Michael Schiavo (Photo: WFLA-TV)
Posted on 10/27/2003 11:55:05 PM PST by JohnHuang2
In an effort toward damage control amid allegations of abuse and ulterior motives, the husband of the South Florida brain-damaged woman at the center of a 10-year legal battle over her life pleaded his case on CNN's "Larry King Live."
After insisting he loved his wife and was simply continuing his legal battle to have her feeding tube removed out of respect for her wishes, Michael Schiavo pulled no punches in expressing his animosity toward Terri Schiavo's parents and siblings who have consistently blocked his efforts, most recently with the help of Florida lawmakers and Gov. Jeb Bush.
Michael Schiavo (Photo: WFLA-TV) |
"They don't like me because they want the money," Schiavo told King, in reference to $1.2 million dollars awarded him and Terri in 1992 as a result of medical-malpractice suits over her brain injury. Schiavo claims the money has been used to fund therapy for Terri and only about $50,000 remains in her fund. WorldNetDaily has reported, Felos has been paid some $358,000 from the fund and Schiavo's other attorney reportedly received $80,000. Schiavo added that there is no life insurance policy on Terri's life and stressed he stands to gain nothing financially from her death.
Throughout the hour-long program last night, Schiavo painted the Schindlers as the money grubbers.
"'How much money am I going to get?'" Schiavo claims Terri's father, Robert Schindler, demanded of him in a conversation Feb. 14, 1993 – three months after Schiavo received the money.
 Robert Schindler at press conference Oct. 14 (photo: Gary McCullough, Christian Communication Network) |
Bobby Schindler, Terri's brother, told WorldNetDaily Schiavo is distorting the conversation that triggered the rift between the Schindlers and the Schiavos.
"My father was seeking money for Terri's rehabilitation, which Michael Schiavo was refusing to give her," he said, calling Schiavo's accusation "ironic."
"In June of 1993, eight months after he got the malpractice money, he tried to kill Terri by withholding antibiotics needed to treat an infection. There was $800,000 in the fund at the time," Bobby Schindler said.
According to court records, the caregivers at the nursing home overruled Schiavo's order and treated Terri for her infection.
As additional "proof" that he's not in the legal battle for the money, Schiavo told King he offered three times to donate the money to charity two years ago.
But Bobby Schindler called it a "hollow offer."
"The offer came with the stipulation that my parents agree to let my sister starve to death. Why would we let her starve to death?," Schindler told WorldNetDaily. "This is documented. We have the letter from Felos. We even faxed it to Larry King's producers and warned them he would make this claim. I wish Larry King would have the gumption to ask follow-up questions."
Allegations of neglect
"She's never had a bed sore," Schiavo offered as evidence of his contention he has provided Terri with "perfect care" in the two nursing homes and hospice where she has resided over the past decade.
"Nursing homes are obligated by law to provide a minimum of care," Schindler countered. "We don't dispute the care she's been given. We've been asking for therapy, which he hasn't given her in 10 years."
According to medical records provided to the family's attorney, Terri has not received rehabilitative therapy since 1993. In an interview with WorldNetDaily last year, Schiavo insisted he had provided therapy in recent years but would not give details or associated dates.
When asked about this by King, Schiavo similarly asserted Terri had received therapy in the last 10 years and then described the therapy she received in 1991 at a facility in St. Petersburg, Fla., and in Los Angeles, when King asked for details.
"If anyone abandoned her, it's [the Schindlers]," Schiavo said, adding later "My girlfriend has done more for Terri than her own mother has." Schiavo also claimed he "could count on one hand" the number of times Bobby had visited his sister "before the media started covering the story."
Asked about swallow tests the Schindlers sought before the removal of Terri's feeding tube earlier this month to determine if she would be able to eat on her own, Schiavo and said Terri was given three swallow tests. Felos added that when the last one was administered it was recommended she didn't need further testing.
"The swallow tests were all done prior to 1993," said Schindler. "I don't understand how he gets away with saying these things and nobody calls him on anything. He has the luxury of fooling the American public."
Schindler said Schiavo was further twisting the truth in accusing him of not visiting his sister, when in fact, he was barred by Schiavo for six months from visiting her.
"He doesn't allow us to do anything for Terri. He's restricted our visits. We can't give her therapy. He won't even let us take her out of her room," he said.
 Terri responding to her mother in video clip available on terrisfight.org. |
Schindler pointed to another example of distortion on the part of Schiavo. While only four judges have been involved in adjudicating the case over the past decade – Pinellas County Circuit Court Judge George Greer and three appellate court judges – Schiavo claimed 19 judges had "concluded this is Terri's wish" and Felos said 20 judges "found Michael Schiavo to be a loving, caring husband."
"They're adding up all the judges on the Florida Supreme Court and the U.S. Supreme Court even though those courts refused to hear our case," said Schindler.
 Circuit Court Judge George Greer (Photo: Bay News 9) |
Similarly, while Felos gave the impression that "the trial court, the appellate court, the state Supreme Court, the U.S. Supreme Court and the federal circuit court" were involved in adjudicating the case, it has primarily been adjudicated by Greer, starting with his 2000 decision to remove the feeding tube. Since Terri has no written directive on the matter, Greer ruled it was her wish, based on testimony from Michael Schiavo, his brother and sister-in-law that Terri had casually told them she would not want to be kept alive by artificial means.
"I'm going to follow Terri's wish if it's the last thing I do," Schiavo told King, "You have a choice as a U.S. citizen to refuse treatment."
Allegations of abuse
Schiavo's PR offensive follows damning comments by world-renowned forensic pathologist Michael Baden on Fox News Channel's "On the Record" hosted by Greta van Susteren Friday night.
WorldNetDaily reported Baden, who is 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.
Although never proven, Schiavo told Larry King a potassium imbalance – likely due to bulimia – caused her to suffer cardiac arrest.
Baden said he studied a bone scan made in March 1991 at a rehabilitation facility that describes Terri as having a head injury: "That's why she's there, that's why she's getting a bone scan."
"A head injury can ... lead to the vegetative state that Ms. Schiavo is in now," he continued, adding the scan showed evidence of other injuries, bone fractures in her thigh, lower back, ribs and both ankles.
 Terri Schiavo before her collapse. |
As WorldNetDaily reported, the bone scan surfaced last November during evidentiary hearings on Terri's current condition and the prospects for rehabilitation.
Coupled with medical records that indicated Terri was admitted to the hospital the night of her collapse with a "suspiciously rigid neck" which two physicians described as being consistent with attempted strangulation, prompted the Schindlers to seek an investigation of the 1990 collapse. Amid strenous objection from Felos, Greer ruled against such a probe.
Bobby Schindler said the refusal to investigate Terri's collapse casts doubt on Schiavo's assertion he still loves his wife.
"The broken bones got there somehow," he said. "It seems to me if I were her husband I would want to find out what happened to her."
In last night's interview, Schiavo addressed the strangulation testimony by asking why her neck was not bruised and her trachea damaged.
Terri's collapse
The CNN show began with Schiavo's recount of Feb. 25, 1990 – the night of the collapse. According to Schiavo, he heard a "thud" in the hall at 4:30 a.m. and got out of bed to find his wife lying face down on the floor. Schiavo said he rolled her over and saw she was "lifeless" and called 911.
"If Michael rolled her over, then he rolled her back," Schindler told WorldNetDaily. "He has also stated [in other interviews] that when I showed up he was cradling her in his arms. Now he's changing his story?"
According to Schindler, Schiavo called his Robert Schindler first, who then alerted Bobby because he lived in the same apartment complex as his sister, and then called 911. Bobby Schindler said when he arrived on the scene, Terri was face down with her arms underneath her and her hands up by her neck.
"It's etched in my mind," said Schindler, adding that he heard a "gurgling or snoring sound" coming from Terri.
Lie detector test?
Following 45 minutes of a they-said, he-said discussion, in which Schiavo repeatedly accused the Schindlers of lying, King opened the show to callers' questions.
One caller asked if Schiavo was willing to take a lie detector test. Schiavo responded, "I'll refrain from answering that right now."
Meanwhile, Schindler told WorldNetDaily he visited Terri last night and said she was doing "remarkably well" although she seemed "ornery." He described her as alert and responsive and back to how she was prior to last week's six-day stint without the feeding tube.
MARCH 7, 2000: Judge denies test to see whether Terri Schiavo can swallow food.
APRIL 2000: Michael Schiavo moves his wife to a Hospice of the Florida Suncoast facility.
In my opinion...
Mr. Schiavo was NOT forthright in his "Lawyer" protected answers.
He couldn't look Larry King straight in the eye and answer some of his tough questions.
That alone is a big behavioral clue that Schiavo is Not telling the whole TRUTH and is hiding something.
I was totally shocked to hear from Schiavo's mouth that he is an RN...Trauma Nurse somewhere in Florida.
I sure wouldn't want this guy to be tending to me, especially if it were a matter of my LIFE or DEATH!
Maybe now, his Co-Workers will be alert and keep a close eye on his activities and decisions in the ER.
Judging from Schiavo's cold and slippery demeanor...I'd be agitated too whenever he is around...Don't Trust him.
TERRI knows something that we Do NOT know, and that something is what happened to her on the night she collapsed and was brought to the Hospital.
PRAYING for TERRI'S FULL RECOVERY and also for her Mom, Dad and brother to get permanent custodial custody of TERRI.
And that TERRI be moved to a Care Facility that cannot be controlled or influenced by Schiavo and his pals.
Praying that the Florida State Supreme Court will appoint an advocate/guardian that has Absolutely NO ties to Schiavo, his Lawyers or pals.
Many of us agree with you, there has been a live thread I posted going since Friday. I also emailed LK and told him I felt this and thanked him and asked him to now give Terri's family an hour -g-
"In last night's interview, Schiavo addressed the strangulation testimony by asking why her neck was not bruised and her trachea damaged."
Michael Schiavo assumes "the hands on approach," when that is not required.
In addition, a "rigid neck" that is considered in Terri's case, as a sign of "strangulation," can instead be caused by various other methods of attempting to cut off a person's airways.
For example, a hypothetical couple "having a domestic dispute" ---
A husband "getting carried away" during their argument(s) into the night and early morning hours, enough to "forget himself" ...He, a large heavy man, sits quickly on the upper back of his relatively smaller, lighter wife, who herself had been sitting on the floor and bent over some, exhausted and crying.
He forces her to the floor face down and causes her to hyperextend her neck as she struggles to raise her head, break free, and get air --- there is a dislocation of certain areas of her neck's connective tissues, the resulting strains and pinching of nerves leading to a severely "rigid neck."
With the immediate presence of his body heat in addition to her diminishing oxygen supply, she goes into shock..
She is forced into unconciousness; thence some minutes more pass, of insufficient oxygen (not necessarily a denial of all blood) flow to her brain; her heart beat might be undetectable.
Things go from bad to worse with the time that the husband remains upon her.
The husband regains some semblance of reason and senses her change of state, as well as what may befall him. He gets himself off of her, paces around, then he returns to her and checks, but cannot detect, her pulse ... he calls for help.
Her injuries would be revealed, over a year later in bone scans of the head, neck, torso, and lower body. Her injuries include a compression fracture of the wife's L1 vertebra, which literally plays a pivotal role in support of the upper back.
No heart attack.
Just trauma to tell the tell, in her bones.
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