Jeb Bush Convinces DA To Look Into Schiavo

[Cpl Kendall]

CBC.CA

Florida governor says prosecutor will investigate Schiavo
Last Updated Fri, 17 Jun 2005 18:59:50 EDT
CBC News

Florida Governor Jeb Bush is not letting up on Michael Schiavo after an autopsy concluded that Schiavo's brain-damaged wife, Terri, had no chance of recovery before her feeding tube was removed at his request.

* INDEPTH: Awake but not aware: a persistent vegetative state

Florida Governor Jeb Bush

Bush said Friday that a prosecutor has agreed to take a new look at the cause of the woman's collapse 15 years ago and the possibility that her husband waited more than an hour to call 911, the Associated Press reported.

The autopsy report, released on Wednesday, largely supported Michael Schiavo's view of his wife's condition during his long legal battle to have her taken off life support, but it reached no conclusion about what triggered her collapse. She died of dehydration on March 31, 13 days after the tube was removed.

Bush was a prominent figure in the unsuccessful campaign waged by her parents, religious groups and many Republican politicians, including his brother, President George W. Bush, to have her kept alive.

Bush's office released a copy of a letter he faxed on Friday to State Attorney Bernie McCabe. In it, he outlined suspicions based partly on apparent time gaps in statements Michael Schiavo made 11 years apart.

* The Governor's Letter

The autopsy, he wrote, left unanswered questions.

"Of particular interest are the report's findings as to the cause of Mrs. Schiavo's original injuries. The report indicates that there was little evidence of an eating disorder, previously the lead theory of the cause of her injuries.

"The report also indicates that blood tests conducted on Mrs. Schiavo in 1990 upon her collapse were routine and would not necessarily have detected or ruled out many types of drugs or toxins.

"The report rules out any overt or blunt trauma, but could not rule out or positively identify other causes. As a result, the cause of her injuries is more in doubt than ever."

* INDEPTH: Schiavo Timeline

The governor then turned to the matter of a possible delay in the call for help.
Terry Schiavo

"Also of interest is the gap in time between Mr. Schiavo's discovery of Mrs. Schiavo's collapse and the 911 call he made to request assistance," he wrote.

"According to Mr. Schiavo's testimony in the medical malpractice trial in 1992, he discovered Mrs. Schiavo had collapsed at about 5 a.m. According to his comments in a 2003 television interview, he found her at about 4:30 a.m.

"According to the Chief Medical Examiner's report, Mr. Schiavo placed the 911 call at approximately 5:40 a.m. Between 40 and 70 minutes elapsed before the call was made, and I am aware of no explanation for the delay.

"In light of this new information, I urge you to take a fresh look at this case without any preconceptions as to the outcome."

Michael Schiavo's lawyer, George Felos, said on Wednesday that his client did not wait to call for help and has conceded that he confuses dates and times, AP reported.

"There is no hour gap or other gap to the point Michael heard Terri fall and called 911," Felos said. "We've seen the baseless allegations in this case fall by the wayside one by one. ... That's what I would call it, a baseless claim to perpetuate a controversy that, in fact, doesn't exist."

Now is this motivated out of the fact that the autopsy report made Jeb and the religious right look like asses? Or is he genuinely convinced that he tried to murder his wife?

[frigidmagi]

It could be both, neither or either. I don't know that much about Jeb. Does anyone have his record of action has governor of Flordia, both pre and post Jr.'s Presidentcym that should shed some light on him.

[Cpl Kendall]

It could be both, neither or either. I don't know that much about Jeb. Does anyone have his record of action has governor of Flordia, both pre and post Jr.'s Presidentcym that should shed some light on him.

Well people at SDN are saying that he has severely messed up the Florida education syatem since he got in. Mainly by cutting funding.

[Mayabird]

Jeb refuses to admit that he was wrong, and so he's still pushing his case even after it's dead. Of course, he's also changing his arguments as he goes, as in his very stupid fluff letter to the Washington Post which was published today (print version, not online).

[B4UTRUST]

But isn't that the way of politicians anyhow? And Jeb isn't the only one to backpeddle on the Schiavo issue. Others have done so, with the typical "I never actually stated that as such. I merely said that I was not a doctor and I only saw very little of the whole situation..."

Which always makes me wonder, do they not realize that the CNN cameras are ON?!
"So you didn't say that you firmly believed and had documented evidence that conclusively stated that Terri Shiavo wasn't in a persistive vegitative state..."
"No, I never said that. What I said was...."
*cue up CNN video*
"Terri Shiavo is in a persistive vegatative state and we have documented hard evidence that provides conclusive evidence that her husband Michael is hitler!"
"....I never said that."
"That was you on the tape..."
"I never said that..."
"We just showed you a tape of you saying that..."
"It was edited. Yes that's it, edited..."
"...I see...We'll be right back."

[Josh]

None of that can match Charles Barkley proclaiming that he was misquoted in his 'autobiography'.

[B4UTRUST]

No, I don't think anything can beat that, but damn it's close