Posted on 03/27/2005 7:09:17 AM PST by Maria S
According to the Associated Press, Michael Schiavo sued medical professionals who he said failed to recognize symptoms that caused his wife's heart to stop beating, causing her brain damage. As a result, he won a $1.2 million settlement. At the time, Michael sought the funds with the promise to use the money for Terri Schiavo's care and rehabilitation. As part of the settlement, Michael Schiavo received $300,000, the rest being earmarked for Terri's care and rehabilitation. His attorneys say today most of the money designated for Terri is gone, spent on her care and legal bills. One of his lawyers, Deborah Bushnell, told the AP that more than half of the $700,000 designated from the malpractice award for Terri's care has been spent for that purpose, with the rest going toward litigation. But that statement is at odds with records that show that lawyers - not medical care - ate up most of the expenditures and have been paid directly from Terri's Medical Trust fund, with the approval of Judge George Greer: Heres where most of the money went:
Atty. Gwyneth Stanley - $10,668.05 Atty. Deborah Bushnell - $65,607.00 Atty. Steve Nilson - $7,404.95 Atty. Pacarek - $1,500.00 Atty. Richard Pearse (GAL) - $4,511.95 Atty. George Felos - $397,249.99 Other - 1st Union/South Trust Bank $55,459.85 Michael Schiavo - $10,929.95 Total: $545,852.34
These funds, the result of a malpractice suit, were meant solely to provide for Terri Schiavos care and rehabilitation, not to pay lawyers to help Michael Schiavo kill his wife. Schiavos primary attorney, George Felos, a professional advocate of mercy killing, has received upwards of $400,000 dollars since Schiavo hired him. This same attorney, at the expense of Terris medical fund, publicly likened Terri to a "houseplant" and has used Terris case on national television to promote his newly published book.
"ORDERED AND ADJUDGED that Respondents' Emergency Expedited Motion for Permission to Provide Theresa Schindler Schiavo with Food and Water by Natural Means is DENIED."
This is sick, sick, sick. How can eating and drinking normally be considered extreme measures to keep someone alive? This ought to scare the heck out of everyone!
The only good thing out of this is that Greer has been asked to leave his church - at least someone in Fl has principles.
I believe Robert Melton, an auditor in Pinellas County, has been investigating misuse of these guardian trusts. However, he's hitting a brick wall in some of the cases.
amdgmary, could you repost some of the photos here for the benefit of this thread? Thanks ...
You have a wonderfully logical mind. You must be an accountant (said with great respect for accountants!!!).
Unintended consequences: Frivilous lawsuits by the Schindlers ate up their daughter's money.
Sorry, but Terri has never been brain dead. She has never been in a "persistent vegetative state." She can respond and breathe on her own.
Whatever MSM talking points you're quoting from is completely erroneous.
Schiavo would claim "poor mouth". No monies to be sued for. Like the fellow who kills his parents and claims orphan status, Schiavo is a sick and disturbed human being.
Not only sick, but it's an ILLEGAL ORDER.
see: http://www.libertytothecaptives.net/florida_statutes_terri_no_euthanasia.html
Florida Statues Prohibit Deliberate Acts to End Life
765.309 Florida Statute: Mercy Killing of Euthanasia Not Authorized; Suicide Distinguished. -- (1) Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to condone, authorize, or approve mercy killing or euthanasia, or to permit any affirmative or deliberate act of omission to end the life other than to permit the natural process of dying. (2) The withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging procedures from a patient in accordance with any provision of this chapter does not, for any purpose, constitute a suicide.
458.326 Florida Statute: Intractable Pain; Authorized Treatment. -- (4) Nothing in this section shall be construed to condone, authorize, or approve mercy killing or euthanasia, and no treatment authorized by this section may be used for such purpose.
782.08 Florida Statute: Assisting Self-Murder. -- Every person deliberately assisting another in the commission of self-murder shall be guilty of manslaughter, a felony of the second degree, punishable as provided in s.775.082, s. 775.083 or s.775.084.
Florida's prohibitions against assisted suicide protects not only the terminally ill, but also the disabled, the elderly, the chronically ill, the severely handicapped.
Withholding food and water by mouth is a deliberate act to end life and is prohibited in the Florida statutes! "Helping" Terri kill herself is assisted suicide and is also prohibited in the Florida statutes.
Come up with a new argument and stop wasting time with incoherent and idiotic statements.
If you can't negotiate a glass of water for an infirmed woman in America, I find it hard to entrust international negotiations on nuclear missiles to anyone other than Judge Greer. Hate him and call him the evil that he is, but the guy just beat the snot out of the executive and legislative branches. Not too bad for some piss ant judge.
Welcome to Florida, the Wild Kingdom.
Save
Employer provided life insurance is usually minimal and the employer would tend to cancel the policy once the employee stops working there.
I'm not saying there isn't anything these guys can do but in all fairness the deck was stacked against Terri since 2000 when Schiavo, Greer, Felos and company set this whole sorid tale in motion by lobbying to have the laws changed. Where was the outcry back then? Either nobody cared or nobody was looking while the this occurred.
It seems to me Jeb has been fighting this battle for a while and until late did not have much support nation wide.
Also, the right-to-life crowd has to acknowledge the contributions that W has made to the world with regards to protecting innocent Afghanis and Iraqis from the tyrannical governments that were out to destroy them.
We need to keep this all in perspective.
My prediction is that sadly, neither Jeb nor W will step in at the last minute and stop this atrocity. I don't think people will forget this and public outcry will be great when Terri does finally pass away. Bloggers will continue to hammer away at this Florida collusion of death and many things will be learned that will be eye opening to everyone.
"Brain dead" has a very specific clinical meaning, and is not the same as PVS:
"Neuroscience experts continue to define brain death as irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem. This definition remains consistent with the definition of brain death initially presented by the Presidents Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research.1,13"
More info, including "Criteria for Clinical Determination of Brain Death":
http://www.aacn.org/aacn/jrnlccn.nsf/0/5ebf8de743ead0fa8825674e005a8950?OpenDocument
All I can find is that Philadelphia Consolidated Holding Corp. (phly on nasdaq) apparently bought JERGER & CENTONZE INSURNACE AGENCY, INC sometime in 2001 (?). I don't know how to research back to find corp. articles, etc., on company purchases. Maybe someone else knows how to do this. Odd, IMO, that this stuff happened about the same time that Terri was supposedly moved to the hospice (allegedly without the Schindlers knowing about it).
Again, just my opinion; counts for nothing.
I think the media are making things harder by limiting coverage to simple issues and telling everyone to get a living will. More outrage and support would come if the abuse and fraud were covered well.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.