Schiavo investigation to be made public

Judge orders release of documents amid allegations of neglect

Canadian Press

Friday, April 15, 2005

CLEARWATER, Fla. -- A judge has ordered state officials to release summaries of their investigations into the treatment of Terri Schiavo, the severely brain-damaged woman who died last month after her feeding tube was removed.

Pinellas Circuit Judge George Greer gave the state Department of Children and Families until Monday to release the records on dozens of investigations into complaints that Schiavo was mistreated. None of the allegations were substantiated.

The death of Schiavo, 41, ended a gut-wrenching court battle between her husband and parents over whether she would have wanted to live in a vegetative state.

"The public interest includes the need for citizens to know of and adequately evaluate the actions of DCF and the court system in providing vulnerable adults with the protections provided" under state law, Greer wrote Thursday.

The agency, which had objected to releasing the records, will comply with the order, DCF chief of staff Bill Spann said.

The repeated allegations of abuse were based partly on bone scans showing Terri Schiavo suffered fractures and on statements she made to family and friends that she was unhappy in her marriage.

Schiavo's husband, Michael, has denied harming his wife. His lawyer said the fractures resulted from osteoporosis caused by the woman's years of immobility and complications of her medication.

Lawyers for Schiavo's husband welcomed Thursday's ruling. Release of the records "will be helpful for all concerned to evaluate the frivolity of the continuing investigation," said one of the lawyers, Hamden Baskin.

I find it VERY interesting that the Dept of Children and Families was OPPOSED to releasing the records. Weren't they on the side of the wingnuts who were positively RUTHLESS in portraying Michael Schiavo as an abuser among other things. Goddamn hypocrites.

As for Greer ... he is absolutely right the public DOES have a right to know the truth. It's time they realized that the wingnuts were lying and distorting the facts all OVER the place. Bravo Judge Greer...

IA