The Quinlan respirator was removed in 1976. The judge made a mistake by concluding that Quinlan died when the respirator was removed (a logical conclusion, but wrong).
Now, examine the testimony of the friend:
"93. Diane Christine Meyer, a friend of the family, testified about a similar "end-of-life" conversation with Terri in 1982 in which Terri stated that she did not approve of the parents' attempts to remove life support from Quinlan."
The parents attempts to remove. Meaning that life support had not yet been removed. Which means the conversation must have taken place prior to 1976.
If the conversation did indeed take place in 1982, Terri would have stated that she did not approve of the parents' removal of life support from Quinlan.
Do you see now how the judge's error was irrelevant?
Greer's error was to discredit the testimony on the basis that, in his mind, the conversations (both with mom and with friend) had to have taken place when Terri was 11 years old.
Again, I'm not arguing that the case turns on this. While I think Greer erred in finding Terri's intent to the standard of clear and convincing, my comment was on a different subject. To wit, that the forum is better served when evidence is laid out fairly, with at least passing mention that the evidence is not unequivocal. Give the readers some credit and let them make up their own minds. It makes FR a better place.
Well, after 1982, Quinlan was alive and off the respirator. What would there be to disagree about actual removal? The point being, Quinlan's parents expcetd Quinlan to die from removal, and that is what bothered Terri. At least that is how I would interpret the comments.
No matter. Greer found that Terri made the comments when Terri was 11. And even if she made them when she was 18, he wouldn't change his finding of fact.