Man Turns Down $1M in Sciavo Case By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer Friday, March 11, 2005 (03-11) 10:05 PST Tampa, Fla. (AP) -- A man fighting to have a feeding tube removed from his brain-damaged wife on Friday rejected a California businessman's offer to pay him $1 million to give up his right to decide her medical treatment. Thursday's offer, which the husband's attorney labeled "offensive," came hours after a judge refused to let the state's social services agency intervene — a move that would have delayed next week's scheduled removal of the tube. Other such offers, including one for $10 million, had already been made and rejected by Michael Schiavo, said his attorney, George Felos. Terri Schiavo's parents are trying to keep her alive, but Michael Schiavo contends he had once promised his wife he would not keep her alive by artificial means before she suffered a heart attack 15 years ago. Now 41, she has lived since then in what court-appointed doctors call a persistent vegetative state. Even if the husband did walk away, Felos said, there is still a court order requiring removal of the tube at 1 p.m. next Friday. A judge ordered that the feedings be stopped after finding "clear and convincing" evidence that she would not want to be kept alive in her current state. Judge George Greer denied a request by the state Department of Children & Families to delay that order for 60 days so it can investigate allegations of abuse and neglect against Michael Schiavo. The judge said the allegations had already been investigated and found to be groundless. He said the agency was apparently trying to pull an end run around the court by getting involved at this late stage. The case has drawn international attention, particularly among religious conservatives, who are supporting the woman's parents. San Diego businessman Robert Herring, who founded an electronics company and later a cable and satellite channel, said he felt "compelled" to try to have the husband transfer the legal right to decide his wife's medical treatment to the parents, Bob and Mary Schindler. "I believe very strongly that there are medical advances happening around the globe that very shortly could have a positive impact on Terri's condition," Herring said. Herring's offer is valid until Monday, according to a statement from his attorney, Gloria Allred. The money has been deposited into a trust account at Allred's Los Angeles law firm, the statement said. Felos said his client would not consider any such proposals. "Michael has said over and over again that this case is not about money for him," Felos said. "It's about carrying out his wife's wishes. There is no amount of money anyone can offer that will cause him to turn his back on his wife." The Schindlers still have two issues before the state's 2nd District Court of Appeal, which has said it will rule next week. They also are looking to the Legislature and perhaps Congress for help; both have bills in the works that lawmakers say could save Terri Schiavo's life. The Schindlers doubt their daughter had end-of-life wishes and have fought their son-in-law in court for nearly seven years to save her life. They also dispute that she is in a vegetative state, saying she laughs, cries, interacts with them and tries to speak.
I believe thou shall not kill and don't committ suicide. But when it's your time to go and you're kept alive by artificial means then it's just man playing god. For those that don't agree with this, i'm not saying don't seek medical treatement. Just that when you're in a vegetable state like she is, it's time to let go. For all we know the soul has crossed over even if the body is still intact.
Does not make offering him money to let his wife die any less offensive Imagine if it was your kid. . . your wife Rocket River
The parents have a painted an awful picture of the husband in the press. That version of the husband would have cetainly taken the money and run.
The husband is the one trying to have the tube removed and let her die. The people offering money are trying to keep her alive.
http://apnews.myway.com//article/20050318/D88THGQG4.html Judge: Keep Schiavo Feeding Tube in Place Mar 18, 1:05 PM (ET) By MITCH STACY PINELLAS PARK, Fla. (AP) - A state judge on Friday temporarily blocked the removal of the feeding tube for severely brain-damaged Terri Schiavo as legal wrangling continued over efforts by congressional Republicans to keep her alive. Pinellas Circuit Court Chief Judge David Demers ordered that the feeding tube remain in place past a 1 p.m. EST deadline while fellow Judge George Greer, who is presiding over the Schiavo case, deals with conflicting legal issues. The Senate Health Committee has requested that Terri Schiavo and her husband, Michael, appear at an official committee hearing on March 28. The Pinellas Park hospice where Schiavo lives received a subpoena late Friday morning, spokeswoman Louise Cleary said. Officials there did not say who was subpoenaed or disclose their next steps. "At this time, we are monitoring developments and consulting with legal and ethical advisers to determine what to do," she said. Michael Schiavo has waged a yearslong court battle with his parents-in-law, contending his 41-year-old wife, who has been in a persistent vegetative state since 1990, would not want to live that way. Courts have cleared the way for him to remove her feeding tube as early as 1 p.m. Friday. The tube has been removed twice in the past and then reinserted as the battle continued. "It is a contempt of Congress to prevent or discourage someone from following the subpoena that's been issued," David Gibbs, the attorney for her parents, said. "What the U.S. Congress is saying is, 'We want to see Terri Schiavo.'" "The family is prayerfully excited about their daughter going before the United States Congress for the whole world to see how alive she is." He said that despite her brain damage, she would be able to travel. A statement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., on Friday said the purpose of the hearing was to review health care policies and practices relevant to the care of non-ambulatory people. Frist's statement noted that it is a federal crime to harm or obstruct a person called to testify before Congress. Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union's Florida office, said his group's attorneys were working with Michael Schiavo's attorneys to determine if the subpoenas would block the scheduled removal of the tube. "This is clearly an effort to circumvent a lawful court order by a state judge," Simon said. "I am not sure how a subpoena, which is ordinarily done to produce records or somebody to testify, can essentially have the effect of an injunction overriding the orders of a court."
In latest news the US House of Reps. has subpoenaed Terry Schiavo herself, her husband and her doctors to testify. Also the judge in FLA has lifted the temporary injuction so her feeding tube can be removed.
The Senate Health Committee has requested that Terri Schiavo and her husband, Michael, appear at an official committee hearing on March 28. A statement from the office of Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, R-Tenn., on Friday said the purpose of the hearing was to review health care policies and practices relevant to the care of non-ambulatory people. Jurisdictional end-run?
Republicans are the party of small government and less interference with peoples lives. Aside: does anybody think the tension between the libertarians and the janet-jackson boob couverture evangelical right who have powered the recent republican resurgence will tear it apart? I certainly hope so.
This is just getting crazy! --------------- Judge Orders Schiavo Feeding Tube Removed By MITCH STACY, Associated Press Writer PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - The presiding judge in the case of Terri Schiavo ruled Friday that the feeding tube keeping the brain-damaged woman alive must be removed, despite efforts by congressional Republicans to block the move by seeking her appearance at hearings. Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer refused a request from U.S. House attorneys to delay the removal, which he had previously ordered to take place at 1 p.m. EST. Greer determined that it should go forward about an hour after another judge issued a temporary delay blocking the tube's removal. "I have had no cogent reason why the (congressional) committee should intervene," Greer told attorneys in a conference call, adding that last-minute action by Congress does not invalidate years of court rulings. There was no immediate word on when the tube might be removed. Attorneys seeking to block the removal vowed to appeal. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tm...p/20050318/ap_on_re_us/brain_damaged_woman_49
Yeah I'll touch it.... Tom DeLay has proven he is as full of sh*t as ever. Republicans crack me up. They say they care about the unborn, and the brain dead, yet they don't give a flying f*ck about the homeless, the unemployed and the uninsured in this country. Hypocrites.
Her body may be alive, but she's not there. It seems silly to say that you're fighting for life by keeping her body alive. She's not alive like Tom Delay. She has no cognitive functions. And she isn't coming back. So at this point, I think its time to let her go, although I can understand why her parents would not want to do that. On the other hand, I think this constantly legal wrangling by everyone from Congress to Jeb Bush bordering on an abuse of the system and ever so slightly hypocritical. I fully expect our wonderful Congress people to display the same amount of vigor in promoting other avenues of life such as avoiding unnecessary wars and not sending people to suffer terrible human rights violations in other countries.
I disagree with my fellow republicans on this case (at least what I understand of it). I mean if she is a vegetable and can not get better I don't understand why anyone would want to be kept alive (probably a great reason for everyone to have a living will, so your family doesn't have to make the decision). The only thing that would change my mind is if she is more than a vegetable (like if the story was true that she started crying when they took the tube out yesterday) or if a team of doctors would say she could get better. I don't know what to think of her husband. Myself I feel sorry for the guy it would have to be tough taking care of someone for 13 years, but at the same time he took the vow for better or worse until death do us part. I don't know how long he has had his girlfriend, if that started early it makes him seem like a jerk.
