BEAUMONT, TX — A Texas judge has bought some time for a man whose estranged wife is attempting to have him removed from life support over the objections of his brother and sister-in-law.
Terry Dean Martin, 54, is on a ventilator and receiving nutrition and hydration care at the Baptist Hospital of Southeast Texas in Beaumont after being admitted June 13 with complications of diabetes and kidney failure. He suffered cardiac arrest on June 15, but doctors were able to resuscitate him. He has not fully regained consciousness since, but his brother Gary Martin says he is able to open his eyes, blink on command, and squeeze visitors’ hands.
Gary and his wife, Angela, drove to Beaumont from Oklahoma as soon as they learned of his brother’s condition. However, it was June 16 before Martin’s estranged wife, Debi, who lives in the Beaumont area, showed up at the hospital. When she did, she demanded her husband be removed from all life support.
Although the couple has reportedly been separated for more than nine years, and Debi has been living with another man for all of that time, Gary Martin said he believes Debi is still the designated recipient of Terry’s $150,000 life insurance policy, and their 26-year-old daughter Lakrisha Winters heir to his estate, which includes a 2,000 sq. ft. home on 23 acres of land.
Gary and Angela convinced the hospital to hold off on withdrawing life support until they could file for a restraining order. According to court documents, the hospital said they would wait until the couple obtained a court order, but “would not wait indefinitely.”
The couple sought help from the Texas Center for Defense of Life (TCDL) to stop Debi from killing her husband. The legal defense group sued in Jefferson County Court to obtain a temporary restraining order blocking any removal of life support until a hearing can be held to determine who should be able to direct Terry’s care.
On June 18, citing both Debi’s and Lakrisha’s “potential and serious conflicts of interest” in authorizing Terry Martin’s death, Judge Jeff Branick granted the restraining order. A hearing will be held June 30 to determine whether Gary Martin will be granted power of attorney over his brother until he recovers or passes away.
“Today we obtained a short-term victory in what may become a long-term battle to save this man’s life,” said TCDL President Greg Terra in a June 18 statement. “It has only been a few days since Mr. Martin’s heart attack and we believe it is much too soon for life sustaining treatment to be removed. We will fight in the Texas courts to save Mr. Martin’s life until he recovers and walk out of the hospital or until we have exhausted our efforts.”
CONTACT:
Jeff Branick, County Judge
Jefferson County Courthouse
1149 Pearl Street
Beaumont, Texas 77701
(409) 835-8466
[email protected]