Posted on 03/05/2005 7:30:41 AM PST by Pendragon_6
(CNSNews.com) - The Florida agency responsible for protecting disabled and elderly individuals released a sealed, 30-count allegation against Michael Schiavo Friday. The "motion for intervention and stay" charges that Terri Schindler Schiavo's husband has abused, neglected and exploited her while seeking the court's permission to end her life.
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) asked Pinellas-Pasco County Circuit Judge George Greer last week to give it 60 days to investigate the 11-page complaint.
The DCF motion, released Friday, argues that the agency cannot complete the investigation or provide Terri with services required by law if the 60-day stay is not granted.
"The allegations in the abuse reports go to the heart of whether abuse, neglect and/or exploitation [have] been perpetrated by [Michael Schiavo]," DCF attorneys wrote, "such that any relief afforded by this court to [him] prior to the conclusion of such investigation would be tragically misplaced."
The complaint accuses Schiavo of:
Failure to exercise Terri's arms, resulting in "severe contractures,"
Failure to provide appropriate medical therapy,
Failure to investigate the rehabilitation value of newly available technologies,
Interference in communication with and visitation by Terri's family members and friends,
Denial of access to independent legal counsel,
Failure to file guardianship reports as required by law,
Failure to provide required legal notices to Terri, and
Performing experimental procedures without following proper medical and legal procedures.
Thanks for posting this.
This should force Greer's hand to stop the March 18th date as allowing it now to proceed would go to the heart of the exploitation charge and would risk a sever miscarriage of justice...as if though it is not that already to anyone with a lick of common sense.
God bless, protect and preserve Terri...for her sake, for the sake of her family...and truly, for all of our sakes. God bless all of those who have been, are and will continue to be active in seeing that this does not stand, that this culture of death attempt is forcefully put down in our society.
Let's keep praying, and then acting on those prayers through letters, faxes, emails and downright activism on site if necessary and possible to help save Terri.
Faith is an action word.
Indeed, faith is an action word. Thanks for the ping!
Truth be told!
God Bless Terri and her family.
(((evil grin)))
That should get MS's goose cooked :D
I think an absolutely crucial factor is the "independent legal counsel" point. It wouldn't do any good for judge Greer to just appoint some lawyer ostensibly to represent Terri whil behind the scenes such lawyer would be secertly in cahoots with Felos. It would have to be a lawyer specifically chosen by her parents and siblings, otherwise it's meaningless. Will that happen?
There is so much that has been done to Terri, that is blatantly illegal and just plain morally wrong.
All who have been persecuting her should be held liable when this is over.
pin;g
Faith is an action word
Absolutely!
I'm left after that 2/28 press conference in Jax more convinced than ever of two things:
1) Terri Schiavo is responsive -- else Father Frank Pavone, Atty. Barbara Weller, and Atty. David Gibbs and her father and others are all liars.
I'm reminded of Ann Coulter's excellent column last year "Yes, she is / No, she isn't"
2) Terri is denied the ordinary care that would be given to any other patient in her condition -- no swallowing tests, no getting out of her room is just a start.
Of note to me -- was that with all the media there, and the opportunity to ask questions, NO ONE expressed disbelief or asked any followup questions to clarify the Schindlers accounts of a responsive Terri.
No slander too great for your cause.
Mark Williams is on KNEW radio giving out pro euthanasia disinformation about Terri and non communicative diasabled persons, at this time. He's dissing all the pro Terri testimony and callers. His motivation seems to be his being afraid of being kept "artificially alive" by nursing and medical staff overriding his advance directives.
To Mark Williams: as a nurse I will do my best to fulfill your advance directive to the letter.
Ping
This is such great news. I pray daily for Terri's protection. Who would have ever thought that we'd be grateful for DFCS? Who ever thought to get them involved has my profound thanks.
As someone who's been around the block a few times and someone with a law degree, I can find no rational or legal basis for what's gone on here.
I feel that if one has clearly expressed a view in matters such as these, their wishes should be honored. But when those wishes are disputed, how can you not err on the side of caution?
The evidence is sparse at best and what evidence as exists to support pulling the tube consists exclusively of the disputed testimony of a questionable witness with suspect motivations.
The legal standard is "clear and convincing evidence" in a case like this. A Florida law professor wrote an article that was posted here yesterday. I didn't read it but she made the same point - that in no way, is the evidence 'clear and convincing'.
What this is is yet another case of judicial ego. A judge who ruled and now is motivated by a demand for obedience. If I'm not mistaken, and I stand to be corrected, I believe that Greer has already refused to hear the DCF motion. He has spoken and WILL be obeyed, No matter the cost.
Given that I cannot fathom how this matter got to this point, I am not that hopeful that the system can salvage this. Not here in Florida. Terri needs to be in another jusrisdiction.
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