Professor Appointed to Probe Schiavo Case

Guardian Unlimited ^ | Nov 1, 2003 | Vickie Chachere

[Future Useless Eater]

Professor Appointed to Probe Schiavo Case

Saturday November 1, 2003 1:01 AM

By VICKIE CHACHERE
Associated Press Writer

TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - A judge appointed a University of South Florida professor on Friday to independently investigate the case of a severely brain-damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die battle.

Jay Wolfson, an expert on health care financing, will report to Gov. Jeb Bush and recommend whether the stay the governor enacted to keep Terri Schiavo alive should be allowed to remain.

Schiavo suffered severe brain damage when her heart stopped due to a chemical imbalance and has been in a persistent vegetative state for more than a decade. Doctors have said there is no hope for her recovery.

Her husband, Michael Schiavo, has fought to have her feeding tube removed, saying his wife did not want to be kept alive artificially.

Terri Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, dispute that claim and have fought to keep their daughter alive, saying they believe she could be rehabilitated.

Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed for six days in October before the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush enacted a special law to have it reinserted. The law also required a guardian to be appointed.

George Felos, the attorney for Michael Schiavo, and the American Civil Liberties Union filed briefs this week challenging the constitutionality of the governor's action. The state is expected to respond on Monday.

The judge said that if the law is found to be unconstitutional, Wolfson is to cease his work.

The Schindlers had objected to Wolfson's appointment, claiming comments he made to a television station indicated he was biased against the newly enacted law. The judge said he found no evidence of bias.

Wolfson did not return calls seeking comment.

The judge ordered Wolfson to report to the governor in 30 days, but said the deadline could be extended if needed.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Why this new friend of mine, Lisa the nurse just accused you of comapring her to an animal.. now did you do that sweetliberty? I didn't read that comparison in any of your post, but I think this new friend of mine has super powers, and is able to read things where I can not comprehend. I for one hope you will stop insulting animals like that.

[sweetliberty]

Well, I'm not into this to fight WITH anybody, just FOR Terri. I do what I can, and granted it might not be much...write a few letters (okay, a few hundred), set people I know straight about what I know about Terri's case so they quit buying into the media lies, pray, put up the daily threads so FReepers have a place for discussion and to post the most recent threads and information.....I don't believe that I need to justify my being here to anyone, nor will I, certainly not to someone whose second post on this board is to call me stupid, tell me that I am doing nothing constructive or helpful, accuse me of saying things I didn't say and then demand to know what I do for a living. Pretty presumptuous, in my opinion.

[Annie03]

Here in CO, we get a booklet with a review of each judge. The recommendations are based on how nice the judges are to attys and participants. Like I care=I want to know what their rulings are, if they are fair in that respect. But thats all I get in my town to make my decisions.

[Annie03]

Just never mind "her", sweetliberty. I'm not. My grandma used to say ignoring takes the wind out of the sails. Of course, I don't think she ever met a troll before :)

[lonevoice]

ROTFL! Perhaps in more ways than one! Looks a bit light in the Birkenstocks if you ask me

Nope. It's even worse than you imagine. Check this out!

Constance Felos is a speaker, writer, performer and lawyer. As a Science of Mind practitioner intern and certified Louise Hay teacher she creates performances, lectures, workshops and classes using New Thought philosophy. She practices law with her husband in Dunedin, FL. (727) 736-1402. http://www.altnewtimes.com/e85cfe.html

I found a trial transcript of the RC priest who testified for Felos about his opinion of Terri's religious beliefs. Constance Felos was listed as co-counsel with George Felos. All in the family, I guess. (Please tell me this couple has no children.) Now I'm wondering if the lawyer fees we've seen listed for George Felos and Debra Bushnell do or don't include Constance Felos fees.

[sweetliberty]

Well, I had read somewhere that he was divorced, and what "proof" do we have that this Constance is actually female. One never knows anymore. No matter. The guy is still a serious whackjob.

[Annie03]

That is just.....I don't even know. The inmates are running the asylum, and we all better start paying closer attention. This just blows my mind.
SHEESH

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Trying to slide in that you said something you did not, and that YOU called names when you did not, is the same style of posting as I have seen in other posters. These posters also share the same message, which is that we are really doing nothing so we should just stop because we do not understand the finer points of Terri's eating disorder, and how her severe bulemia caused her to fall down and have a heart attack and her brittle bones as a result of her Bulemia is the answer to everything. They also share a contempt for The Schinler's docters ,and the Schindlers themselves. Hmmm..... the plot thickens....

[Diva Betsy Ross]

What a cheese ball. She looks exaclty like someone who would pretend to be a southern belle, like she was offended that you would comapre her to an animal.

[lonevoice]

Yep, he's a whackjob. By the looks of her biography, so is his wife. At least according to this document the Felos's were still practicing law together in January of 2000 and she appeared as counsel for Michael Schiavo Sixth Judicial Circuit Court

OF THE SIXTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT STATE FLORIDA IN AND FOR PINELLAS COUNTY PROBATE DIVISION
CASE NO. 90-2908-GD3 I
N RE: THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THERESA MARIE SCHIAVO, Incapacitated.
MICHAEL SCHIAVO, AS GUARDIAN OF THE PERSON OF THERESA MARIE SCHIAVO,
Petitioner, ROBERT SCHINDLER AND MARY SCHINDLER,
BEFORE: JUDGE W. GREER Circuit Court Judge
PLACE: Clearwater Courthouse
Clearwater, FL 33756
January 24, 2000
3:00 p.m.

APPEARANCES: GEORGE J. FELOS, ESQUIRE CONSTANCE FELOS, ESQUIRE 640 Douglas Avenue Dunedin, FL 34698

[sweetliberty]

The point is, her bulemia is irrelevant. Hammersfahr is irrelevant. There are other doctors on Terri's side. As another poster said, they're red herrings. The only thing relevant is protecting Terri from the person who is trying to kill her!

[lonevoice]

If it wasn't so serious, it would be funny. The one that really blew my mind was the "private investigator" saying that Terri's neck injury was caused when "she fell on her head". Try to imagine how someone in a standing position loses consciousness and falls to the floor landing head first. It's interesting that the new generation MS trolls all claim dubious credentials.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

yes but is she an RN? I think we should do a little more digging on her

[cyn]

yes, I believe that's also contained also in pdf link posted by RusynMama (in 86, but that link was incorrect). Is that what you're looking for? Best wishes to you.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Of course. But why do the keep beating a dead horse with us? They are using these red herrings to try and presaude people from helping Terri.

[lonevoice]

I think we should do a little more digging on her

I think so too. You don't think these people would be low enough to troll FR, do you? < /sarc>

Also would be very interested to know how much $$$ in legal fees she's gotten from Terri's trust fund.

[cyn]

Terri all spiffed up -- this must have been her trip to the mall salon, before 1992 trial.
May Terri achieve her freedom soon after all these years of justice denied.

Below are EXCERPTS -- please see PDF for original from friends of Terri website. Thanks to FL engineer, who found this!

Reports ‘transcribed’ to FreeRepublic

Physical Examination -- 6 - 27 - 90

*patient is awake, eyes are open
*easily startled to her name or when bedrail fell down
*significant amount of tone in the head and neck.
*severe hypertonicity of all four extremities; plantar flexor contractures, some shoulder limitation
*“again, tone is quite significant in all four extremities and difficult to achieve range of motion of the left hip and knee while she is in a supine position.”
*pt is awake
*she does give eye contact to family members
*she will close her eyes to any threatening response around her face and blink appropriately
*no verbal output during this exam but it has been reported by husband and other family members and therapists over at College Harbor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Treatment Plan Review from Mediplex rehab, Bradenton, 1/29/91

*Vocalizing when prone in P.T. [physical therapy]
*Occasionally will say "STOP" to nursing during procedures.
*to TR [recreation?] groups. More relaxed to therapists voice, touch (habituation)

[sweetliberty]

I don't know. Apparently they don't know too much about FReepers or they'd realize that trying to dissuade us from anything we had our mind set on was a waste of time.

[Diva Betsy Ross]

Right I have that scottish temper ,pit bull teeth in the meat kinda thing.. how about you?

[Annie03]

I never realized that picture was taken AFTER her collapse. I always thought it was before. If that is an "after" picture it is proof positive of the subsequent neglect. Now I'm so mad I can hardly breathe....