Terri responding to her mother in video clip available on terrisfight.org
Posted on 01/05/2005 12:26:07 AM PST by JohnHuang2
Wednesday, January 5, 2005
LIFE AND DEATH TUG OF WAR
Surprised lawyer finds
Terri Schiavo alert
1st visit contradicts claims of 'persistent vegetative state'
Despite the widely believed claims of her husband, Terri Schiavo is purposefully interactive, curious and expressive with her parents, according to a surprised lawyer who visited for the first time the brain-damaged Florida woman embroiled in a euthanasia dispute.
Terri responding to her mother in video clip available on terrisfight.org |
After a 45-minute visit Christmas Eve, attorney Barbara Weller concluded Schiavo was so alert that she "should have been gathered around the Christmas dinner table enjoying the holiday with her family."
Weller, along with attorney David Gibbs, took over the lead counsel role in September for Terri's parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, who are in a protracted legal battle with her husband, Michael Schiavo, to keep their daughter alive.
Gibbs also was present during the Dec. 24 visit.
Not knowing what to expect, Weller said in a narrative posted on the family website she "prepared for the possibility that the Schindlers love their daughter and sister so much that they might imagine behaviors by Terri that aren't actually evident to others."
But she was "very surprised" to find that, "From the moment we entered the room, my impression was that Terri was very purposeful and interactive and she seemed very curious about the presence of obvious strangers in her room."
Noting that Terri was not in bed but dressed and groomed and sitting in a chair without any tubes attached, Weller wrote:
The thing that surprised me the most about Terri as I took my turn to greet her by the side of her chair was how beautiful she is. I would have expected to see someone with a sallow and gray complexion and a sick looking countenance. Instead, I saw a very pretty woman with a peaches and cream complexion and a lovely smile, which she even politely extended to me as I introduced myself to her. I was amazed that someone who had not been outside for so many years and who received such minimal health care could look so beautiful. She appeared to have an inner light radiating from her face. I was truly taken aback by her beauty, particularly under the adverse circumstances in which she has found herself for so many years.
As WorldNetDaily has reported, Terri collapsed in 1990 in the couple's St. Petersburg apartment. For reasons never satisfactorily explained, oxygen to her brain was cut off for several minutes, leaving her unable to talk and dependent on a feeding tube for food and hydration at the age of 26.
In a 2000 trial, Michael Schiavo persuaded Florida probate Judge George Greer that Terri is in a "persistent vegetative state," which in the absence of a written directive, allowed Michael Schiavo to request removal of her feeding tube.
In November, however, Greer ruled the tube cannot be removed until the Schindlers have exhausted all avenues in their quest for a new trial to determine whether or not their daughter would want to be starved to death.
Michael Schiavo insists he simply is carrying out his wife's wishes, but Terri's parents contend Terri is alert, has a strong will to live and could be significantly rehabilitated with aggressive therapy. More than a dozen physicians, therapists and speech pathologists have stepped forward to state agreement with the Schindlers.
The parents also assert Michael Schiavo's interests are conflicted since he has lived with another woman for at least nine years with whom he has had two children.
Weller said that during the visit Dec. 24, "Terri's parents, sister and niece went immediately to greet Terri when we entered the room and stood in turn directly beside her head, stroking her face, kissing her and talking quietly with her.
"When she heard their voices, and particularly her mother's voice, Terri instantly turned her head towards them and smiled," Weller continued. "Terri established eye contact with her family, particularly with her mother, who spent the most time with her during our visit."
Weller said the "whole experience was rather moving."
"Terri definitely has a personality," she said. "Her whole demeanor definitely changes when her mother speaks with her. She lights up and appears to be delighted at the interaction. She has an entirely different reaction to her father who jokes with her and has several standing jokes that he uses when he enters and exits her presence."
Weller said she "never imagined Terri would be so active, curious, and purposeful."
"She watched people intently, obviously was attempting to communicate with each one in various ways and with various facial expressions and sounds," she said. "She was definitely not in a coma, not even close. This visit certainly shed more light for me on why the Schindlers are fighting so hard to protect her, to get her medical care and rehabilitative assistance, and to spend all they have to protect her life."
Court documents and other information are posted on the Schindler family website.
Links to all "Terri briefs" regarding the governor's defense of Terri's Law are on the Florida Supreme Court website, public information.
"Yes, but she's not allowed to testify in court."
I'm not a lawyer, so this is probably an iggernunt question, but what about habeas corpus?
BUMP
Wonderful news! This is the best news we've had about Terri so far!
"clear and convincing". I can't spell, but I'm not visually impaired like Judge Greer. I don't have to review exhibits and read pleadings. He reveals his impairment only to those he chooses to. Is that a failure to disclose? Why, yes it is.
Not being a lawyer either, I have no idea.
"The lawyer was surprised only because"
I didn't want to quarrel. I'm on Terri's side.
I only wanted to comment that it's still possible for people to remain totally unaware of things that are common knowledge to pajamaheeden. If this lawyer was better informed than I at first inferred, great. The only thing I have to say to her is, "Go get'em, Tiger. Sic'em. Crush the enemy, drive them before you, and hear the lamentations of the corrupt judges and lawyers."
Paparazzi in the trees outside? Hahahahahaha! In his delusional mind, and in those of his lawyers, that's what he's so afraid of? I guess so, because then the whole world would know his lie about Terri's condition!
I wasn't quarreling, either! I could tell you were on Terri's side! The pajamahadeen are some of the best informed people on the planet. Maybe Weller will become one of us!
Why can't these idiot judges be shown video of Terri?
The idiot judge(s) can't see the video in front of them in the courtroom. The idiot judges are told by Michael's chosen doctors that what they view on the videos are merely reflexive noncognizant actions and are, therefore, not responses. Thus, these idiot judges believe that Terri is in a persistent vegetative state, the legal reason to allow her death by dehydration and starvation. The mere fact that other doctors disagree with that is not included in the evidence files of Judge Greer's courtroom. He never lets truth get in the way of sentencing someone to death.
So refusing to change our minds about Terri's right to live a happy life makes us fanatics? Does that mean that rational people support The Final Solution?
"habes only applicable in criminal proceedings."
Drat.
"I wasn't quarreling, either!"
Okay, sorry for hypersensitivity. I just went through a thread...well, best not to go into that.
"We have no idea if the US Supreme Court will accept or reject Jeb Bush's appeal (Terri's Law)."
If not I think it's time for the people to take matters into their hands, as trickydicky suggested.
The SOB Michael Schiavo can't wait to see beautiful Terri die.
Were Terri my sister or my daughter, I know exactly how to put this whole thing to an end. I'd do it the old fashioned way. Ciao paisa'.
Judge Greer was shown a video of Terri interacting with people. He couldn't see it because he's legally blind. A fact that he did not disclose, as required.
Thanks for the ping, Ohioan from Florida.
LEGALLY BLIND? isn't that taking "blind justice" a little too far?
I would think a judge would have to have reasonable vision to do his job properly.
He can't judge on anything that requires information through visual sensing.
Photos, videos, body language etc. That's ridiculous.
Bump!
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