Posted on 06/17/2005 6:47:04 AM PDT by areafiftyone
One day after an exhaustive autopsy sought to end much of the controversy over Terri Schiavo's life, and eventual death, Gov. Jeb Bush said he plans to ask prosecutors to investigate whether her husband took too long to call for help on the night she collapsed in 1990.
A lawyer for Michael Schiavo called the governor's comments ''disgusting'' and said there was no delay in the husband's call for help.
Bush said Thursday that he had talked to Dr. Jon Thogmartin, the Pinellas-Pasco medical examiner, a day before Thogmartin publicly released the results of his autopsy on Terri Schiavo, who died on March 31 after a protracted legal and political battle.
Bush said Thogmartin told him he had gained access to information suggesting that there was a 70-minute delay between when Michael Schiavo first heard a ''bump'' in the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 1990 and when he eventually called 911.
''I have not seen or heard of this information before that there's some doubt about when she did collapse and how long it took for a phone call to be made,'' Bush told reporters. ``That is I think, worthy of some investigation.''
George Felos, an attorney for Michael Schiavo, attacked Bush and said that while his client was not able to remember exact times of what happened that tragic morning, he immediately called for help after his wife collapsed.
''It's really unfortunate and disgusting that the governor who had meddled beyond his powers in this case is joining that same bandwagon,'' Felos said. ``The fact is, there was no gap.''
Bush has repeatedly clashed with Michael Schiavo over the fate of Terri Schiavo, who became the center of a prolonged debate over end-of-life issues after repeated court orders that her feeding tube be removed. Michael Schiavo had requested the court orders, saying his wife would not have wanted to continue on a feeding tube.
Terri's family had disputed Michael Schiavo's contentions -- and their fight wound up in the political arena.
The governor first intervened in late 2003 after the Legislature passed a bill authorizing his entry into the case. That law was eventually declared unconstitutional and Terri Schiavo's feeding tube was removed.
More court battles ensued after Congress passed legislation to federalize the case -- but Michael Schiavo again prevailed in court. Terri Schiavo died 13 days after the tube was removed.
The autopsy released Wednesday showed that much of Terri Schiavo's brain had withered away after her collapse; she had suffered irreversible damage and would have never recovered. It also showed there was no evidence to suggest her collapse 15 years ago was due to any noticeable trauma.
The autopsy, however, left open the question of what caused that collapse and why her heart stopped beating when she was 26 years old.
Bush said he had tried unsuccessfully to reach Pinellas-Pasco County State Attorney Bernie McCabe, who is apparently on vacation, to talk to him about whether law enforcement authorities should look into Michael Schiavo's actions 15 years ago.
On Thursday, Schiavo's sister, Suzanne Vitadamo, said that the autopsy report ``created as many questions as it may have answered.''
''The major question for our family that now remains is what happened?'' she said, noting the ``troubling 70-minute gap.''
Vitadamo said that Michael Schiavo has said Terri collapsed at 4:30 a.m. -- ''Mr. Schiavo said this on Larry King Live and he also re-confirmed it to the [medical examiner] during his investigation,'' she said.
The 911 call was logged at 5:40 a.m. and emergency services arrived at 5:52 a.m.
Felos said bluntly that Terri Schiavo would not have survived by the time paramedics arrived had Michael Schiavo not called 911 immediately.
''It's absolutely preposterous,'' said Felos. ``If he had waited 70 minutes she would have been dead.''
They're just now noticing the gap in time...?
I don't understand. If he thought this was the case, why act now? Seems a day late and a dollar short.
He couldn't do this before she was murdered why?
Jeb play CYA.
No dice Jeb. You'll never have my vote.
probably never have your vote anyway so its a wash.
It's never too late to punish the guilty. It may also bring about a better legal definition of "end-of-life."
I don't understand. If he thought this was the case, why act now? Seems a day late and a dollar short.
----
It is called GRANDSTANDING on the backs of the dead. Isn't politics beautiful?
Sounds like Jeb doesn't agree with this autopsy.
Too little, too late.
Justice, yes. But justice can't bring back the life.
The medical examiner was very careful to state that the reasons Schiavo gave for Terri's collapse -- and the reasons relied on by Schiavo to get millions of dollars -- ere bogus. He almost seemed to be suggesting that someone should take a further look at the cause of her brain damage.
This is a very smart move by the governor. There wasn't any evidence of strangling or trauma, but that doesn't rule out the possibility that Schiavo did something to her to cause her collapse. Smothering, for example.
The only thing he could be nailed on at this point is failing to get help in time.
The autopsy left a lot of questions unanswered. The ME doesn't know what happened that night, either.
Still, if the "husband" mentioned the time of collapse on Larry King Live, and the 911 records show a call 70 min. later, why wait 'til now to go after it? They missed this little piece of evidence all this time?
My reply was not to be critical, but informative.
I may be wong, but I think that there was no crime until she died, at least police told the family the statute of limitatons had elapsed. Mark Furman's book comes out Jul 1. Maybe Bush has seen it?
Grasp at straws, much, Jeb?
It's so pathetic, it's hard to watch.
While my heart aches for all that Terri went through in her short, miserable life, I think it's time to get behind another issue, such as doing something about people in Terri's shape to begin with, so no one else can be legally STARVED TO DEATH because a spouse wants them out of the way.
How? I don't know, but the root of the problem with starving people to death goes much deeper than just the end result, don't you think? Morals? Respecting Life? Treating humans better than animals?
Her case should spur us on to action! Think of the new laws on the books in the past number of years based on kids that were abducted and killed? Like "Jessica's Law" and various others? Maybe one of our Congresscritters or Senators would get behind some sort of bill to stop a case like Terri's before it even gets started? Just a thought.
What is the Florida statute that covers 911 calls by citizens? What standard is used to measure "too long" a response by a family member? Jeb's been looking at the polls. This is tax payer funded grandstanding pure and simple.
And its a very good thought. We can't do anything anymore about Terri (although good people tried, God Bless them). But maybe we can prevent this from happening to other people like her.
I would probably have voted for Gov. Bush at a future time if he ran for President. When we vote, we make a lot of assumptions about how candidates once in office will act, the positions they will take and the character they possess. Based on a number of considerations, I would have assumed a depth of character in Jeb that I look for in presidents. But his actions in this case has taken away the unknown. He doesn't have the depth of character and the courage of his convictions to take unpopular stands even they are right. I would probably not be able to vote for him (depends on who was running against him). I certainly wouldn't vote for him in a primary.
This is what I was hoping the lawmakers would do--ensure that no one else would have to die the way Terri did. It was barbaric, and her "husband" and his lawyer seemed to actually revel in it. Perhaps what Jeb is doing is the first of many steps.
"Perhaps what Jeb is doing is the first of many steps."
There's always that hope! :)
WOW! This is the first I have heard of this! I wonder why this wasn't brought out a long time ago.
I know others on this board, many of whom I respect, put alot of blame on Gov. Bush....I don't.....I think he did all he could and is still trying to do all he can.
I pray Terri's biological family will one day be able to visit their daughters remains......
Got to love the grammar on this one. Just kidding. I think I understand what you mean here.
Terri's family had disputed Michael Schiavo's contentions -- and their fight wound up in the political arena.
Kudos to the Miami Herald for getting it right. They didn't report it as a right-to-die case. This was not a right-to-die case as it was not clear that Terri wanted to die, at least not as clear as it was that her husband wanted her dead.
They also didn't accuse Republicans of politicizing the event. The event became politicized when it became a court case based on the actions of Terri's husband and her parents.
Nice to see good reporting from the MSM.
Shalom.
Maybe some specific guidance for judges on when husbands or parents are too conflicted to be left in a position of guardianship?
It couldn't hurt.
Shalom.
One thing I'd like to see included: unless there is a signed, dated (and it should be renewed every few years), witnessed statement on file at the courthouse, no one gets to assume the patient wants to die. Period. The assumption MUST be in favor of life, not death.
The next thing would be manner of death--starvation/dehydration should not be allowed. Ever.
If that's your feeling; then it should be very simple for you...Don't watch! Some of us don't share your feelings about Michael Schiavo, and I, for one, would like to see him get his 'comeuppance'. He's been needlessly cruel and insensitive to Terri's family, plus we now know he lied when he sued and collected money from a malpractice suit. The autopsy said she was not bulimic at the time she collapsed. Many of the pro-Michael folks don't seem to have any problem with the lies he told during the trial...that he was going to devote his life to his wife. As soon as he got his hands on the money, he bought a new car, cut off her therapy and even wanted to deny her an antibiotic for a kidney infection until the medical profession stepped in. Such a nice guy?!! Scumbag, IMO!
Give it a rest, Jeb.
"Bush said Thursday that he had talked to Dr. Jon Thogmartin, the Pinellas-Pasco medical examiner, a day before Thogmartin publicly released the results of his autopsy on Terri Schiavo, who died on March 31 after a protracted legal and political battle. Bush said Thogmartin told him he had gained access to information suggesting that there was a 70-minute delay between when Michael Schiavo first heard a ''bump'' in the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 1990 and when he eventually called 911. ''I have not seen or heard of this information before that there's some doubt about when she did collapse and how long it took for a phone call to be made,'' Bush told reporters. ``That is I think, worthy of some investigation.´´ "
Ping to # 32
How can Bush prove what time it was when Michael heard the "bump"? He can only prove what time the 911 call was made.
Vitadamo said that Michael Schiavo has said Terri collapsed at 4:30 a.m. -- ''Mr. Schiavo said this on Larry King Live..."
The 911 call was logged at 5:40 a.m.
Surely, they had access to the records of the 911 call before her death, so they would've known about the time of the call.
So, when did the POS "husband" claim on Larry King Live that 4:30 p.m. was the time of collapse ? I've been assuming it was before her death, and they should've jumped on it then. Also, wouldn't the time of her collapse have been determined at the trials?
Yes we already heard Felos say - that Michael will change his story to match when the call was made.
Exactly and if it wasn't I don't think an unsworn statement made on "Larry King" would hold up in a court of law. He could simply say I was mistaken about the time. It was 15 years ago and I don't remember the exact time.
I think he did everything the law allowed him to do, short of ripping up the system completely.
It's been brought up on this board. Bobby Schindler lived in the same complex as his sister. His Dad called him after MS called the Dad. Bobby ran over to find MS doing nothing. I read that Bobby Schindler started CPR on his sister but can't remember where. Also discussed was that MS worked in a restaurant and knew CPR but didn't initiate it on Terri.
You might be right. I'm not a lawyer and I really don't know. But I'm uncertain enough that it would keep me from voting for him in a primary.
You're too late nitwit . . . the time to do something for Terri has PASSED!
Thanks for that information.....something I have never heard before.
I just pray that Terri's biological family will be able to visit her remains one day.....
Fair enough. But I'm assuming if he were running against Hillary, you wouldn't hesitate to vote for him. LOL.
You've got that right!
You're welcome. :)
Good point.
Michael obviously is at least guilty of perjury.
Hmmm, interesting. I hope they go after the man and can prove their allegation.
I read that the insurance firm is now defunct. Also, the doctor was vindicated at a later hearing but that info has long been off the 'net.
No, it can't, but maybe it can put Mr. Schiavo in jail for 25 years!
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