Schiavo

Terri Schiavo (pron-en??a?vo?) collapsed on February 25, 1990, resulting in 15 years of institutionalization. Her legal case, from 1998 to 2005, concerned whether Terri, diagnosed as being in a persistent vegetative state (PVS), should live or die.

In 1998 Terris husband, Michael, petitioned the Sixth Circuit Court of Florida (Florida Circuit Courts) (Pinellas County (Pinellas County, Florida)), to remove her feeding tube pursuant to Florida Statutes Section 765.401(3). He was opposed by Terris parents, Robert and Mary Schindler, who argued that Terri was conscious (Consciousness). The court determined that Terri would not wish to continue life-prolonging measures.

On April 24, 2001 Terris feeding tube was removed for the first time, only to be reinserted several days later. Over the next four years, the pro-life movement, disability rights groups, members of the Florida Legislature, the United States Congress, and the President of the United States became involved in the case. In March 2005 President Bush (George W. Bush) returned to Washington D.C. from a vacation to sign legislation designed to keep Terri alive, making the case a major national news story in its final month. In all, the Schiavo case involved 14 appeals and numerous motions (motion (legal)), petitions, and hearings in the Florida courts; five suits in federal district court (United States district court); Florida legislation struck down by the Supreme Court of Florida; a subpoena by a congressional committee to qualify Terri for witness protection; federal legislation (the Palm Sunday Compromise); and four denials of certiorari from the Supreme Court of the United States. The local courts decision to disconnect Terri was carried out on March 18, 2005. Terri died at a Pinellas Park (Pinellas Park, Florida) hospice (Palliative care) on March 31.