Where's Kevorkian?

I think what makes Terri's case a little different and more controversial, is that it isn't uncommon for people to take somone off a respiratior to end their suffering, but this is so unusual because they are taking out her feeding tube and causing a much slower, harder death.

HIEDI

Yes, the abuse allegations have been specifically litigated and found to be lacking.

From the latest CNN article alone;

Thursday, Greer denied a petition of the state Department of Children and Families and Gov. Jeb Bush to take Schiavo into state custody.

He also denied a petition from the DCF to investigate allegations that Terri Schiavo's husband, Michael, abused her. Such allegations have been considered and dismissed several times in the past, most recently last week in the Florida Supreme Court.

http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/24/schiavo/index.html

The ethical and the legal issues are one in the same in my opinion. I say this because I believe that the laws of our land are a representation of our ethics; what we find acceptible and otherwise.

Get crucified for pandering to special interest groups? That's how one gets elected!

Fellow Pelicanites discuss Terri's case.......:D

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2005/LAW/03/2...rgument.ap.jpg

Perhaps not.

A poll just conducted by a major news organization determined that 82% of americans surveyed thought that what the president and congress was doing was WRONG and that they should stay out of the matter.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/03/23/politics/main682619.shtml

This may not turn out as well as the political panderers hoped it would.

LOL, all I can say is freudenschade!

Quote:

Originally posted by mikester Yes, the abuse allegations have been specifically litigated and found to be lacking. From the latest CNN article alone; Thursday, Greer denied a petition of the state Department of Children and Families and Gov. Jeb Bush to take Schiavo into state custody. He also denied a petition from the DCF to investigate allegations that Terri Schiavo's husband, Michael, abused her. Such allegations have been considered and dismissed several times in the past, most recently last week in the Florida Supreme Court. http://www.cnn.com/2005/LAW/03/24/schiavo/index.html The ethical and the legal issues are one in the same in my opinion. I say this because I believe that the laws of our land are a representation of our ethics; what we find acceptible and otherwise.

Well now... That little bit of infomation does cause some problems for quite a portion of my argument, doesn't it.

Thanks a lot mikesterhttp://www.pelicanparts.com/support/smileys/smash.gif

That's no moon.

Actually it's very common. Around 100 a day are removed from feeding tubes around the country.

Here's some information...information that is not common knowledge as it's not conducive to feeding the media hype. I found this website to be very informative.

It's the most unbiased information I've been able to find and does an excellent job of describing the legal issues at hand. It also dispells many of the myths regarding the case. I will quote the ones that really stuck out in my mind. These are mostly excerpts directly quoted from court documents.

Theresa has been blessed with loving parents and a loving husband. Many patients in this condition would have been abandoned by friends and family within the first year. Michael has continued to care for her and to visit her all these years. He has never divorced her. He has become a professional respiratory therapist and works in a nearby hospital. As a guardian, he has always attempted to provide optimum treatment for his wife. He has been a diligent watch guard of Theresa's care, never hesitating to annoy the nursing staff in order to assure that she receives the proper treatment.

...


At first blush, the video of Terry Schiavo appearing to smile and look lovingly at her mother seemed to represent cognition. This was also true for how she followed the Mickey Mouse balloon held by her father. The court has carefully viewed the videotapes as requested by counsel and does find that these actions were neither consistent nor reproducible. For instance, Terry Schiavo appeared to have the same look on her face when Dr. Cranford rubbed her neck. Dr. Greer testified she had a smile during his (non-videoed) examination. Also, Mr. Schindler tried several more times to have her eyes follow the Mickey Mouse balloon but without success. Also, she clearly does not consistently respond to her mother. The court finds that based on the credible evidence, cognitive function would manifest itself in a constant response to stimuli.

...

The experts also disagreed about whether any treatment could improve Terri's condition. The two experts selected by the Schindlers each proposed a potential therapy method, but the trial court rejected both of them based on "the total absence of supporting case studies or medical literature."

...

The significance of the medical malpractice lawsuit can be seen in a few ways. A jury agreed that bulimia caused Terri's collapse. The defendants were her doctors -- one might think that they, of all people, would have been able to show that Terri had been beaten or strangled if that was what had occurred. Also, to believe that Michael caused Terri's collapse by beating her is to believe that Michael initiated a lawsuit against someone else for causing her collapse, opening the whole matter to serious inquiry and greatly increasing the risk that someone would discover his role.

Finally, I am not aware that anyone -- not the paramedics, doctors, nurses, family members, friends, or anyone else -- who saw Terri in the hours, weeks, and months after her collapse ever suggested at the time that Terri had been beaten or strangled.

...

We note that the guardianship court's original order expressly relied upon and found credible the testimony of witnesses other than Mr. Schiavo or the Schindlers. We recognize that Mrs. Schiavo's earlier oral statements were important evidence when deciding whether she would choose in February 2000 to withdraw life-prolonging procedures. See § 765.401(3), Fla. Stat. (2000); In re Guardianship of Browning, 568 So. 2d 4, 16. Nevertheless, the trial judge, acting as her proxy, also properly considered evidence of Mrs. Schiavo's values, personality, and her own decision-making process.

...

Michael Schiavo did not make the decision to discontinue life-prolonging measures for Terri.

As Terri's husband, Michael has been her guardian and her surrogate decision-maker. By 1998, though -- eight years after the trauma that produced Terri's situation -- Michael and Terri's parents disagreed over the proper course for her.

Rather than make the decision himself, Michael followed a procedure permitted by Florida courts by which a surrogate such as Michael can petition a court, asking the court to act as the ward's surrogate and determine what the ward would decide to do. Michael did this, and based on statements Terri made to him and others, he took the position that Terri would not wish to continue life-prolonging measures. The Schindlers took the position that Terri would continue life-prolonging measures. Under this procedure, the trial court becomes the surrogate decision-maker, and that is what happened in this case.

...



I should also point out that Terri's husband and her parents used to live in the same house. There is a very extensive time line that has all this information.


http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html

I rather starve to death with opiates than suffocate.

Another Star Wars reference?

The seemingly tireless PR machine that the Schindlers and Randall Terry (look him up) has spewed so many allegations: husband strangled her; husband is just in it for the money; no PET scans; responsiveness to stimuli; credible medical therapies, etc., etc. that lots of people are confused and emotional.

The facts are simple. 26 times, this has been to court, over 100 doctors have examined Terri's body. The husbands share of the money was in his hands over 10 years ago and he has remained unusually devoted and attentive. The woman's life ended when her heart stopped and she suffered irreversible brain damage 15 years ago.

There are (we hear) 35,000 people in 'persistent vegetative state' in the US, and one or two of them have feeding tubes removed every day -- usually before 1/5 of this amount of time has passed.

I am concerned when this woman dies, an attempt may be made on his life...

Same here. If not then, before she dies.

cool/dd..

You shouldn't worry. Real Christians would never think of such a thing.

Misdirected faith and untempered zeal are wonderful motivators.

Time to load the guns and go rescue her. If she was within driving distance I would be there right now.
The time has come for good men to stand up and save this poor girl.
I hope that a group will seize her now and save her life.

Statements like that are the reason we have laws to protect us from fools with more guns than brains.

Before you go shooting up the place, take a hour and do a little research on the issue. Read this...

http://abstractappeal.com/schiavo/infopage.html

No matter. (*looking at my watch*) it's about time for a new OBL tape anyway...

Puleeeasse. Quit drinking, bible thumping and posting here at the same time. :rolleyes: