Friday, April 01, 2005

MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: "CULTURE OF DEATH" THIS, YOU BASTARDS

On CNN last night:

[LARRY] KING: ...Before we check in with Paula Zahn in Bucks County, we have on the phone Brian Schiavo, the brother of Michael Schiavo. Are you there, Brian?

BRIAN SCHIAVO, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S BROTHER: Yes, I am, Larry. Thanks for taking my call. I appreciate it.

KING: How's your brother?

SCHIAVO: He is extremely tired and very sad, and very emotional. He's lost his wife. But I just wanted to call because I have two points I'd like to straighten out. I watch your show, and first of all, Frank -- what is his name, Frank...

KING: Pavone.

SCHIAVO: Pavone. Yes. He's a poor excuse of a priest, I'll tell you that. The man made a comment to the workers, or, basically, made a comment that said that the flowers in Terri's room were being treated better than she is. That is a slap in the face to the people that work in that hospice, and he ought to be ashamed of himself.

Number two, I will tell you exactly what happened with Bobby Schindler today. I was there. Bobby Schindler was in visiting with Terri with Frank Pavone. They were asked to leave because it was time for Terri to be assessed. She had plenty -- she had several assessments. They were asked to leave. Bobby caused a commotion with the police officer. I talked to the police officer. He caused a commotion. The police officer said he's going to have to leave the building.

About two minutes after that, we were approached by the administration of the hospice. They said, Michael, if you want to be with Terri, you need to come now. She basically has very -- quickly -- she's made a turn for the worse. We rushed down to her room, and literally, we had 60 seconds with her before she passed away. That is what happened. David Gibbs better get his act together, because I'm getting sick and tired of everything being twisted and turned, half- truths. You know, they should just tell the truth.

KING: Hey, Brian, is there any healing possible here?

SCHIAVO: I have no idea. Not from me, I'll tell you that. Maybe with Michael, but not from me.

KING: Does Michael...

SCHIAVO: I'll tell you, from the very beginning of this, Larry, these people have done nothing but twist and turn and spin this thing. They've made my brother out to be a demon. You know, vilified, he's a murderer. And you know what, we're tired of telling people -- you know, we're not going to prove anything to any body else, anymore. If they don't believe it, that's fine. If they can't believe that this man promised his wife, and committed to her that he would not let her live like that, in that state, then you know what, that's on them. They can go pound sand.

KING: OK, Brian, hold it. David Gibbs, do you want to respond? Brian, hold on. SCHIAVO: Yes, I'd like to respond to David Gibbs.

KING: All right. Go ahead.

[DAVID] GIBBS [ATTORNEY FOR PARENTS OF TERRI SCHIAVO]: Now, Larry -- Larry, as we look at this situation, I don't think it's productive for the parties to continue to take shots back and forth. Bobby Schindler...

SCHIAVO: Well, then, tell the right thing.

GIBBS: ... (UNINTELLIGIBLE) statement to the...

SCHIAVO: Tell the right thing then, Mr. Gibbs.

(CROSSTALK)

KING: One at a time. Brian, let him speak.

GIBBS: ... read his statement. What he said is the same words that Jesus Christ said up on the cross. And the spirit of the Schindler family is, Father, we want to forgive them for they know not what they do.

We are heartsick today that Terri has stepped into eternity, we believe unnecessarily. We've watched this lovely lady that was loved by the family, loved by the mother, loved by the father, loved by the brother and sister. She was starved and dehydrated to death.

And certainly, the other side believes they've done the right thing. We very much believe that to starve to death an innocent, disabled woman, when you look in the room and you watch Terri literally withering away, Larry, it's heart breaking.

KING: David, are you discounting what Brian said, what happened with Bobby today? Are you saying Brian is not telling the truth?

GIBBS: I don't know what Brian has...

(CROSSTALK)

SCHIAVO: Mr. Gibbs, I was there. You were not. Tell the truth.

GIBBS: Well, I've talked with the -- I've talked with the police officers. I know what the police officers have said.

SCHIAVO: I don't care who you talked to. I was there. You were not. You have -- you're just -- you're just like the rest of them. You spin things; you twist things. You don't tell the truth.

KING: David, Terri's gone. Is there any hope that you -- Brian says not on his part. Do you see any reconciliation here?

GIBBS: Well, the hope and prayer of the Schindler family, Larry, would be, yes. Obviously, you can see demonstrated the spirit of the other side. It's upset. It's accusatory. It's hurtful. And the Schindler family has offered forgiveness. Bobby Schindler, speaking publicly for the family, has asked that if at any point their spirit was not demonstrating the love and the compassion required of them by their faith. He's asked the world at large; he's asked other side for forgiveness. And certainly, we think it's counterproductive on the day that Terri has stepped into eternity to sit there and snipe back and forth. It just seems like it's disrespectful to Terri.

KING: Brian?

SCHIAVO: Well, you know what? You know what? I would say the same thing for Frank Pavone. I would say the same thing for him. And if you don't think that my brother has been vilified since day one, when you weren't even around, from the other attorneys, then I'll tell you, you better study the record. Because I'm going to tell you, talk about people accusing people, he's been nothing but accused of doing -- being a murderer. And that's ridiculous.

KING: We do not go calmly into this good night.

(CROSSTALK)

SCHIAVO: ... and a murderer. And that is not right.


Amen.

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