Police Searching Couey's Home for Evidence in Missing Girl Case
BLITZER: Welcome back. More, now, on the Terri Schiavo case. Joining us is Michael Schiavo's attorney. Michael Schiavo being the husband of Terri Schiavo. George Felos is joining us live. George, thank you very much for joining us. I want you to listen to what the attorney representing the Schindler family, her parents -- her parents, Terri Schiavo's parents, is saying. Listen to this.</s>DAVID GIBBS, ATTORNEY FOR SCHINDLER'S: They're devastated. I mean, this is their daughter. They love their daughter. Bob and Mary would trade places with Terri in a heartbeat. If there was any way that they could be the one that is sick and hurting and give their help to Terri. They're a mom. They're a dad. Mary loves her. There's a bond. I think every mother knows. Every grandmother knows. There's a bond between a mother and a daughter that you just can't imagine what she's going through. But it's a tough day for them.</s>BLITZER: George, you can understand what the parents are going through right now, now that the feeding tube has been disconnected.</s>GEORGE FELOS, ATTORNEY FOR MICHAEL SCHIAVO: Well, Mr. Schiavo also loves his wife very deeply, and he loves her enough to respect her wishes. You have to remember in this case, it was her wish not to be kept alive artificially. Now, for the third time, the court proceedings have ended. The court judgments have been carried out. And Terri should be allowed to die in peace, rather than to be subjected to the horrible spectacle we saw out of the House of Representatives today, issuing a subpoena to keep her tube fed, which was blatantly illegal. And also the horrific action of the United States Senate, considering this bill, by unanimous consent. Not one Democratic senator stood up that evening to prevent passage of an unconstitutional bill.</s>BLITZER: Is there -- was there a living will? Did she specifically write -- put in writing that she would have wanted to die this way?</s>FELOS: No, she didn't, as don't the overwhelming majority of adult Americans. We all should have living wills. Many don't. But she expressed her wishes, as do many Americans. As do many Americans. To her best friends, to her brother-in-law, to her spouse. There were repeated conversations to numerous people, saying, "I don't want to be kept alive artificially. No tubes for me." The court found that by clear and convincing evidence. What is extremely important for the public to realize in this case, right now, is that the government is trying to intrude on her personal choice. We hear that the United States Congress may be trying to reconvene to pass a bill to intervene in this case. If they can avoid Terri's wishes, they can do it in any case. If they can avoid the final judgment in this case, they can do it in any case. And I want to say that the Democratic minority that allowed this bill to be ram-rodded through deserves to be a minority party if they can't stand up for civil liberties.</s>BLITZER: All right. Here's one of the accusations being hurled against your client her husband, Michael Schiavo, that he stands to make money if she dies.</s>FELOS: That is completely false. He will not inherit one penny as a result of Terri's death. This has been a very difficult, difficult time for him, as well. He loves his wife. But he also realizes that it's not fair to her. It's selfish to keep her alive in the condition that she said she didn't want to be kept alive in. And again, I urge people out there, if you care about your right to privacy, and your medical treatment choice, contact your senators. Contact your representatives. And tell them, let Terri go in peace. The United States Congress should not try to trample on Terri Schiavo's deathbed for their own political purposes.</s>BLITZER: The other argument, the other accusation they make against your client, Michael Schiavo, is that he's moved on. He's got a new relationship with a woman. He has children from that new relationship. He really doesn't care about Terri Schiavo anymore. He should simply divorce her and let her parents and her brother and sister take over responsibility for this woman.</s>FELOS: Mr. Schiavo has been Terri's most frequent visitor. And the reason that she is in such good physical condition after being a total care patient for 15 years is because of the degree of attention that he's demanded and has given on Terri. And one thing, Wolf, that a lot of people don't understand: if Mr. Schiavo walked away from this case today, the result would not change. Because he has no discretion in this matter. The court has made very clear that the court decided, based upon evidence, what Terri's wishes are, and her feeding tube must be removed to comply with her constitutional wishes. If Mr. Schiavo resigned today, whoever would be appointed as the replacement guardian would have to do the same thing that he ordered today.</s>BLITZER: George Felos, the attorney representing Michael Schiavo, thanks very much for spending a few moments with us.</s>FELOS: You're welcome.</s>BLITZER: There are, as we've been reporting, new developments in another Florida case, that of the 9-year-old little girl, Jessica Lunsford, who disappeared from her home some three weeks ago. Let's go straight to CNN's Sara Dorsey. She's at the scene of the disappearance. What can you tell us, Sara?</s>SARA DORSEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Wolf, what we can tell you is the Citrus County sheriff's office is telling us that there is a major development in this case. And that is obvious by what we're seeing out here. I'm going to get out of the way and tell you. Earlier in the day, we were reporting from the Lunsford home near where that sheriff's car is sitting. And now, the media, and in fact everyone, except for law enforcement and the family here, has been pushed back. This entire area, quarantined, really, from anyone getting in. We see an increased amount of law enforcement in this area. There are news choppers in the area. And throughout the day, now -- the last few minutes we've seen increased numbers of police officers, speeding into this area really. Now, let me set the scene. Basically, the part that is being cordoned off is the area by where the gentleman, who was called that person of interest, John Couey, was staying with a family member. You may recall just a few nights ago, Couey was named a person of interest. He was taken into custody in Augusta, Georgia. And he was questioned about this case. Now we were hearing today that he was saying nothing significant in this case, really. But it's obvious, now, that things have changed. But police and sheriff's officials here are not really revealing to us exactly what's going on here. We are hearing that the family is being told, regardless of what they hear, the investigation into Jessica's disappearance is still ongoing. Of course, Jessica disappeared from the home she shares with her grandparents and father three weeks ago. Again, John Couey, the person of interest, is currently still in custody in Augusta. He, we are told, was cooperating with investigators throughout the day. And now, just in the last hour or so, sheriff's officials have come into this area, blocked the entire area off. And there is an increased media and police presence in this area. And as soon as we get more information, we will bring it to you -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: Sara Dorsey, reporting. Is that news conference still scheduled for the top of the hour, some statement from the police in 35 minutes or so from now?</s>DORSEY: We are hearing that the news conference will be between 5:30 and 6 p.m. That will be with the Citrus County sheriff's officials.</s>BLITZER: And you're in Citrus County, Homosassa, Florida. Sara, we'll be getting back to you. Thank you very much. Sara Dorsey reporting. Still ahead, continuing coverage of the Terri Schiavo case. What you need to know about living wills. This is important information. Our Gerri Willis standing by with the information. That's coming up next.