Pinellas County, FL – Today at 9:05 a.m. ET, Terri Schiavo died. Her tragic and inhumane death was highlighted in the last moments of her life when Michael Schiavo denied the Schindler family’s final request to be with Terri as she took her last breath. The parents had issued an emotional plea to be at her hospice bedside, but Mr. Schiavo refused the family’s request. Her parents, Bob and Mary Schindler, along with her siblings, Bobby and Suzanne, were allowed to see Terri after she died, but were denied the opportunity to be with her in her final moments.

Over the past 14 days, Terri has brought together people from both ends of the ideological spectrum. To starve and dehydrate a woman who is not terminally ill and who is alert, conscious and responsive is inhumane and barbaric. Had Terri been convicted of capital murder and sentenced to death, there would be universal outrage to sentence her to die by starvation and dehydration.

Terri’s life and her recent death should serve as a catalyst for the state of Florida and other states around the country to pass legislation that would disqualify a legal guardian who has an apparent and direct conflict such as that between Michael Schiavo and Terri. Mr. Schiavo has for a number of years cohabited with another woman with whom he has fathered two children. In situations where the issue is withdrawing food and water from a person who has no written directive where the guardian has a conflict of interest, the state law should disqualify the guardian and appoint another guardian to manage the medical care.

Mathew D. Staver, President and General Counsel of Liberty Counsel, stated, “Our condolences are extended to the Schindler family. In addition to the unimaginable grief and turmoil which the Schindler family has experienced over the past two weeks, there are many people throughout the world who have also grieved. We have received many calls at Liberty Counsel from people around the nation who have been emotionally upset as they watched an innocent person starve and dehydrate. Terri’s life must not end in tragedy. She clung to life for 14 days without food and water. Her life struggle should be the catalyst for legislative reform. Terri Schiavo should make us all more sensitive and eager to protect human life from conception to natural death.”

Liberty Counsel filed amicus briefs with the district and appeals courts in support of Terri Schiavo.