Questions swirl around husband of brain-damaged Florida woman

Chicago Tribune ^ | Thu, Oct. 23, 2003 | BY MICHAEL MARTINEZ AND PATRICK KAMPERT

[Gelato]

Posted on Thu, Oct. 23, 2003

Questions swirl around husband of brain-damaged Florida woman

BY MICHAEL MARTINEZ AND PATRICK KAMPERT
Chicago Tribune

PINELLAS PARK, Fla. - (KRT) - Michael Schiavo is in hiding, concerned over threats to his life, his attorney said Thursday. Yet the attorney for the parents of Schiavo's wife, Terri, the brain-damaged woman at the center of a contentious end-of-life case, says Michael Schiavo was seen shopping at an upscale Tampa mall in recent days.

As an advocacy agency continued its state investigation of Terri Schiavo's case Thursday and her parents resumed their vigil outside the hospice near St. Petersburg where she was receiving nutrition through a feeding tube, questions multiplied about Michael Schiavo's role and motivations.

Terri Schiavo "looks great," her father, Bob Schindler, said Thursday, even as legal scholars and medical ethicists criticized Gov. Jeb Bush's intervention this week to reinsert her feeding tube and predicted that a new law signed by Bush allowing that action would be struck down in the courts.

The growing national fascination with a case wrapped in a quality-of-life drama that many families know all too well increased the pressure on Michael Schiavo to tell his story. He issued a three-page statement through his attorneys to explain his position earlier this week. The statement tries to humanize a man who has been portrayed in testimony and affidavits as a tall, menacing bully who grew weary of his wife's continued presence in a persistent vegetative state as he built a life and a new family with a longtime girlfriend.

"I never wanted Terri to die," Michael Schiavo wrote. "I still don't. After … years of desperately searching for a cure for Terri, the death of my own mother helped me realize that I was fooling myself."

Even his attorneys acknowledged the need for Schiavo to surface publicly.

"It's been very difficult for him to understand and accept that he has got to publicize his situation," attorney Deborah Bushnell said. "He doesn't want this to be public; he wants it to be private."

Yet with more public attention focused on the case than in the preceding 10 years, Michael Schiavo - as his wife's legal guardian - publicly banned his wife's family from visiting her Wednesday at a Clearwater hospital and initially refused to disclose where he planned to transport her. She later was returned to Woodside Hospice, where she has lived since April 2000 and where Michael Schiavo's other attorney, George Felos, is a former board chairman. On Thursday, Michael Schiavo once again allowed the Schindler family to visit Terri.

Though her family has no access to Terri's medical records, Pat Anderson, attorney for her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, speculated that she was too weak for the move. "She needs to be in an intensive-care unit," Anderson said.

Thus, for the second time this week, Felos was left to explain to reporters Thursday the reasons his client continues to seek the removal of his wife's feeding tube.

Felos used this analogy as a window into his client's motivation: A couple is sitting around watching TV and sees a program about a horrible illness or an accident. They turn to each other and ask that they each not be kept alive artificially.

"That's basically what happened between Terri and Michael, and he's just determined to keep his promise," Felos said. "I think he's unable to live the rest of his life if he walked away knowing he let Terri down and was unable to keep his promise to her."

Bob Schindler Jr., 38, Terri Schiavo's brother and a teacher at a Tampa Catholic school, said his family believes the Advocacy Center for Persons with Disabilities will turn up evidence of abuse and neglect in its investigation of Michael Schiavo's guardianship.

Michael Schiavo has strongly denied those allegations.

But Schindler charges an effort to cover up "attempted murder" is the reason behind Michael Schiavo's determination to let Terri die and cremate her body since there no longer is any money for Michael Schiavo to inherit from his wife's medical fund, which was depleted largely by Michael Schiavo's legal costs.

"The money has now deteriorated," Schindler said outside the hospice on Thursday. "That's why Michael is trying to kill her. If she wakes up and gets rehabilitated, she can tell us what happened that night (in 1990) - that's one theory why he wants her dead and cremated. Why does he want her cremated? If you start connecting the dots, it paints an ugly picture."

Michael Schiavo's attorneys say the Schindler family's accusations are fabrications born of desperation as their legal fight has foundered over the years.

Schindler said a bone scan taken a year after his sister's mysterious collapse 13 years ago recently surfaced; it shows a history of trauma, including broken bones. Schindler lived in the same St. Petersburg apartment complex as his sister and brother-in-law in 1990. He says Michael Schiavo knew CPR but did not perform it the night Terri collapsed and was deprived of oxygen for 10 minutes. Schindler said his family and their doctors suspect Terri Schiavo was beaten and suffered brain damage.

Felos, Michael Schiavo's attorney, says the bone scan only shows the normal changes of a sedentary person in a nursing home.

Felos vowed again Thursday to challenge the governor's new law all the way to the Florida Supreme Court.

Arthur Caplan of the University of Pennsylvania, one of the world's leading bioethicists who spoke this week at the annual meeting of the American College of Surgeons in Chicago, says he thinks the law will tumble.

"I think the action by the governor and the state legislature is immoral and unconstitutional," he said. "When did the Florida Legislature decide it couldn't trust its courts? The principle here is: Let a spouse make the decisions for their loved ones because they know them best."

Caplan pointed out that courts have consistently ruled in favor of Michael Schiavo even though his wife's parents and siblings have alleged he abused her.

"Look at the evidence," he said. "They keep coming back and saying, no, he's not in it for life insurance; he's not in it because he doesn't care for her. It's just that (the biological family members) want to be the decision-maker."

Caplan said the case also has implications for couples without a marriage license.

"If you're not married, if you're gay, or a common-law wife or husband who've been together for a long time, if this law holds up, then your mom is going to make the decisions, not your partner. You have no legal rights. They're out the window."

As to Terri Schiavo's legal rights, they remain in the hands of her guardian, Michael Schiavo.

---

(Martinez reported from Florida; Kampert reported from Chicago; Chicago Tribune correspondent Peter Gorner contributed to this report.)

[floriduh voter]

Maybe it's fictitious or maybe Michael has a sister named Marjory who has a shell corp. Now, does Michael have a sister, niece named Marjory? Someone near his age or younger.

Get this. His mother WAS TOTALLY AGAINST Terri being starved and dehydrated to death.

She may have died of natural causes but his mom died after opposing his wishes.

[FITZ]

Definition of a bioethicist: One who earns his living rationalizing the murder of the weak, the hurt, the helpless, the old and the infirm.

Same as what Hitler and the Nazis were then.

[The Red Zone]

Because it might have "upset" this "insensate" woman. Come on Mikey tell us which one you believe. Or maybe fire your scumbag lawyer who is advising you to constantly double talk.

[floriduh voter]

Michael Schiavo in addition to the Schindlers resided in Pennsylvania. Interesting that the bioethics person is also in Pa. Did Schiavo find this bioethics guy to make a statement re: Florida law? They are trying to make it look like she died 13 years ago and they just can't bring her back.

Meanwhile, back at Hospice, Terri is following a balloon and wondering when mom and dad are coming to see her. Today was dad Schindler's birthday and the family had the party in Terri's prison cell. She was smiling. Pretty good work for someone labeled PVS. Suzanne said she looks a whole lot better today but of course the family has not seen her medical records for quite some time. Bay news 9 just reported the above.

JEB BUSH just said "It was the right thing to do. Proud of the legislature for responding." You, go, Jeb.

[Fred Mertz]

14. I have contacted the Schindler family because I just couldn't stand by and let Terri die without the truth being known.

FURTHER AFFIANT SAYETH NAUGHT.

CARLA SAUER IYER, R.N.

Carla is an angel.

[floriduh voter]

per the article above, MS has a sister. Now we just need to see if her name pops up in any newspaper accounting, say the sptimes.com archives or tbo.com. If her name is Marjory, bingo. See tag line.

[kcvl]

What is Hospice?

Hospice is a special concept of care designed to provide comfort and support to patients and their families when a life-limiting illness no longer responds to cure-oriented treatments.

Hospice care neither prolongs life nor hastens death.

Hospice staff and volunteers offer a specialized knowledge of medical care, including pain management.

The goal of hospice care is to improve the quality of a patient's last days by offering comfort and dignity.

Hospice care is provided by a team-oriented group of specially trained professionals, volunteers and family members.

Hospice addresses all symptoms of a disease, with a special emphasis on controlling a patient's pain and discomfort.

Hospice deals with the emotional, social and spiritual impact of the disease on the patient and the patient's family and friends.

Hospice offers a variety of bereavement and counseling services to families before and after a patient's death.

---

Hospice Services and Expenses

---

Patients referred to hospice when life expectancy is approximately six months benefit most from hospice care. While patients must have a doctor's referral to enter hospice, the patient, family and friends can initiate the process by contacting a local hospice program.

---

Before providing care, hospice staff meets with the patient's personal physician(s) and a hospice physician to discuss patient history, current physical symptoms and life expectancy.

After an initial meeting with physicians, hospice staff meets with both the patient and their family. They discuss the hospice philosophy, available services and expectations.

Prior to service, staff and patients also discuss pain and comfort levels, support systems, financial and insurance resources, medications and equipment needs.

A "plan of care" is developed for the patient. This plan is regularly reviewed and revised according to patient condition.

Bereavement services and counseling are typically available to loved ones for a year after the patient's death.

---

Hospice care is a covered benefit under Medicare for patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less. A patient can remain in hospice care beyond six months if a physician re-certifies that the patient is terminally ill.

---

This benefit covers all services, medications and equipment related to the illness. These include:

Physician services
Nursing services
Home health aides
Medical appliances and supplies
Spiritual, dietary, and other counseling
Continuous care during crisis periods
Trained volunteers
Bereavement services
Approximately 43 states and the District of Columbia offer hospice coverage under Medicaid.

Many private health insurance policies and HMO's offer hospice coverage and benefits.

Hospice services are covered under Champus/Tricare.

Regular Medicare coverage is available to Hospice beneficiaries for non-terminal related services.

The Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) certifies hospices that provide Medicare covered hospice services.

There is no mandatory nationwide accreditation. Many programs are accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) or by the Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP).

[ambrose]

Better your mother, than an alledgedly abusive spouse with something to hide.

So the key here for meddling parents is to allege abuse by your spouse, even if there's no proof of it?

[FITZ]

or, this woman is lying...

But to be caught lying in a sworn testimony? What could be a motive for her to do that? I can see suspecting that someone is lying --- but you'd still have to look for their motive to lie. I can't see one.

[FITZ]

When the adulterous spouse has a lover on the side and wants his wife dead --- I think the "meddling" parents would have cause for concern. Especially when there might also be some money in it for the adulterous spouse. I think at this point it's the adulterous spouse who is meddling ---- all he needs to do is abandon Terri --- he can go off with his lover and leave her to her family who still cares about her. He can care about his pregnant lover.

[stands2reason]

OMG what a bastard. I was chilled to the bone after reading that...

[Graybeard58]

"I hate to say it, but a bioethicist is someone paid by a hospital or drug company to tell them whatever they want to hear"


...Sort of like psychiatrists in a criminal trial with the prosocuter's doc saying the defendent is as sane as can be and the defense doc saying he's mad as a hatter.
...Whoever pays the fiddler calls the tune.
...There's another name for such people--Rhymes with smores.

[T'wit]

>> Same as what Hitler and the Nazis were then.

Bingo! I've argued the same point. "Right to die," bioethics, eugenics, euthanasia, social Darwinism: they're all cut out of the same cloth as the Nazis. They all play god, they all think they can improve humanity -- create the Master Race -- by exterminating the weak or undesirable.

What they never realize is that our strength and growth are moral in nature, not physical. On the moral scale, they are themselves the monsters and the damned, the darkest dregs of humanity.

[T'wit]

Isn't she? Hooray for Carla!

[ambrose]

When the adulterous spouse has a lover on the side and wants his wife dead --- I think the "meddling" parents would have cause for concern. Especially when there might also be some money in it for the adulterous spouse. I think at this point it's the adulterous spouse who is meddling ---- all he needs to do is abandon Terri --- he can go off with his lover and leave her to her family who still cares about her. He can care about his pregnant lover.

What about the wishes of the wife? The parents don't see care what she wants.

And he can't just go off quietly into the night.. he'd then be hounded for alimony to be used to pay for her 24/7 care.

[texaslil]

It's like those dummy corporaions or $1,000 corporations set up and filed in the state of Delaware (Deleware: friend of businessmen everywhere.) where the identity of the officers of the corp. are priveledged info. unlike corp. in other states where the officers of the corp. are required to be listed with the secretary of State. Suprised you found the names. wouldn't be surpised if it was set up to laundry money and/or hide assets.

[onyx]

LIGHTS ON! Thank you, Ambrose! I never thought about the "alimony" angle.

That's the answer to the question repeatedly posed here: "why not just divorce her?"

Bee-eye-n-gee-o.

[leila]

I've done just a little research into this and come up with the following:

Michael Schiavo and a Marjory T. Schiavo, age 65, were listed together as a family in 2001. From another source, I find a Margory Theresa Schiavo, age 65, Sarasota, Florida.

From another source - the following are living in Clearwater, Florida:

CENTONZE, Eleanor I. age 66
CENTONZE, John Joseph age 44
CENTONZE, Michael Dino age 43
CENTONZE, Pia age 39
CENTONZE, Jodi Ann age 38 **
CENTONZE, Steven Andrew age 36

** Jodi Ann Centonze's birthdate is February 14, 1965

SCHIAVO, Benedetto age 89
SCHIAVO, Marie C. age 48
SCHIAVO, Michael R. age 40 **

Michael R. Schiavo's birthdate is April 3, 1963

Coincidently, there is also a Marjorie E. Schiavo age 60, and her husband, Eugene A. Schiavo living in Florida.

All sources are public record.

[Krodg]

Why the hell (scuse my french) is Felos using an "analogy."Why isn't he telling exactly what was alleged to have happened?

The Lord spoke in parables and this guy thinks he's God. Seriously, an exerpt from his book relates that he chants 'I am that I am'. He thinks God has given him great powers (he could even crash an airplane just by thinking it).

[The Red Zone]

And he can't just go off quietly into the night.. he'd then be hounded for alimony to be used to pay for her 24/7 care.

I think these parents would be content to have that ruled out in the divorce agreement. Or maybe conditioned on whether Terri can be restored to communication sufficient to achieve legal competence (i.e. if she can legally ask to sue the bastard for alimony all bets are off).