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As Family Grieves Over Schiavo's Death, Feud Rages On

POSTED: 9:30 am EST April 1, 2005
UPDATED: 11:34 am EST April 1, 2005

The family of Terri Schiavo is beginning to grieve over her death at a Pinellas Park hospice. But the seething feud between her husband and parents rages on.

They plan separate memorials for the brain-damaged woman. Her final months riveted the nation and drew the debate over her fate all the way to Capitol Hill and the White House.
Terri Schiavo, Michael Schiavo
Terri Schiavo, Michael Schiavo

The 41-year-old woman died Thursday, nearly two weeks after her feeding tube was removed by a judge's order.

Michael Schiavo said his wife told him long ago that she would not want to be kept alive artificially. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, disputed that. They held out hope for a miracle recovery for a daughter they said still struggled to talk.

Terri Schiavo's brother and sister have thanked everyone who shared the struggle to save her life, including Pope John Paul II.

Suzanne Vitadamo told reporters that her sister is "at peace with God for eternity" after what she called "years of neglect at the hands of those who were supposed to protect and care for her."

Schiavo's brother, echoing Jesus' words from the cross, said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

The disagreement over Terri Schiavo's medical condition for the last 15 years will be settled by yet another outsider.

A medical examiner is conducting an autopsy that could help determine Schiavo's state of consciousness and whether she was abused by her husband as the Schindlers claim. Results are expected in a few weeks.

Meanwhile, even after Terri Schiavo's body had been taken away, protesters who fought to prolong her life lingered outside the hospice where she died.

They waved signs and sang hymns. A Roman Catholic priest who gave the severely brain-damaged woman last rites spoke to the crowd through a bullhorn.

About two dozen protesters remained late last night at the hospice where Schiavo died after nearly two weeks without food and water.

More than 50 protesters had been arrested since Schiavo's feeding tube was removed. Most were charged with trespassing for attempts to bring her water.

Death Doesn’t Quell Political Battle

In death as much as in life, political controversy surrounds Terri Schiavo.

Sen. Rick Santorum has attacked judges who repeatedly refused to order tube-fed nourishment restored to the brain-damaged woman.

House Majority Leader Tom DeLay said the woman's death happened because the legal system did not protect those who need protection most.

DeLay was a driving force behind legislation Congress passed two weeks ago that gave federal courts jurisdiction in an attempt to save Schiavo's life.

Republican Sen. John McCain said he believes the issue of judges is a hot issue and that he doesn't think the Democrats should be blocking the president's appointments.

Sen. Edward Kennedy claims the decision by the GOP-controlled Congress to intervene in her case was part of a pattern that includes talk of changing Senate rules to override Democratic opposition to President George W. Bush's judicial appointments.

Religious Groups To Push For Stricter Laws

Terri Schiavo's death could set off a moral tsunami engulfing other families in similar situations.

That's according to Carrie Earll, a bioethics and policy analyst with Focus on the Family.

Focus on the Family is among the groups that pushed to have Schiavo's feeding tube reinserted after state and federal courts sided with Michael Schiavo. He says his wife told him long ago that she would not want to be kept alive artificially.

Catholic Diocese of Colorado Springs spokesman Peter Howard said those court decisions leave disabled people who can't speak for themselves vulnerable to a similar fate -- regardless of their wishes.

Earll said elected and appointed officials in the federal government ultimately would have to take up the judicial issues.

Schiavo’s Death Denounced As ‘Judicial Execution’

The founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcasting Network said Terri Schiavo's death was "a judicial execution."

On "The 700 Club," the Rev. Pat Robertson said Schiavo was "an innocent woman who was starved to death by the order of a judge who claimed to be a Christian."

Robertson said he's "outraged," and told viewers that something has to be done "to take power away from the runaway judiciary."

The Rev. Frank Pavone of Priests for Life called Schiavo's death "a killing" and said, "We grieve that our nation has allowed such an atrocity as this and we pray that it will never happen again."

Vatican Sharply Criticizes Schiavo’s Death

The Vatican is denouncing what it calls the "arbitrarily hastened" death of Terri Schiavo as a violation of the principles of Christianity and civilization.

Cardinal Renato Martino described the starvation and dehydration following the removal of the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube as a "death sentence executed through a cruel method."

Martino said Pope John Paul II was informed of Schiavo's death. The cardinal likened the pope's frail health, including this week's insertion of a feeding tube, to Schiavo's case.

Another leading Vatican official said of Schiavo's death, "An attack against life is an attack against God, who is the author of life."

Family Gets Death Threats

The Schiavo family in Pennsylvania told affiliate station WCAU-TV in Philadelphia that it has been receiving death threats.

Investigators on Monday said that a man driving a white car allegedly called Terri Schiavo's sister-in-law a murderer. According to Sgt. Andy Smith, the man also said to her, "If Terri dies, I'm going to come back and shoot you and your family."

After Terri's death Thursday, Scott Schiavo, the brother of Terri's husband, Michael, told the news station that he had received a number of threatening phone calls. In fact, one call came while a reporter was at the home.

Scott Schiavo said he was at work when he got a cell phone call from his brother, Steve, about his sister-in-law's death.

"He really couldn't talk, but wanted to let me know Terri had passed," Scott Schiavo said. "The only relief that you can feel is for Terri -- that she's gotten all of her dignity back."

As the Schiavos grieved, Scott Schiavo said there was a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Everyone wants to say Terri died a terrible death. I mean, the Schindlers are saying, 'Her lips are cracking up and she's bleeding from the mouth and her nose.' And then he makes a statement (that) her skin looks good. I mean, this is ridiculous," Scott Schiavo said.

After Terri Schiavo's death, threatening phone calls started coming into Scott Schiavo's home and he recorded them.

"You bunch of ****. You killed her. You murdered her," said the man on the phone call. The person said that he was calling from Texas and he spoke for several minutes.

"Your time will come. The time will come, for all of us, for all of us. Time will come. I wonder which way you will get to go when time does come," the anonymous caller said.


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