme Court in August turned down a petition to review the case, the way was clear for Schiavo to starve his wife to death.

On Sept. 17, Greer scheduled Oct. 15 as the day Terri's feeding tube would be removed. At the same time, in separate rulings, he denied any rehabilitation for the disabled woman or a chance to be spoon-fed.

Information on Terri's fight for life is posted on the family's website.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Philosophy; Politics/Elections; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: florida; terrischiavo
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To: NebraskaTrailrider
OK, we're all angry or we wouldn't be visiting these threads. Turn that anger into action. Start faxing, calling, emailing and writing. State the facts and let them draw their own conclusions.

As the wife of an unfaithful ex-husband who admitted trying to do away with me on one occasion, I have written to everybody in Florida, Washington and to every news agency I can find.

Send them copies of the 3 nurses affidavits. The statements contained in them are damning for Michael Schiavo. Demand that Terri's civil rights be observed and demand that the husband be removed as her guardian. File a civil rights violation complaint and file a complaint with the Dept of Health and Human resources for a violation of Terri's rights as a disabled person. It won't cost you anything but some time. Refer all of them to the family's website for details.

Do something constructive. Do it now. As long as that man is able to make decisions about her care, Terri's life is in danger.

221 posted on 10/23/2003 12:31:49 PM PDT by texgal (end no-fault divorce laws and return DUE PROCESS to our citizens))
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To: texgal
Called and sent email to Governor Bush yesterday. Still waiting to hear something.
222 posted on 10/23/2003 12:36:14 PM PDT by Lovergirl (Prayers for Terri. Hang in there Terri. We are gonna get u out of this mess. www.terrisfight.org)
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To: Lovergirl
Still waiting to hear something

You probably won't get much more than an automated response. Don't wait on them. Email the Florida legislature - pc93 has their addresses posted on his page. The ones who voted for this bill should be intereted to see how Felos/Schiavo/Greer and company have thumbed their noses at them.

File a complaint with HHR and Americans with Disabilities. Write to the news media. Write a letter to the editor in the local Florida papers stating the facts. Send them some of the stuff other freepers have found on the judge and copies of the 3 nurses affidavits. It's not too late!

223 posted on 10/23/2003 12:47:00 PM PDT by texgal (end no-fault divorce laws and return DUE PROCESS to our citizens))
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To: texgal
Good idea. Please, everyone, you have succeeded in helping save Terri so far. Let's not give up. Letters, faxes, phone calls, getting on talk shows all can make a difference.

Michael is far too evil to be allowed to get away with tormenting his wife and trying to killer her.

224 posted on 10/23/2003 12:52:28 PM PDT by Dante3
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To: MarMema
If someone finds Michael Schiavo in a ditch somewhere, I hope the police don't investigate too hard. I could care less if this man were beaten to death by someone. I might even feel good about it.
225 posted on 10/23/2003 1:23:15 PM PDT by Arthur Wildfire! March (Libs counterattack while Rush is away)
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To: MarMema
Why call this terrible person a husband? Why?
It is pitiful to have one for a guardian who wants you dead!
The courts have failed Terri, buy not appointing her parents as guardian. Is a real husband one who wants his wife dead by starving them and giving them no water? The courts have failed, not only Terri, but all of the people in the USA! God have mercy on us! Who needs the devil as their guardian? What a curse! Most of us think of a guardian as one who cares for and protects, and not one who starves and kills!
226 posted on 10/23/2003 3:12:31 PM PDT by tessalu
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To: EggsAckley
Michael Schiavo Continues Legal Battle, Terri Improving

by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
October 23, 2003

Clearwater, FL (LifeNews.com) -- Michael Schiavo vows to continue fighting Terri's family -- this time over legislation passed that gave Governor Jeb Bush (R-FL) the authority to require doctors to reinsert the feeding tube that was allowing Terri Schiavo to live.

George Felos, the assisted suicide advocate who is Michael's lead attorney, will go to court on Monday to challenge the constitutionality of Bush's authority. Felos claims the decision should rest with Michael, who obtained a local judge's permission to end Terri's life.

Felos claims Michael is benefiting from an outpouring of public support, though rallies and letterwriting campaigns have been overwhelmingly in Terri's favor.

"He's a fighter, and he's feeling in some ways encouraged," Felos said.

Meanwhile, Terri Schiavo's parents and brother visited her for more than an hour at Woodside hospice.

"Terry is great, absolutely great. She has her color back. She's tired, but she just looks wonderful," said her father, Bob Schindler. "I think she's out of harm's way."

The night before, Terri appeared drawn and her eyes were rimmed with red, Schindler said, but she was beginning to look better Thursday.

Doctors reinserted the feeding tube at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater on Wednesday and then Terri was secretively transported to the hospice where she has been a patient for years, only minute before Terri's family was scheduled to visit her.

Pat Anderson, attorney for Terri's family, says the action was designed to weaken Terri before she was medically ready to be moved from the hospital.

227 posted on 10/23/2003 4:52:05 PM PDT by ZAKJAN
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To: greccogirl
wedding ring in her daughter's future

From what I've read, he's already taken both Terri's and his wedding rings and had them melted down, made into other jewelry.

228 posted on 10/23/2003 5:32:50 PM PDT by yhwhsman ("Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small..." -Sir Winston Churchill)
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To: Coral Snake
His current girl friend is an IDIOT if she doesn't get out of there with the kids FAST after seeing what is happening to Terri.

I think she's an idiot: she's been with him for at least 7 years.

229 posted on 10/23/2003 5:35:43 PM PDT by yhwhsman ("Never give in--never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small..." -Sir Winston Churchill)
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To: kennedyd
That's my theory anyway. I don't know if it's correct, and I don't know what the answer is, either.
230 posted on 10/23/2003 8:54:05 PM PDT by Brandon
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