Originally Posted - May 29, 2006

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Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.

That includes Michael Schiavo.

Schiavo uses that quote by Daniel Patrick Moynihan in the opening pages of his recently released book, Terri: The Truth.

It's anything but the truth.

Patricia Fields Anderson, one of the attorneys who represented the Schindler family in their battle to try and save the life of their brain disabled daughter, said about Michael Schiavo, "It's hard to know what to believe with him because he says whatever the occasion demands or what is in his financial interests".

That continues today with his book.

Throughout the 15-year battle of Schiavo to end his wife's life after she suddenly and inexplicably collapsed in their apartment during the early morning hours of Feb. 25, 1990, Schiavo has claimed that he loved his wife, that his world revolved around his wife----all of this while he lived in adultery with his girlfriend and the two children he fathered with her.

He says in his book that "facts about the Schiavo case are still being distorted….I don't know what's in the minds of the Schindlers or their attorneys or supporters but if anyone knows the facts of the case, I do".

He and maybe he alone knows exactly what happened Feb. 25, 1990 and what led to the death of his then 26-year-old Terri Schindler Schiavo.

Michael Schiavo has blatantly fabricated the testimony of his sister-in-law Joan Schiavo and the passage that he cites in his book as being the sworn testimony of Joan during the January 2000 death trial is pure fiction. The fabrication is clearly evident when one compares Michael's version with that of the certified court transcript.

He also states in the book preface at the end of Chapter 1, that "around 9 o'clock, Terri called Joan in Philadelphia, excited about her new hairstyle. It was their last conversation ever".

Not according to Joan Schiavo. Under oath during her testimony at the January, 2000 trial before death Judge George Greer, at page 240, when asked when the last time was that she had spoken with Terri, Joan Schiavo stated two days prior, not the night before her collapse. Although Michael characterizes her as a ditze, it would seem plausible that Joan Schiavo would remember the last time that she spoke with Terri, the woman whom she said was like a sister to her.

One thing that is for certain, although Michael refuses to admit it because it establishes motive, is that in the hours prior to Terri's collapse, she and Michael had argued heavily over the amount of money she had spent at the hairdresser's that day, a fact that's corroborated by Terri's best friend and work associate, Jackie Rhodes; her mother, her brother Bobby and even Michael's brother, Scott. In an interview in October, 2003 with the Philadelphia Inquirer, it was reported Scott said that "the couple had been arguing all day on Feb. 25, 1990. Terri collapsed that night".

Michael Schiavo says in the preface to "Terri: The Truth" that the "point of writing this book was to tell you the truth as I saw it", his version of the truth although his version is provably not true and factual. He says that "you may read things here that confirm your beliefs about The Schiavo Case or you might be confronted with facts and opinions that are at odds with everything you thought you knew. And this may cause you to wonder who was telling the truth and who wasn't".

After reading the book, it's more clear than ever that it wasn't Michael Schiavo who was and is telling the truth. The book serves to establish the total lack of credibility in anything that he says now or has said in the past 15 years, especially about Terri's wish to live and his "clear and convincing evidence". His lies and distortions are written in black and white, indisputable and totally contrary to sworn testimony and undeniable facts, often at odds with what he himself has steadfastly said over the years.

During an interview for Dateline with MSNBC's Matt Lauer, Michael said that "Terri and I had a perfect marriage" and he denied that she had wanted to divorce him as her mother, her brother and her best friend have related that she told them in the weeks and days before her collapse. Michael continued to insist to Lauer that he loved Terri until her death and honored his wedding vows…"take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity".

Although he claimed to be such a devoted husband, carrying forth his wife's wishes, Michael Schiavo did not wear a wedding ring and cast aside his wedding vows. So much for the family values he claims, so much for the love and fidelity he pledged.

During the 15-years, the St. Petersburg Times acted as his press agent, even in the newspaper's photo shoot arranged in November, 1990, less than nine months after her collapse, Michael Schiavo wore no wedding band.

When he appeared on the Larry King Live show in October 2003, still professing his love for Terri, saying that he was honoring his wedding vows and her wishes, he still wore no wedding band, the symbol of his love and fidelity.

In the decade and a half that ensued between her collapse and her death by judicial order, Michael Schiavo's coarseness, callousness and insensitivity came through loud and clear and one of the most egregious admissions that he made was on Nov. 19, 1993 when he stated under oath in a deposition for the legal proceeding which Terri's parents had brought against him, challenging his guardianship. He testified that he had euthanized her cats-----just like he later did to her.

Attorney: What did you do with your wife's jewelry?

Michael Schiavo: My wife's jewelry?

Attorney: Yeah

MS: Um, I think I took her engagement ring and her….what do they call it….diamond wedding band and made a ring for myself.

Michael Schiavo and his long-time girlfriend, Jodi Centonze, were married this year on Jan. 21 in a Catholic Church in Safe Harbor, Pinellas County. In an interview with Schiavo and his new wife written by Anita Kumar, appearing in the St. Petersburg Times on March 27, it was stated that "at the wedding, Mike wore his new wedding band, a circle of diamonds, almost 3 carats in weight. He asked Jodi Schiavo if it would be okay if he also wore another ring, one he fashioned long ago out of diamonds from Terri's wedding ring. She said yes".

On the last page of his book before the Epilogue, at page 320, Schiavo states "On June 20, 2005, we buried Terri's ashes. Before the service began, I'd placed her wedding ring inside the urn".

Does Michael Schiavo ever tell the truth?   5-29-06

© 2006 North Country Gazette