Terri's Father: 'She's Down to Last Hours'

In a brief news conference held outside the Woodside Hospice in Pinellas Park, Fla., Robert Schindler told reporters that his daughter's life is slipping away.

"Terri is weakening. She's down to her last hours," Schindler said in response to one of only two questions he took from reporters. "Something has to be done and it has to be done quick." Terri Schiavo has now gone seven days without nutrition or hydration. Doctors had predicted that her death could come in as little as one week from dehydration, or that she could live longer, eventually being overcome by the combined effects of dehydration and starvation.
Terri's father issued a public plea to the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta, asking the judges to seriously consider the new claims rebuffed by the U.S. District Court Friday morning.

"The information that was presented in front of the federal judge in Tampa was very strong, was very, very strong," Schindler said. "We're encouraging these judges when they review that, it's under appeal, to make the right decision."

The Schindlers new arguments include that denying Terri nutrition and hydration is a violation of:


The Americans with Disabilities Act,

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973,

The Eighth Amendment prohibition against cruel and unusual punishment, and

The 14th Amendment prohibition against the state depriving a person of life without due process.
Robert and Mary Schindler also argued, through their attorneys, that the determination that Terri would not want to be provided nutrition and hydration through a feeding tube was made in violation of her 14th Amendment due process rights.