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Michael Schiavo's Alleged History of Deceit, Accusation and Abuse

Lengthy report in New York paper

By Elizabeth O'Brien

CLEARWATER, FL, July 25, 2007 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A North Country Gazette exclusive alleges, with evidence, that Michael Schiavo, who ordered the starvation of his wife Terry Schiavo in 2005, has a history of hostility towards co-workers, stalking women, vindictiveness and general unprofessional behavior.

Last year, the Gazette reports, Schiavo was involved in a complex tangle of accusations against co-workers at the Pinellas County Jail. The first alleged incident occurred on July 31, when co-worker Diane Cross illegally gave prescription medication, a muscle relaxant called Robaxin, to nursing supervisor David Richardson in order to alleviate his extreme back pain.

Schiavo did not report the incident on the day it supposedly occurred, but he did retaliate in September and made accusations against Cross after she and other co-workers reported that he was not pulling his weight at the job.

At a meeting during which the issue of his work ethic was brought up, Cross reports that he turned to her and stated out of the blue,  "you know what, let me tell you something, you never sent me a sympathy card when Terri died. You never even congratulated me when I got married again." At the same time, Schiavo accused her of not agreeing with him on the issue of his wife although she says she had kept that opinion entirely to herself in a professional manner. Their relationship, which Cross kept professional yet friendly, ceased after this meeting.

Following Schiavo's accusation against his coworkers, criminal and administrative investigations were made. As a consequence, Cross was fired and nearly arrested while Schiavo received a minor penalty for failing to report the incident promptly. The case grew more complicated, however, when a nurse complained that Schiavo himself had committed the same offense of illegally administering prescription drugs on duty, an accusation that he strongly denied. The claim could not be verified, however, for the sole witness died some months afterwards.

Hostility between Schiavo and his co-workers has continued ever since the beginning of his employment at the County Jail in 2004, the Gazette reports. Co-workers have filed complaints about his abusive behavior, short temper and lack of professionalism. One memo in his file states, "Nurse Schiavo delegated an excessive amount of work to the Bravo assist and that he in fact did very little with regards to patient care...At times Nurse Schiavo raised his voice and had to be instructed to lower it and remain calm and professional."

Schiavo is also known to have stalked other women, the Gazette reports. Cindy Shook Brasher had to be subpoenaed before coming forward and fearfully testifying against him. She stated, "He's very jealous. He stalked me…when he would get mad at me he would tell me, I would rather be laying in bed in the nursing home with her than you. I mean he can be the most incredibly mean person".

In 2006 registered nurse Carla Sauer Iyer, who worked with Terri Schiavo before her death, had her nursing papers revoked by the Department of Health (DOH) for giving public testimony on CNN about Terri's condition. At the same time, the DOH dropped charges against Michael who had falsified his guardianship papers. According to the Gazette, Michael also lied to investigators saying that he had been a licensed registered nurse since 1997. In reality, he failed the first exam and was not licensed until 2000. 

Michael's history of cruelty and lack of integrity is most evident, however, in the treatment of his wife and her parents. Not only did he fight relentlessly for her execution despite the pleas of her family, but he denied Terri's parents permission to comfort their daughter at the very moment of her death.

Read North Country Gazette exclusive:
http://www.northcountrygazette.org/news/2007/07/24/the_other_woman/

Read previous LifeSiteNews coverage:

Terri Schiavo Torture and Execution Completed - It is Finished
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/mar/05033101.html

Michael Schiavo Could Face Criminal Charges
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jan/05013101.html

Terri Schiavo's Husband Re-Married in Catholic Church
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jan/06012306.html

Ten Year Old Arrested for Giving Food to Terri Schiavo Apologizes
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/aug/05083103.html

Schiavo Autopsy Released: Died of Severe Dehydration
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/jun/05061502.html

Vatican Issues Third Intervention Against Forced Euthanasia of Terri Schiavo
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2005/mar/05031104.html

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