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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'll bet he wishes he'd not bothered to take the parents doubts into court. Otherwise he could have arbitrarily refused treatment and ordered the tubes removed and a DNR on his authority as guardian.

So much for the attempted murder theory.

Exactly. Did you read this whole story. Fascinating. I learned alot of things I didn't know.

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.

You cannot have it both ways.

how how how how how how how HOW can anyone consider WATER and FOOD to be "life-prolonging measures"?????????????????

I can't see the reasoning in withholding food and water as a means to make a human being die, expire, pass on... anything you want to call it. Would it not be simpler, quicker, less painful to withhold OXYGEN? Tape her mouth and nose and it'll be over in about five minutes as opposed to dehydration and starvation which could take weeks.

My family has three nurses, in different parts of the country. They ALL say dehydration and starvation are atrocious hideous way to die. They ALL say they would NOT allow it to happen to any family member. They ALL say people do not realize what it entails when they add that to their living wills. They've ALL seen it happen.

Let us remember, Terri is not physically ill. She is well-nourished (for now) and will not go easily or quickly. If I were her relative, they would have to kill me first.