Terri Schiavo's husband has banned all visitors, including her parents, from her room.
By Associated Press
Published April 28, 2004
TAMPA - The parents of a severely brain damaged woman at the center of a right-to-die case say her husband has blocked them from visiting her for nearly a month. They are asking a judge to intervene.
A legal petition filed Monday by Bob and Mary Schindler is the latest salvo fired in the long battle between Terri Schiavo's parents and Michael Schiavo, her husband and legal guardian who has fought to remove the feeding tube keeping her alive.
Michael Schiavo banned all visitors from the Clearwater nursing home where she lives after an aide found what appeared to be needle marks on his wife's arms after the Schindlers visited March 29.
The Schindlers said they didn't know anything about it, and hospital tests found nothing unusual in her system. Clearwater police say they're still investigating, but spokesman Wayne Shelor wouldn't discuss details Tuesday.
Michael Schiavo said visitors would be banned until after police finished their investigation.
Through a petition, the Schindlers contend that Michael Schiavo is consistently late in filing the required annual care plans for his wife, so he has no legal right to make decisions for her or keep visitors from her.
"I'm asking the judge to have a hearing and determine that Michael has been acting without authority and to restore visitation," said Pat Anderson, the Schindlers' attorney.
Deborah Bushnell, one of Michael Schiavo's attorneys, said he has not been irresponsible. She said he has asked the court for extensions in filing the annual care plans, which she said are often delayed because "the legal situation has been in such flux that it's been difficult if not impossible to put forward any kind of plan."
She also defended the decision to keep visitors away until police finish investigating the March 29 incident.
"We want that all to shake out before instituting visitation," she said.
Michael Schiavo has waged a long legal battle to disconnect the feeding tube that keeps his wife alive. She was left severely brain damaged more than 14 years ago after her heart stopped beating because of chemical imbalance brought on by an eating disorder.
Michael Schiavo contends his wife never wanted to be kept alive artificially. Her parents, however, doubt she had such wishes and think her condition could improve with therapy.
Last fall, the Florida Legislature and Gov. Jeb Bush intervened to keep Terri Schiavo alive after a court had ordered the feeding tube removed. Michael Schiavo sued Bush, challenging the constitutionality of the hastily passed law that allowed the governor to step in.
