Neurologist Hints Schiavo May Have Been Misdiagnosed

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush Wednesday sought court permission to take custody of Terri Schiavo, pointing to a neurologist's review which "indicates that Terri may have been misdiagnosed and is more likely that she is in a state of minimal consciousness rather than" a persistent vegetative state.

Dr. William Cheshire, a member of the state's adult protective services team and a neurologist at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Fla., conducted the review. Bush said he is doing everything in his "power to make sure that Terri is afforded at least the same rights that criminals convicted of the most heinous crimes take for granted."
"If a prisoner comes forward with new DNA evidence 20 years after his conviction, suggesting his innocence, there is no doubt that the courts in our state or all across the country for that matter would immediately review his case. We should do no less for Terri Schiavo," said Bush prior to the Florida Senate vote on the Schiavo bill.

In a vote of 21 to 18, the state Senate Wednesday rejected a bill that would have forced doctors to reinsert Terri Schiavo's feeding tube.

Prior to the vote, some senators indicated that they did not support the bill.

"This bill doesn't belong here. This decision belongs between the courts and the family," the AP quoted Republican Sen. Dennis Jones as saying.

"By the time the ink is dry on the governor's signature, it will be declared unconstitutional, just like it was before," the AP quoted Senate Minority Leader Les Miller, a Democrat, as saying before the vote. "So I don't see anything or any language that can persuade my vote."

Bush also urged Terri Schiavo's supporters to remain calm and not react violently "if this process doesn't go their way."

The governor said there are reports that some are making "threatening declarations" and reminded Terri's supporters that "even though we may disagree with the courts, there is no justification for violent acts."

Bush also sent a message of hope to the supporters. "Your prayers and your petitions are working," he said.