A little background

Why is Michael Schaivo so determined that Terri's body be cremated immediately after her death? Why is he so opposed to a wake and a traditional funeral Mass- with the body present, as custom dictates? Why is he so determined to retain custody and control over the dead body of a woman whose wedding ring he melted down for cash shortly after winning a malpractice suit which netted a huge amount of money earmarked for therapy which, from early on, he steadfastly and stubbornly refused to let her receive?

Why, when he is living with another woman, who has borne him two children?

Well, Operation Rescue's Voice for Terry recounts the following:

Suspicions grew when the Schindlers found out about a bone scan that Terri underwent back in 1991. The doctors conducted this scan because Terri would cry out in pain during the little bit of therapy she had early on, and it turned up many shocking facts.

For instance, the physician who conducted the bone scan, Dr. W. Campbell Walker, wrote in his report, "This patient has a history of trauma." He listed apparent injuries (mostly fractures) to Terri's ribs, her lumbar vertebrae, her sacroiliac joints (which are near the hip), both her ankles, and both her knees.

Famed New York forensic pathologist Dr. Michael Baden- who was contacted by the news media, not the Schindlers- looked at this report last year and concluded, "It shows evidence that there are bone fractures that are in a healing stage... The trauma could be from some kind of beating that she obtained from somebody somewhere. It's something that should have been investigated in 1991."

But of course, Michael Schiavo never allowed the Schindlers to see the bone scan report. And when they sought to have it investigated after they found out about it three years ago, the courts refused to permit it.

Terry was also found to have sustained a neck compression consistent with strangulation- a fact which has caused some people to question the explanation that her brain damage was the result of a lack of potassium caused by an eating disorder, which supposedly put her into cardiac arrest.

And Michael suddenly remembers, after ten years, that Terri told him that she wouldn't want to live in such a condition...

Gov. Bush and the Florida legislature should insist- if necessary by passing a special law- that an autopsy and a full forensic examination of Terri's body be performed prior to cremation. Michael Schaivo and Judge Greer must not be allowed to prevent the questions these facts raise to be swept under the rug, and put beyond any possibility of investigation.

And Michael's haste certainly raises the suspicion that he wants to do precisely that.