Terri Schiavo Euthanasia Case Terri Schiavo suffers from persistent vegetative stae (PVS) after...

Terri Schiavo Euthanasia Case

• Terri Schiavo suffers from persistent vegetative stae (PVS) after suffering cardiac arrest in 1990

• Needs feeding tube for daily nutrition

• Husband petitions for right to remove feeding tube in order for her to die “naturally” according to her alleged wishes expressed before suffering cardiac arrest

Terri Schiavo

• Eventually, in 2005, courts give husband right to remove feeding tube

• Over a period of a week, Schiavo dies of starvation and dehydration

• Whole idea of her right to die was based on unconfirmed testimony that before her cardiac arrest she had mentioned how she would never want to live in a state like PVS

Eluana Englaro Euthanasia Case

• Basically Italy’s Terri Schiavo case

• Entered a persistent vegetative state in 1992 following a traumatic car accident and became reliant on feeding tube for daily nutrition

• Starting in 1999, her father begins petitioning Italian courts for right to remove feeding tube

Eluana Englaro

• Father finally gets Italy’s highest court to grant him permission to remove feeding tube in 2008

• Tube is finally actually taken out in February 2009 and over the course of a week, Eluana dies of starvation and dehydration in the same manner as Terri Schiavo

• Decision based on the exact same idea of Eluana expressing wishes prior to her accident that she would not want to live in a state like PVS