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I do understand your argument. And if you can only see the expression as being as you describe, then the conversation between Terri and her friend must ALSO have occurred when Terri was 11, as that conversation is described using the same tenses.

Totally unrelated example ... one might say "I am disgusted with Hinkley's attemt to kill President Reagan," today, and it makes perfect sense, even though the attempt was years ago.

But Terri didn't say it that way. She used the present tense, according to her friend. Something along the line of, "I can't believe her parents are considering the disconnecting of the respirator".

Yes, and if that comment was made while they were watching a movie, then the comment is made in the frame of time reference of the movie. "I can't believe Al Capone is going to [future tense] order a Valentine's Day massacre."

And if you hear the sound of hoofs, it could be zebras.

Could the conversation have happened the way you say? Sure. And those could be zebras.

But, c'mon. Who talks that way? Who says (today), "I am disgusted with Hinkley's attempt to kill President Reagan"?

Lordy. Much more natural to say, "I am disgusted that Hinkley attempted to kill President Reagan".

Well, someone had to sort it all out, and that someone was Judge Greer. If he misread the present-tense statements of both Terri's mother and her friend, well, then he truly screwed up. Then again, he had solid proof (by testimony) of her desire not to live that way.

I considered this overall. All the evidence. All the testimony. Personally, I concluded that she wished not to live like that.

But it wasn't my call.