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PINELLAS COUNTY, FLA---As commentator Paul Harvey would say, "and now you know the rest of the story".
Maybe now we know why Michael Schiavo suddenly married his concubine after co-habitating with her in an adulterous affair, prohibited by Florida Statutes, for more than a decade.
Schiavo and Jodi Centonze obtained a marriage license on Jan. 20 at the Pinellas County clerk's office and were married the next day in Espiritu Santos Catholic Church in Safe Harbor, 10 months after Schiavo was successful in gaining court approval to kill his wife.
Perhaps Schiavo had some advance notice about the new policies of the Pinellas County Sheriff's Department concerning adulterous relationships.
Schiavo, a registered nurse, was hired in late 2004 by former Sheriff Everett Rice to work in the Pinellas County Jail.
This week, two new policies involving employees of the Pinellas County Sheriff's department have been announced. According to Dennis Fowler, chief deputy, officers who are caught in adulterous affairs, whether they are married or single, will be placed on suspension. Fowler reportedly said that the new policy stems from having seen so many cases of deputy-involved cases of adultery leading to 911 calls.
The new policy provides that if a complaint is filed and allegations are proven, an officer could receive up to a three-day suspension.
Michael Schiavo has lived with Jodi Centonze since at least 1995 while still married to Terri Schindler-Schiavo. He fathered two illegitimate children with Centonze and refused to divorce Terri, instead determinedly seeking the court's permission to kill her.
Florida Statutes state that whoever lives in an open state of adultery, such as Schiavo and Centonze did for over 10 years including while he was employed by the sheriff's department, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree. Where either of the parties living in an open state of adultery is married, both parties so living shall be deemed to be guilty of the offense.
Although Schiavo was clearly in violation of the law while employed by the sheriff's department, he was not arrested.
Last fall, Pinellas Sheriff Jim Coats issued an order prohibiting employees from engaging in adulterous relationships with fellow officers whether married or single.
The official order states that "excluded from this are members who are separated and residing apart from their spouse, or those who have legally filed for divorce".
Pinellas County's policy is the first of its kind in the Tampa Bay area and other agencies such as the Pasco County Sheriff's Office and Tampa Police Department said they wouldn't follow suit.
The sheriff's order also prohibits adultery among employees regardless of where they work or whether they have contact with each other on the job.
Since the policy was implemented in October, no one has been penalized. 2-08-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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