Journalists happy to put words in Schiavo coroner's mouth, while ignoring Michael's

This story in today's Washington Post is not the only one related to the Schiavo autopsy that substitutes opinion in the place of factual reporting, but it is a perfect illustration of how the press is spinning the Schiavo autopsy report.  The story states in its concluding paragraphs:

An autopsy released Wednesday concluded that she had been in a persistent vegetative state and revealed no evidence that she was strangled or otherwise abused before she collapsed.

It left unanswered the question of why Terri Schiavo's heart stopped, cutting oxygen off from her brain. The autopsy showed she suffered irreversible brain damage and her brain had shrunk to half the normal size for her age. (emphasis added)

Only the autopsy did not confirm "persistent vegetative state."  What the autopsy did confirm was that Terri had extensive brain damage that was consistent with the level of damage in patients diagnosed with PVS.  The consulting neuropathologist, Dr. Stephen Nelson, also clarified that it was impossible to rule out interactions between Terri and her family, since medical science has been unable to make an accurate correlation between active brain mass and cognitive abilities.

Washington Post writers and others, please get this through your heads: "Persistent vegetative state" is a subjective clinical diagnosis.  It cannot be diagnosed forensically.

The Washington Post story also neglects to mention that the autopsy failed to find evidence that Terri suffered from a heart attack or had an eating disorder - the two main explanations given by Michael Schiavo as to why his wife suffered a cardiac arrest. In all fairness, Michael's now-unsubstantiated claims should be as vigorously denounced by the MSM as the claims by Terri's parents have already been, and both denunciations should be a part of the standard story boilerplate.

 

The heart of the Washington Post story concerns Florida governor Jeb Bush requesting an inquiry into the differing accounts of Terri's collapse and Michael's subsequent 911 call that were given as testimony during various hearings and trials.  Bush wants inconsistencies in Schiavo's statements investigated, and a correct timeline of events established.  Obviously Bush feels that an inexplicably long delay between the time Michael found Terri and called 911 does exist, and that it could be grounds for a further criminal probe.

As much as I mistrust Michael Schiavo and his creepy attorney, I'm going to have to draw the line with this investigation.  The case is over, Terri is dead, a new investigation won't bring her back, and frankly I don't see the point of dragging this case into perpetuity. 

While Jeb Bush's motives may be right, what he is doing is a waste of time and resources equivalent to the never-ending litany of conspiracy charges leveled by leftist moonbat kooks against President Bush, and their continual use of sham hearings and empty demands for investigations into non-existent events.

ALSO:  E. J. Dionne has a disgraceful editorial in today's Washington Post entitled Where's The Apology? He excoriates Bill Frist for having the nerve to actually describe what he saw on the now famous videos of Terri - an apparently smiling, happy woman interacting with her family - and then daring to question whether someone capable of those things was a vegetable.  Naturally Dionne requests no apologies from Michael Schiavo for his now-debunked claims that Terri was the victim of a heart attack and an eating disorder. And he offers no explanation as to why the extent of Terri's brain damage made killing her OK.  Sigh.  (hat tip: Michelle Malkin)

For another very good writeup about the press's knee-jerk PVS diagnosis, read Fr. Rob's excellent piece at Blogs For Terri.

Comments

[lisa]

You quoted the Wash Post article in error. It actually says: "The governor's request followed the release Wednesday of an autopsy supporting Michael Schiavo's contention that his wife had been in a persistent vegetative state. The autopsy revealed no evidence that she was strangled or otherwise abused before she collapsed." The article does not say that the autopsy concluded PVS. This is significant, so I feel that it should be corrected. Other than that, great piece by you!