Fetus of Texas woman on life support 'distinctly abnormal,' family lawyers say

[Billy Jingo]

Fetus of Texas woman on life support 'distinctly abnormal,' family lawyers say


Attorneys for the family of a brain-dead pregnant woman who is in life support in a Texas hospital said Wednesday they have medical records showing the fetus is "distinctly abnormal."

They issued the statement, they said, to clear up any “misconceptions about the condition of the fetus.”

Erick Munoz, the husband of 33-year-old former paramedic Marlise Munoz, has filed a lawsuit against John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth seeking to remove her from life support.

He said her wishes were not to be kept alive in such a state.

Marlise Munoz was 14 weeks pregnant when she collapsed in November from what doctors believe was a pulmonary embolism. The fetus is now at about 22 weeks' gestation.

But the hospital said pulling the plug would violate a Texas law that says life-sustaining support can’t be withdrawn or withheld from a pregnant person.

The statement issued through Munoz' attorneys apparently seeks to bolster the claim that keeping the mother alive for the sake of the fetus is a lost cause.

“Even at this early stage, the lower extremities are deformed to the extent the gender cannot be determined,” the statement says.

In addition the statement says the fetus has swelling of the brain — “hydrocephalus” — as well as a possible heart problem.

[Billy Jingo]

It's like one of those outrageous hypothetical questions in philosophy, law, or ethics class.

[phillygirl]

Yeah, this is tough. It's got to be hard on everyone involved. I feel really badly for the family, particularly the husband, to have to go through this and try to make these kinds of decisions.

[Lanie]

I'm having trouble believing the baby will make it through this one. Tough one.

[Norm dePlume]

It seems there is no situation so tragic that some well-meaning activists can't make it worse.

[phillygirl]

It seems there is no situation so tragic that some well-meaning activists can't make it worse.

Were there activists involved here?

[Norm dePlume]

Were there activists involved here?

Yeah. Now they're just passing around petitions and filing amicus briefs, but back in the late 90's they negotiated the parameters of the law that's making a grisly spectacle out of the situation.

[phillygirl]

Yeah. Now they're just passing around petitions and filing amicus briefs, but back in the late 90's they negotiated the parameters of the law that's making a grisly spectacle out of the situation.

I get the point of the law. As usual, however, the law may not have enough broadness to apply common sense to the situation. In many cases laws are drafted by legislators with little legal knowledge, so they are mangled.

[Norm dePlume]

I get the point of the law. As usual, however, the law may not have enough broadness to apply common sense to the situation. In many cases laws are drafted by legislators with little legal knowledge, so they are mangled.

I don't have the link handy, but I read an account yesterday about how that law came about, and it involved very lengthy negotiations with health care professional organizations, and right-to-life groups. The health care people pushed for flexibility and the right-to-life groups pushed back against it. And Governor George W. Bush had their back with a veto threat.

On edit: I found the link.

[Novaheart]

Yeah, this is tough. It's got to be hard on everyone involved. I feel really badly for the family, particularly the husband, to have to go through this and try to make these kinds of decisions.

So let's take a break for a minute. What are you doing in Easton and when are you going to buy yourself a horse?

[phillygirl]

So let's take a break for a minute. What are you doing in Easton and when are you going to buy yourself a horse?

LOL...I'm not in Easton...I just go to the Farmers Market there most Saturdays that I'm down there. I'm in one of the smaller towns that is still waiting to make its comeback! As for a horse...not just no, but hell no! Horses are for rich people, or those of more modest means that actually have lots of land. I am in neither of those categories!

[Novaheart]

LOL...I'm not in Easton...I just go to the Farmers Market there most Saturdays that I'm down there. I'm in one of the smaller towns that is still waiting to make its comeback! As for a horse...not just no, but hell no! Horses are for rich people, or those of more modest means that actually have lots of land. I am in neither of those categories!

My cousin lives in Hurlock. Another cousin lives in Chestertown. Yet another lives in Elkton. Salisbury, Parsonsburg, Delmar, Nanticoke, Rehoboth .... actually you can't swing a dead cat "downnair' without hitting someone I am related to.

Learn to Elizabethanize the ou and ow vowel sound. Sharptown is "Shaerp-taoun".

[gary m]

I get the point of the law. As usual, however, the law may not have enough broadness to apply common sense to the situation. In many cases laws are drafted by legislators with little legal knowledge, so they are mangled.

Sorry counselor, but I have to disagree here.
Too many laws are drafted by lawyers that have a vested interest in mangling the laws so that the lawyer is needed in order to explain, argue or apply the law at 250 an hour and up.
If more laws were written with the common sense God gave a mosquito then much of the legal profession would go the way of buggy whip makers.

[phillygirl]

Sorry counselor, but I have to disagree here.
Too many laws are drafted by lawyers that have a vested interest in mangling the laws so that the lawyer is needed in order to explain, argue or apply the law at 250 an hour and up.
If more laws were written with the common sense God gave a mosquito then much of the legal profession would go the way of buggy whip makers.

Nope, sorry. It's not a matter of common sense. While simplicity in language is desirable, words mean something. The difference between a poorly placed should v. shall; may v. might; etc. etc. etc. Often, legislators are not well enough informed of prior Court precedent to know the impact of a 3 sentence piece of legislation. Pennsylvania has been dealing with this for quite some time now. Of course, Pennsylvania also allows magisterial district judges to be non-lawyers.

[Adam]

A judge has ordered the life support terminated.