Parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo Told to Pay to See Their Daughter

The Terri Schindler Foundation ^ | May 7, 2004 | Terri Foundation

[amdgmary]

Parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo Told to Pay to See Their Daughter

Clearwater, FL May 7, 2004: In yet another bizarre twist of the Terri Schindler-Schiavo case, the Schindler family was informed that they must now pay a fee for “security” each time that they want to visit their daughter.

On Wednesday, May 5, 2004, Deborah Bushnell of Dunedin, an attorney representing Michael Schiavo, faxed a letter to attorneys representing the parents of Terri Schindler-Schiavo.

In her communication, Ms. Bushnell recommended that Ms. Schiavo's parents could be permitted to visit their disabled daughter if they would agree to hire an off-duty police person to accompany them. This comes after attorney Patricia Anderson, who represents Ms. Schiavo's parents, filed a Writ of Quo Warranto, demanding that Mr. Schiavo demonstrate what authority he has to deny his wife visits from her immediate family. Should the Schindlers fail to pay, they would be denied visitation rights.

Ms. Schiavo currently has an off-duty police person, paid for by Hospice of the Florida Suncoast, assigned to her on a 24 hour a day basis. Additionally, the Schindlers have reported that, during their visits, nursing staff frequently enter their daughter's room.

Ms. Schiavo's parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, have not been permitted to visit her since March 29, 2004 (39 days), when attorney George Felos of Dunedin issued a press release stating that suspicious marks were found on her arm. A toxicology study conducted on Ms. Schiavo concluded that no unauthorized chemicals were found in her system. Ms. Schiavo's parents, along with her siblings, had attempted to visit her the following day at Park Place Assisted Living and were turned away by nursing staff in compliance with "Mr. Schiavo's orders".

Statement of Attorney Patricia Anderson:

By recommending that the financially-strapped Schindlers may only visit Terri if they pay yet another off-duty police person to accompany them, is an effort to inhibit them from freely seeing their own daughter. A couple of years ago, Michael Schiavo contacted Terri's parents and offered to give the balance of Terri's money over to charity. He and his attorneys used this a talking point for the media - claiming that Michael had no financial interest in Terri's death. What they neglected to mention was that that particular offer was predicated upon the Schindler's agreeing to Terri's dehydration and starvation death.

This latest tactic from Ms. Bushnell is really no different. I will not be surprised if Ms. Bushnell uses this as another talking point with the media in an attempt to make her and her client appear less cruel.

No mother should have to pay an admission fee to see her child on Mother's Day. Perhaps Ms. Bushnell has forgotten how most people spend Mother's Day."

[Theodore R.]

Is there a realistic possibility that one of the two opponents to George W. Greer could unseat him? I fear that Greer will win simply because he has the needed name ID by gullible and ignorant voters.

[William Terrell]

Michael isn't merely making the choice not to give Terri food and water himself, though; rather, he's seeking to prevent anyone else from providing it.

Perhaps he really believes that Terri wanted to die if she should have gotten into this state. I think I might want to also, were I in her place.

[William Terrell]

Have you considered a brain transplant from a human being? No, I haven't. If that is possible, then it should be tried. Who would be the donnor?

[Politicalmom]

you keep asking the same ignorant questions repeatedly, and this one has been answered at least twice.

TERRI'S PARENTS HAVE STATED THEY WILL ACCEPT FULL CUSTODY AT ANY TIME.

[mtbopfuyn]

What the hay?!? I can NOT believe this. If this doesn't prove what an arse MS and Felso and the FL courts are.... words fail me....

[William Terrell]

Under the Florida Statutes, he has no rights, only responsibilities to his ward.

So, it is your position that the judge in this case just hates Terri and wants to kill her, in spite of what the law says?

BTW, under our system of law, responsibilities alway confer rights and vice versa. To have responsibilities without rights is slavery.

[Politicalmom]

I vote we stop all discussion with this troll.

He is clueless about the facts, he keeps contradicting himself, he changes his arguments....

He is also

[mtbopfuyn]

Seems to me he is on a mission to terminate his comatose wife, why?

I'm sure most of the $$$ is gone by now and is earmarked for his car payments so it's not about money. It's about his evilness to control Terri and her parents. It's all about power and control.

[floriduh voter]

I SAW AND HEARD FELOS WITH MY OWN EYES say that "Terri's feeding tube wouldn't be removed until after all of the appeals are done.

Either Fox 13 or Bay News 9. IS FELOS PERJURYING HIMSELF??? There is tape of him saying the tube would not be removed.

[floriduh voter]

may be tracking us too.

[phenn]

Do not project your personal wishes and desires on to others. The law is very clear in that there must be clear and convincing evidence that the ward would, themselves, refuse medical treatment before medical treatment can be taken away. Food and water was not medical treatment when Terri made her alleged wishes known to Michael. It wasn't even considered medical treatment in 1998 when Michael petitioned the courts to remove it from her.

Hearsay does not meet the legal test of clear and convincing. Moreover, unless Terri specifically said "Michael, don't you ever put me on a feeding tube", there is no informed consent from her in removing her feeding tube.

The judge in this case, George Greer, has stepped all over the laws and the statutes in order to accommodate his pet petitioner, Michael Schiavo.

It is illegal to withhold basic and humane care from a disabled or vulnerable person. That is a fact. Unless Terri specified what she would or would not want in a case of incapacitation (not imminent death), there is no evidence of her wishes that is either clear or convincing.

You, however, have just made your advanced directive known to the world. I hope you aren't ever in a position where you would change your mind. Sometimes, people do.

[William Terrell]

That should tell you something.

It tells me that the body, autonomic functions driven by medulla oblongata, is amazingly resilient. But we already know that.

You have no idea what Terri wants. The closest you may come is what you want.

[phenn]

Wrong again. Read the statute. There is no expressed rights given to a guardian. Only responsibilities to the ward.

The ward, however, has retained rights - those which cannot be taken away by the guardian or the courts. Amongst those retained rights are the rights to receive basic humane care, restoration to capacity, treatment of infection, due process and legal representation. All of the above have been denied by this judge and the guardian.

Do I think he hates Terri Schiavo? No. I think he hates women. Why else would he deny (on a hypertechnicality) an abused woman a protective order against her husband. That particular abused woman's corpse was found two weeks later.

http://www.sptimes.com/TampaBay/120498/Never_allow_domestic_.html

[William Terrell]

TERRI'S PARENTS HAVE STATED THEY WILL ACCEPT FULL CUSTODY AT ANY TIME.

AT THEIR OWN EXPENSE? And, maybe Mr. Shiavo is telling the truth about Terri saying she would want to die.

[phenn]

It's not really perjury since he wasn't under oath. But, it is a problem for him with regards to friendly types in the media.

[William Terrell]

So, the judge loves Michael and hates Terri? And is anxious to ignore the law to do so?

[Mr. Silverback]

ProLife Ping!

If anyone wants on or off my ProLife Ping List, please notify me here or by freepmail.

[William Terrell]

Under our law, responsibilites without rights, whether statutory or inalienable, is slavery. If the rights are not written specifically, they must be assumed.

[phenn]

Explain why he has allowed years of violations against Terri and why he does not enforced the state MANDATED guardian plans?

[phenn]

You're assuming rights where none are written? That is a pretty broad interpretation. Perhaps with my responsibilities to insure my car, I also have the right to drive it across my neighbor's lawn? Just assuming, you know.