Friday, January 4, 2013

Terri Schiavo's brother petitions court to intervene in Guardianship Case.


The following article was received during the holidays. The Euthanasia Prevention Coalition is very interested in this case. We do not believe that withholding hydration and nutrition from a person who is not otherwise dying, is in the best interests of that person.

Schiavo's Brother Petitions Court to Intevene in Guardianship Case

Philadelphia, Pa., December 27, 2012

Bobby Schindler
Attorney Christopher Johnson has filed with the Supreme Court of the State of New York, asking the court to allow Mr. Bobby Schindler, brother of Terri Schiavo to serve as Guardian for Mr. Gary Harvey.

In 2006, Mr. Harvey, a Chemung County resident, was involved in a home accident, which left him with a profound brain injury. His spouse, Mrs. Sara Harvey, sought guardianship only to be denied by the Chemung County Supreme Court who ultimately appointed the Chemung County Department of Social Services as Mr. Harvey's guardian. Since that time, Mrs. Harvey has been in a prolonged court battle with Chemung County officials and the New York State Court System.

Indeed, it was in May of 2009 when the ethics committee from the hospital where Mr. Harvey was residing recommended the removal of his nutrition and hydration tube, and also issued a "do-not-resuscitate order" (DNR).

Fortunately, the court denied that request. However, inexplicably, the DNR stayed in place and Mr. Harvey remains under the control of Chemung County, despite the fact that the county tried to end his life.

"I have raised the question many times, 'How can Chemung County, Guardian of Mr. Harvey, be acting in his best interest when they, in fact, tried to kill him?' From all indications, it appears that Mr. Harvey has been warehoused and denied the opportunity to receive the care and rehabilitative services that would benefit his condition," stated Bobby Schindler.

It is the hope that with this filing, the court will recognize that Mr. Harvey deserves the chance to receive aggressive therapy and rehabilitation. Certainly from Mr. Schindler's experience with brain injured persons, he would afford Mr. Harvey the help he needs in the hopes to significantly improve his quality of life.

Bobby Schindler is the brother of Terri Schiavo and is the Executive Director of the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network, established in 2005 to protect the rights of the medically vulnerable. For more information, please visit www.lifeandhope.com

3 comments:

Sara Harvey said...

Thank you for posting this article on my husband. Now my husband has a chance for a better life.

What I have been fighting this county on for years. My husband has been isolated and warehoused for years, treated like he were a criminal. 3 security cameras surrounds his room with a paid guard to monitor my visits.

I pray this nightmare will be over and my husband and I can begin to heal.

NASGA said...

Thank you for posting this press release!

NASGA wholeheartedly supports Bobby Schindler's petition to become Gary Harvey's guardian. The attorneys for Chemung County Social Services have stated many times on the court record and in the public record that they did not and do not want to serve as Gary Harvey's guardian, but unfortunately, there was no one else. Well now there is -- and it's Bobby Schindler.

We would hope the guardian would contact Attorney Johnson right away and agree to resign in favor of Bobby Schindler.

Alex Schadenberg said...

I published this comment to create awareness concerning the plight of Gary Harvey.

I also wanted to create awareness concerning the ideology that would decide that removing hydration and nutrition and intentionally dehydrating a person to death, is simply withdrawing treatment.