But who selected those physicians? Had Michael selected a couple of physicians who would actually try to find that Terri was cognitive, I would think the results might have been 4-0 or 3-1 instead of 2-2.
His unwillingness to revisit the issue of Terri's condition after the trial and especially before the tube was removed for the last time probably indicates that he was afraid that a new look might reverse the earlier ruling. I think it does. But his opinion of her condition is irrelevant from a judicial standpoint.
Terri's condition was not evaluated because Felos objected to having any more testing done. Had Michael instructed Felos to allow such testing, firing him if necessary, the court would have had no basis to forbid it on its own.
I'm splitting hairs here, I know, especially since I think there should have been new tests from a moral standpoint, if nothing else.
The issue of whether testing would be allowed rested with Michael rather than the court. Although the court should have required more testing even over Michael's objections, Michael himself should have allowed it even if/though the court didn't require it.
I don't think there's any question that he had made his mind up about Terri's PVS state before filing that legal action. What he thought it was, I don't know, but I'm sure Felos convinced him that he could win on the PVS issue.
At that point, the die was cast. Michael and Felos weren't going to allow any more tests that might contradict their position.
Michael wasn't looking out for Terri's best interests up to the bitter end. That ended sometime before he filed the legal action.