Husband (Michael Schiavo) in Right-To-Die Case Rips Parents

Yahoo! News ^ | October 27, 2003 | VICKIE CHACHERE

[El Conservador]

TAMPA, Fla. - The husband seeking to end the life of his severely brain-damaged wife said Monday that his in-laws have set out to block his actions because of money and the influence of conservative political causes.

In his first interview since the latest round of legal fighting in the highly publicized case, Michael Schiavo said on CNN's "Larry King Live" that he continues to fight to end his wife's life because her wishes were not to be kept alive artificially.

"This is Terri's wish," he said of the removal of her feeding tube. "And I am going to follow that if this is the last thing I can do for Terri."

Terri Schiavo, 39, has been in a persistent vegetative state since 1990 when a chemical imbalance, brought on by an eating disorder, caused her heart to stop and deprived her brain of oxygen.

Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, believe their daughter could be rehabilitated and dispute the husband's contention that she did not want to be kept alive artificially.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for six days earlier this month before the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush enacted a special law to have it reinserted. The move touched off an international debate over the Schiavo case and right-to-die issues.

Terri Schiavo is being treated at a Pinellas Park hospice while her husband's attorney and the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites) prepare to challenge to constitutionality of "Terri's Law." The first filings in that legal fight are due Wednesday.

Appearing less than an hour later on Fox News' "On the Record with Greta Van Sustern," the attorney for the Schindlers countered that Michael Schiavo knew his wife never had end-of-life wishes.

"It's hard to know what to believe with him because he says whatever the occasion demands or what is in his financial interests," said the attorney, Pat Anderson.

Michael Schiavo said his relationship with the Schindlers soured after he was awarded a 1993 medical malpractice claim of about $1 million. Schiavo says the settlement was awarded because doctors misdiagnosed Terri Schiavo's health problems.

He said after that, his father-in-law asked him for a share of the money, and he refused to give him any.

"He's always wanted the money," Schiavo said of Bob Schindler. "He wants the money. He wants the control."

Schiavo denied that he has withheld therapy from his wife, saying he once took her to California for an experimental therapy in which a stimulator was implanted in her brain. It didn't work, he said.

"Now, they (his in-laws) are being fed all this information by those right-to-life activists who are feeding their little flame," he said.

He also answered criticism that he has abandoned his wife for a longtime girlfriend with whom he has one child and another on the way. Schiavo said his girlfriend is supportive of his care for Terri Schiavo.

"I'm fortunate to have two women in my life that I love very much," he said. "My girlfriend right now has done more for Terri than her own mother did. She shopped for her. She washed her clothes."

[concerned about politics]

UGH! Now I REALLY don't trust the guy after watching this interview!!

[Humidston]

And Shindler wanted to have Michael "offed?" Yeahhh, riiiight.

Michael is a worm and his girlfriend needs to have her head examined for sticking around and having two kids with him!

That guy is COLD.

[concerned about politics]

And Shindler wanted to have Michael "offed?" Yeahhh, riiiight.

Yeh! He's the poor victim?
If this isn't true, Terris dad should sue for defamation of character - say, for about $1,000,000.00. He said it on national tv where the whole country could hear it.

[isthisnickcool]

And Shindler wanted to have Michael "offed?" Yeahhh, riiiight.

Yea, that's poop! He would have filed charges against Shindler in an eye blink. This guy is so self absorbed.

He never should have went on Larry King. We see him. We see him......

[concerned about politics]

He never should have went on Larry King.

I wonder how much money he managed to scarf up on that deal?

[Humidston]

I'm sitting here doing a slow burn. That guy is a total sociopath!

And I remember the Shindlers said Terri was planning to divorce him and move in with the girlfriend who offered to stay with Terri that mysterious night. Terri lost her only chance to live....

[LADYAK]

Two things:

1st: Larry King said let us just go in and make our own video of her...oh no way she would just die if folks saw her like that (she would have problems with the pictures that are out now). Well we can get on national news and speak about her doctor not being able to get her legs apart to take a pap smear....

2nd: No one is bring up the fact that he is claiming to have belief in God but at the same time denying her to have her last rights? Unbelievable. No one mentioned this on Larry King.

[Humidston]

Ok. $64,000 question: WHAT has Michael done with the million dollars???

Or, better yet, why do you think he wants her dead so badly? (My guess is he's afraid she would talk if she ever was rehabilitated enough to speak.)

[dasboot]

For 13 years Mike's been skirting, skating, protected, and well-coached. He must be feeling cocky. Apparently his hubris and greed may be his undoing. Wouldn't it be great if the cabal decided to cut and run? He might know too much, though. In it together to the wall. Expect anything to happen.

[mvpel]

Terri Schiavo, 39, has been in a persistent vegetative state since 1990 when a chemical imbalance, brought on by an eating disorder, caused her heart to stop and deprived her brain of oxygen. ...

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for six days...

She was starved and dehydrated for six days straight and her heart didn't stop... What's the story here?

[FITZ]

That's interesting because it goes along with another report about how Terri wanted out of that bad marriage and was discussing divorce with friends. If her wishes are to be respected......how about respecting her desire for a divorce ---- apparently she expressed that with more than one person.....unlike her supposed wish to die.

[Humidston]

Good point! Last rites denied... He believes she'll be with God someday "after he kills her."

And he kept saying that method of killing was "painless!!" If it's so easy, I hope he gets to try it sometime!

[dasboot]

What's the story here?

Have you read the assembled affidavits and depositions? Their compiled and available here on FR somewhere.

[LADYAK]

No one really knows what her last wishes were and if she is being represented truthfully by the husband or not. But this kind of death for her seems so inhumane. Someone has to take a stand for those who can't take a stand for themselves. Being a parent myself I can understand how her parents feel....she is after all their flesh and blood.

[concerned about politics]

And I remember the Shindlers said Terri was planning to divorce him and move in with the girlfriend who offered to stay with Terri that mysterious night. Terri lost her only chance to live....

Yeh. I heard that on FOX today.

[Deep_6]

If Terri is not an a permanent vegetated condition and
her condition can be improved, then it is worth whatever it
takes to save her.

If Terri is in a permanent vegetated state and her condition
can never be improved;

If she is living in hell inside her coffin of a body, may the
good Lord take mercy on those that insisted on keeping
her there longer than absolutely necessary.

It would be the same as burying her alive and forcing
her to remain alive.

"A man's intentions are only as good as his conscience".

 

[151 posted on 10/27/2003]

[Humidston]

I'm not sure if you've already heard this, but I've heard that Michael's brother and sister were his only two witnesses to that statement by Terri.

I might tend to find it more believable if someone neutral heard it as well.

[Armed Civilian]

Schiavo said his girlfriend is supportive of his care for Terri Schiavo.

"I'm fortunate to have two women in my life that I love very much," he said. "My girlfriend right now has done more for Terri than her own mother did. She shopped for her. She washed her clothes."


Of course she is supportive, 750,000.00 is a lot of dough.
This guy makes me want to puke. Was it also Terri's wish he knock up some bimbo, while she was in this state? Did she secretely tell him that this was one of her wishes as well.

[FITZ]

If she is living in hell inside her coffin of a body

According to Michael's side, there is no cognitive ability at all ---- they say there is nothing at all left of her brain --- so she wouldn't have any feeling --- no pain, no living hell. It harms no one at all if she just continues in the state she is in. Her family believes she still has feeling and still responds to them in some way ---- if they are right then it would be wrong to starve her to death or kill her in some other way.

[concerned about politics]

This guy makes me want to puke.

Ditto. He's just one of those guys you don't like the minute you set eyes on him. Yuk!