Posted on 03/25/2005 8:15:15 AM PST by vanderleun
A SHORT NOTE CONCERNING the financial benefits to Michael Schiavo that will accrue from the death of his wife.
I've seen numerous comments that the money given to Terri following various settlements has been dissipated in paying for hospice care and legal bills over the years. I have no way of knowing how true that is, but I suspect that it is, in the main, the case. I also note that the defenders of the man who now has to rank as the worst husband in America since Bill Clinton never tire of pointing out that "he turned down a million dollars " to transfer Terri's guardianship to the family. Again, I have no way of knowing how true that is, but if he did it was a shrewd move and, as we observe Michael Schiavo in his television appearances, we can see he is a shrewd man.
What I do have some sense of is how much money Michael Schiavo stands to make if, and only if, his wife dies. It is, for a man, with a fresh new wife and two children, substantial. Having worked as an editor for Houghton Mifflin and as a literary agent, I have some the price the publishing and media worlds would put on his story. It will be significantly more than twelve pieces of silver.
The book deal: "HER BODY, MY SELF" by Michael Schiavo can be auctioned to a large group of major publishers within ten days of Terri Schiavo's death. This can be arranged by an canny and shameless agent -- and they are legion -- on the basis of 12 telephone calls, a two-page outline, a ghost writer known to the New York publishing world, and a dog-and-pony show where Michael is flown to New York and trotted around to six to eight editors' offices in a day. The bidding for this book will have a floor of two million dollars. The top offer will be in the range of three to three and a half-million for hardcover and paperback rights. Depending on the agent's feel for the market, translation rights may be added to the mix. Film rights will be held back. After the agent's 15% fee, Michael's take from this will be $2,550,000, less $50,000 paid to the ghost writer.
The film and tv rights for Michael's "story" will probably bring in another 1-3 million dollars depending on a number of factors and will, in this instance, be set in motion before the publication of the book.
Speaking fees: Michael Schiavo's lawyer currently commands $15,000 per speaking engagement, so it is not hard to see that Michael could easily pull down $50,000 per engagement. While you probably won't see him show up at Catholic conventions, he's a natural Keynoter for hundreds of other groups across the country and abroad. In the first year alone he could, given a reasonable calendar, be booked for at least 50 events. His gross fees in the first year would, in that case, come to $2,500,000.
Terri Schiavo is worth six to eight million dollars to Michael Schiavo if, and only if, she's dead. If she continues living nothing happens on the book or movie front because there's no ending. When she dies, it is jackpot time for Michael.
I guess he'll be able to buy that nice house his common-law wife has probably been bugging him about for years. It doesn't take a telepath to imagine the pillow talk at Michael Schiavo's house: "We've got two kids and she's still hanging on! You and that lawyer better get cracking. We've got college to think of and need at least five bedrooms! It's a great time to buy. What's the matter with you? Get me my down payment or I'm out of here. And I'm taking the kids... You said you'd get rid of her years ago and we're still in this dump I never liked..."
If you think the current wife's mind-set doesn't play a roll in the killing of Terri Schiavo, think again. Women with children might like having a husband, but they love real estate and tuition funds more. After all, half of a house is forever.
What happened to the money that was supposed to be for her care for the rest of her life that supposedly is now gone at age 41? Was the hospice complicit in using up the money?
1-850-487-1111
Be nice and thank him for what he has done so far. I believe that some of what was said about the Florida Republican senators before they had even voted (by RT) may have forced them into the wrong vote.
I hope her parents sue Michael for wrongful death and take all of his possible earnings from her story. That's what I would do.
Or at least sue him for exploiting their daughter. He doesn't deserve any money from her suffering.
Wonder how much the judge will receive from MONSTER MICHAEL?
I suspect money or the lack is the purpose after all this time. Lawyers ain't cheap.
I think we all are assured of the evil Michael Schiavo's probably motives - money and freedom from worried he will ever have Terri's finger pointed at him for attempted murder. But what's with these evil judges? I just don't understand it. I know this sounds extreme, but when I woke up this morning and heard the new news, I said, "May these evil judges choke on their own saliva." They have shown no mercy to Terri and her family - may no mercy be shown to them. I am angry - beyond words.
I think we all are assured of the evil Michael Schiavo's probably motives - money and freedom from worried he will ever have Terri's finger pointed at him for attempted murder. But what's with these evil judges? I just don't understand it. I know this sounds extreme, but when I woke up this morning and heard the new news, I said, "May these evil judges choke on their own saliva." They have shown no mercy to Terri and her family - may no mercy be shown to them. I am angry - beyond words.
One more thought - let's put out an Amber Alert for Terri. She has been abducted by her evil husband -- his accomplices - evil, evil judges.
This article verifies that there is a life insurance policy
http://www.axcessnews.com/national_0223051.shtml
Michael Schiavo refuses to comment on whether there is a life insurance policy outstanding on Terri
http://www.cnn.com/2003/LAW/10/22/coma.woman/
http://www.lifesite.net/ldn/2003/oct/03102304.html
Seems odd he would refuse to comment if there was none.
The $2 mil figure may be an error (I recalled seeing it somewhere but can't find that source at the moment), this is just another part of the case where the truth is shrouded in conflicting information and a refusal on his part to be forthcoming.
Life Insurance on Terri....this is one I can not for the life of me understand. I'd be extremely surprised if a life insurance policy would have EVER been issued on Terri in her condition. Hopefully the insurance company will take a very very close look at the original life application.
Why not? This is important for all of us -- we have the right as fellow citizens and patriots to weigh in. After all, this is not just about Terri, it's about all of us. They're killing the disabled -- it could very well be you or me next time, or one of our loved ones. If we don't cry out now and loudly - we could all be in big trouble. My question: Is this a country of "we the people" or "we the judges." Seems like the latter to me. This is not good for the Republic.
Within a hour of Terri's death, Michael should be arrested for murder. Unfortunately, he's a Pinellas Park resident, and it's doubtful that the PP Police will do that. It's a small, tight community, and I expect Michael has friends in high places there who have been, and are still, protecting him. Last night, O'Reilly said he's been trying to get information from the PP Police regarding the events of that night 15 years ago, and they won't cooperate. IF PP Police are protecting him, which O'Reilly alluded to, then perhaps a State agency can arrest the SOB. Maybe the police need to be investigated right along with Schiavo. Judge Greer and his wife, I believe, sit on the Board of Directors for the hospice where she lies dying. It's just all too weird and suspicious.
I have no access to the financial details either, but I doubt whether any of the money has paid for the hospice. The odds are that the taxpayers have picked up the full tab.
Legal costs, I don't know. George Felos has a very strong ideological interest in killing people, and it could be that he gave Michael special rates. And of course his hospice got an extra patient out of the deal, with 15 years of government payments.
My guess is that a substantial amount of the award money still remains.
He couldn't afford to take the offer of a million because a) his name would have been instantly Mud; and b) he might have risked exposing himself to an attempted murder charge.
Calling the pre-determined trials that are Florida state courts a show trial by Caiphus --- the high priest --- seems very legitimate (although perhaps harsh; I don't know).
And certainly the federal judges --- who, like Pilate, were supposed to look into the matter --- but still refused to get involved in a very sticky mess. The various federal opinons can be read as "Am I a Florida judge? 'Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law.'"
Even the nutjob who tried to save Shiavo with a knife sounds a lot like Peter with a sword --- bad idea then, and now.
And Mr. Shiavo --- supposedly Terri's closest friend seems to have betrayed her --- certainly commiting adultry --- quite possibly for money from a book deal, speaking fees, and insurance. Perhaps the money can be used to buy a nice field.
And Terri Shiavo certainly thirsts.
On a related topic, I really don't think the attacks on Gov. Bush are appropriate.
He has done all that is legally possible in the matter. Going in by force --- against the rule of law --- would be the use of the sword in these matters. And again, like Peter, force is the wrong thing to do in these situations --- no matter how much you want to cut off the high priest's head.
Bookmarked. FReegards....
Well, even the original Judas got more than 12 pieces of silver. Of course, he died about the same time as the person he betrayed. How biblical would that be?
This is one of the threads to remember if Shiavo should start making money via books & movies & speaking.
God only knows what Terri would tell us about Micheal if she got better. If she dies, Michael, the judge, and the libs are off the hook. No one will ever know for sure. It's like not having Monica's "blue dress."
In reality, I think Michael is viewed with a lot of distrust even by people who support having Terri's feeding tube removed. That camp is composed of 1) people who just believe that it's always better to end a life in that condition, since they can't imagine themselves wanting to continue living like that, 2) people who haven't dug into the facts of the case in detail, and just assume that after all these years of litigation, and essentially unanimous decisions by too many courts to count, the decision must be right, and that those who keep fighting must be irrational zealots (this view is fueled by the fact that there ARE plenty of irrational zealots promoting this campaign), and 3) people who feel that's it's a dangerous precedent to let decisions like this be made essentially by mob rule and highly irregular actions by legislators, with emotion and politics trumping the legal process.
However it's hard to find anybody, apart from a tiny handful of Michael's personal friends, who believe that his crusade is motivated by devotion to the ethical principle of ensuring that his wife's wishes are carried out, and sets an important example for how people should handle the increasing ability of medical science to artificially extend lives which would have just ended naturally until recent decades. If that was a widespread perception, then he would be a highly sought after speaker, and get huge sums for book and movie rights. But the way things are, just about everybody seems to think he's pretty creepy, and that even if it would be better to pull Terri's feeding tube, this whole saga would have been a lot less ugly if someone other than Michael had been her husband.
The hospice is being paid by Medicaid. Felos, Greer and Schiavo had terri illegally put into Suncoast. greer set aside the Trust Fund so that Medicaid couldn't touch it. Schiavo has been using it for legal fees. He thought that Terri would die the first time that the tube was removed. HHS is prosecuting Suncoast to recoup $15 million in fraud. Terri's body is evidence.
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