Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live At Daybreak

Battle Over Schiavo; Expert Testimony?; Living Wills

Aired March 22, 2005 - 05:30   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

Both sides fighting over Terri Schiavo's fate are waiting to see if a federal judge will order her feeding tube reinserted. A U.S. judge in Tampa heard arguments in the case but gave no indication on exactly when he would rule.

Still no motive yet for that shooting rampage that left 10 people dead on a Minnesota Indian reservation. Police say a high school student killed his grandparents, then went to his high school on the reservation and killed seven people before turning the gun on himself.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist has returned to the bench for the first time since being treated for thyroid cancer. He and other justices will hear a free speech case today involving famed attorney Johnny Cochran.

Several tornadoes touched down in parts of Oklahoma. No injuries reported here, but the pictures this morning. Authorities say several buildings were destroyed or damaged.

And I would say that's a tornado -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That certainly is. Probably like an F0, maybe it could be an F1, depending on how far it gets on the ground there.

But you can tell that it's kind of what we call a rope tornado. The lowering of the cloud is actually very interesting to see. We call that the wall cloud. See that gray mass on the very top? That's the part that you actually look for before the tornado will actually come down. A rotating wall cloud will lower itself closer to the ground and then the tornado will spin out of that. And obviously touching down there somewhere, although you can't see it.

Many times tornadoes are on the ground and there is not a complete tube all the way to the sky, but you can see the debris spinning down on the ground. And then eventually it picks up enough stuff that it fills in the tube, usually with grass and stuff like that, but sometimes with pieces of houses. There you go.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Not too bad. Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: As Terri Schiavo's fate hangs in the balance, we're getting a take on how you feel about the case. A new CNN-"USA Today"- Gallup Poll is out and nearly 6 out of 10 people surveyed indicate that removing Schiavo's feeding tube was the right thing to do. Also, most Americans surveyed in a new ABC poll believe Congress should have stayed out of it.

The lawyer for Schiavo's husband, who has been fighting for years to allow his wife to die, is hailing that response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S HUSBAND: No, I'm not surprised at all. I think Americans should speak out. This is outrageous. These people should not be in our personal, private matters.

GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: You know, Larry, the American people are very smart and have common sense, and they know when something stinks, and this sure did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And as we've said, it's now a waiting game, that federal judge still has not decided whether to reinstate Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. He'll make that decision when he sees fit, he says.

Let's head live now to Laurie Davison of CNN affiliate Bay News 9. She's outside the hospice in Pinellas Park where Terri Schiavo is staying.

Good morning to you.

LAURIE DAVISON, BAY NEWS 9: Good morning, Carol.

The battle over Terri Schiavo continues this morning here on several fronts. Overnight, protesters did keep vigil here at the hospice where Terri Schiavo is staying. She has been without food now since Friday.

Now her parent's supporters were hoping that a federal judge would rule yesterday very quickly on an emergency request to have her feeding tube reinserted. That did not happen. So at this point, as you mentioned, for her family, it is a big waiting game.

Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, says that his wife would not want to be kept alive by artificial means. He says that this has been decided in the court system time and time again.

Meanwhile, a group of people have gone to Tallahassee, our state capital. They are trying to swing three state senators to approve legislation to have that tube reinserted on the state level. Doctors estimate that Terri Schiavo can live one to two weeks without that feeding tube.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: The judge in this case, Judge Whitmore (ph), he's the federal judge hearing the case, what can you tell us about him?

DAVISON: Well he's actually heard some other very high profile cases here. And we were all a little bit surprised yesterday, because we got the news about 10:00 in the morning that he would be holding that hearing at 3:00 in the afternoon. So it was pretty obvious to a lot of us that he was in no rush to make a decision in this case at that point.

COSTELLO: Have there been any demonstrations at his home, anything like that around the courthouse?

DAVISON: Yes, there have been some at the courthouse in Tampa, not at his home, as far as I know. There have been demonstrations in front of Judge Greer's home. He was the other judge that's been involved in this case. And also, of course, the demonstrations here at the hospice.

COSTELLO: I know people are out there very early. Are they staying out there overnight?

DAVISON: Yes, we've seen a few out here overnight. They mostly keep vigil. They usually hold their vigils about 10:00, 11:00 at night, and then a lot of people do go home. A lot of people we've been very surprised at even of bringing children out here. So a lot of them do go home. But, yes, we do see a few people out here this morning.

COSTELLO: Laurie Davison of CNN affiliate Bay News 9, thank you so much for that excellent information this morning.

The Vatican thinks this is not such a good thing but for a different reason. It has condemned removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. "The Vatican Newspaper" reporting only God can decide if a person should live or die. It adds -- and I'm quoting here -- "who can judge the dignity and sacredness of the life of a human being, made in the image and likeness of God? Who can decide to pull the plug as if we were talking about a broken or out-of-order household appliance?" -- end quote. Those words from "The Vatican Newspaper" this morning.

Do we have Alessio Vinci on the line from Rome? We do indeed.

Good morning -- Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

And as a matter of fact, it is extremely rare for Vatican officials to publicly discuss ongoing legal matters, especially if they take place in a different country. But I'm telling you, in Terri Schiavo's case, they are really taking the unusual step of, first of all, criticizing the removal of her feeding tube, but also really using strong language. Vatican officials telling us, one of them telling us, that this would be a -- that removing the tube is a ruthless way to kill a person. Another Vatican officials told me yesterday this amounts to euthanasia.

Now church officials say that they are against keeping a person alive at all costs, especially if medical treatment and medical intervention prolong the patient's agony. But they insist that artificially feeding and hydrating a person in a vegetative state does not constitute aggressive therapy. And because Terri Schiavo has not been pronounced brain dead but brain damaged, Vatican officials insist she must be kept alive.

Now the pope himself a year ago wrote that doctors have a moral duty to preserve life. Saying -- and I quote here -- "that the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural way of preserving life, not a medical procedure." So the Vatican here obviously defending the right to life for Terri Schiavo -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci, reporting live from Rome this morning, thank you.

In news "Across America" this morning, eight people at a northern Minnesota high school are dead in the worst school shooting since Columbine. A high school student at the Red Lake Indian Reservation went on the shooting rampage after first killing his grandparents. At least a dozen others were wounded in the high school shooting. That high school on the reservation. Some students say the gunman, who killed himself, had actually planned his attack for a long time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple of kids told me that he had planned this last year. That he was going to come up here and shoot the school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Three children are presumed dead after an explosion at a Colorado ski lodge. They were attending a family reunion at the Electric Mountain Lodge in western Colorado. Several members of the family were hospitalized after the blast, which completely leveled the building. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation this morning.

All 20 people who were aboard a grounded ship are now safe. The Coast Guard is working to free the sailing ship that became stuck on a sandbar off the coast near Oxnard, California. Rescuers plucked some people out of the water after they were either washed overboard or jumped.

When DAYBREAK continues, we've heard from the families and the politicians. Ahead, we'll hear what some doctors have to say about the Terri Schiavo case. Plus, how can you avoid having your death turned into a battle? We're answering your questions about living wills this morning. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. If you have a question about living wills, we want to hear them. We will answer them, actually, Kendall Coffey, our legal expert, will answer them later on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: What a beautiful shot of Central Park.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

The deadliest school shooting since Columbine. Police say a student gunned down seven people at his high school in northern Minnesota and then killed himself. It's believed he killed his grandparents earlier.

If you're a late 30-something, Uncle Sam still wants you. The Army is struggling to bring new recruits into the Reserve and National Guard so it's bumping up the recruitment age limit to 39. Right now it's 34.

In money news, it looks like you're filling up despite some pain at the pump. The Energy Department says fuel demand is still rising, even though gas prices have shot up nearly 13 cents in the past two weeks.

In culture, New York flair, a sharp tux and a velvet voice, Bobby Short had it all. The cabaret singer has died of leukemia. He was 80. Bobby Short was a fixture at New York's Carlisle Hotel.

In sports, there will be a new coach on the bench tonight for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The struggling Cavs fired Coach Paul Silas. Assistant Brendan Malone was named interim coach. So they'll see how that works -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What are you doing back there?

MYERS: I am working on a Doppler radar picture here.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: We will keep our eyes pointed west.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Finding answers in the Terri Schiavo case, it's tough no matter where you look. You've heard from family members, from politicians, from the clergy, but what about the medical experts, are they shedding any light on this case or just getting tangled up in it? See for yourself.

Here's CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a medical case as high profile as Terri Schiavo, you would think the medical experts would have all the answers. But just by listening to them and reviewing statements they gave to the court, it's easy to see why a final answer is so complicated.

DR. WILLIAM HAMMESFAHR, NEUROLOGIST: I spent about 10 hours across about three months and the woman is very aware of her surroundings. She's very aware. She's alert. She's not in a coma. She's not in PVS.

GUPTA: PVS, persistent vegetative state. Dr. Hammesfahr was chosen by Terri Schiavo's parents to testify in court, his opinion very different from Dr. Ronald Cranford, chosen by Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband.

DR. RONALD CRANFORD, NEUROLOGIST: A vegetative state is a scary diagnosis. Unless you know what you're looking for, it looks like the patient is interacting. But Terri is not interacting.

GUPTA: Both of them are neurologists and their conclusions are based on diagnostic tests that are supposed to be objective. Yet, they tell different tales.

HAMMESFAHR: Her C.T. scan has maybe 75 percent of the brain tissue still left.

CRANFORD: I've seen her. There's no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, she's in a permanent vegetative state. Her CAT scan shows extremely severe atrophy to the brain. And her EEG is flat. It doesn't show any electrical activity at all.

GUPTA: And, most importantly, their opinions about a possible recovery?

HAMMESFAHR: With proper therapy, she will have a tremendous improvement. I think, personally, that she'll be able to walk, eventually, and she will be able to use at least one of her arms.

CRANFORD: There's no way. That's totally bogus.

GUPTA: Five doctors gave their medical opinions in an evidentiary hearing ordered by a Florida appellate court, two doctors chosen by each side and one court-appointed neurologist who was chosen by the judge. He declined a CNN interview, but told the court: "The preponderance of the data and my clinical examination reveal no evidence of awareness of self, environment or ability to interact with others. Mrs. Schiavo exhibits no evidence of language comprehension or expression. I would state that her chances of a meaningful neurological recovery to be virtually nonexistent." His language leaves little room for doubt, unless you ask yet another neurologist. And so a medical choice, normally decided between doctors and a patient's loved ones, is fought out in the courts.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: For more on this or any other health story, head to our Web site. The address, CNN.com/health.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, Terri Schiavo's case was a family dispute and then a legal battle and now it's a fierce political fight that all could have been avoided with a simple piece of paper, or is it so simple? Our legal expert Kendall Coffey will join us to answer your questions on living wills. If you have one to send to us, it's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Terri Schiavo case might have left a nagging question in your mind, what if I ended up in a persistent vegetative state? Schiavo didn't make a living will, but as the tug-of-war over her life unfolds, many of you are now looking into them.

Our legal analyst Kendall Coffey joins us live now to answer your questions.

But, first of all, Kendall, this case has affected you as well as when it comes to living wills, hasn't it?

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Carol, so many of us think that we're at a stage of life where it really isn't an issue. But I didn't have a living will. I'm 52. And as this controversy intensified, it occurred to me that is such a simple thing to do. Just do it, have it covered, because the one thing none of us want to see is loved ones go through the kind of a bitter family dispute over what should happen if some tragedy occurs and one of us ends up in a somewhat similar circumstance.

COSTELLO: So it's safe to say you have one now?

COFFEY: I have one now.

COSTELLO: Good.

Chad wants to join in on this because we're getting so many questions from our viewers this morning.

Chad, why don't you read the first one.

MYERS: Yes, actually some very good ones, Carol. Jack (ph) wants to know the difference between a living will, an advanced directive and a medical power of attorney.

COFFEY: Well it's a great question, Chad.

Advanced directive, in a certain sense, is a broad category that can include some different kinds of instruments, such as a living will. And a living will is essentially the individual's own directions as to what they want done if something arises, such as, for example, allegedly a persistent vegetative state or for some other reason you're in basically a terminal condition and unable to express your wishes.

What's a little different with a medical power of attorney is that is a document that entrusts to someone else the ability to make those kind of decisions, always, of course, in consultation with an examining physician who has to make the determination that there is no hope.

Another example of an advanced directive, again, that's kind of the broader term, can be anatomical gifts, basically organ donations which some people may want to give.

COSTELLO: But in this case, Kendall, what you really need is a living will, right?

COFFEY: You really do. I mean I think all of us want to have some ability to direct those final decisions in our lives. And a living will to make it easier will also include a designation of who that person is who would in effect consult with the doctor.

But when you make out a living will, you can specify exactly under what conditions you want to have what so-called artificial life extending procedures. You can specify whether, for example, you would want to have continued tube feeding or whether you would want to have things like cardiac resuscitation or be put on a breathing machine.

MYERS: Can you give it a time limit, Kendall? I mean can you give it -- OK, if I'm not better in 30 days, then pull it, but give me 30 days or something? Can you make it that distinct?

COFFEY: You certainly can and you can change your mind. You can put together the specifics that you think are right. But as the years evolve, as we sort of witness and experience things, you can cancel the instrument, you can change it. It gives you an ability to really have some critical control over your own destiny.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: Don't you think it's important also to share it with our parents? If you've made it with your wife, and your wife knows, your spouse, whatever, don't you think it's important that everybody knows about this that loves you so that there isn't the fighting that's going on here that we have?

COFFEY: Absolutely. And just as a kind of a prudent matter, you would also want this instrument to be in the care of your doctor and even a lawyer, if that's appropriate.

COSTELLO: OK, quickly, I want to get a few questions in here from our viewers. Does it have to be notarized? Joy (ph) from New Jersey wants to know.

COFFEY: Sometimes, usually not. Usually it's enough if it has just two witnesses. They ordinarily can't be family members or a spouse, but usually two witnesses. But they really need to consult the law of their own state. Sometimes notarization is required.

MYERS: Here...

COSTELLO: And I found this one interesting from Courtney (ph) from Denver. She says let's say my spouse makes out a living will but I'm the only one who knows about it and then she becomes incapacitated. And in the stress of having to pull the plug, I decide that I want extraordinary measures to be taken to keep her alive, who would know?

COFFEY: Well nobody would know, and that's why it is important usually to make sure that this document is on file in a couple of places. If there is a hospital you go to, they can maintain a record. Again, your primary physician, your lawyer, close friends, things like that.

MYERS: Carol, Norm (ph), in Arkansas, travels out of the country a lot, and he wants to know whether this document is still valid if something happens to him, let's say he's in Italy and something happens to him, does this cross country lines?

COFFEY: Well it could be controlled by the laws of Italy in that case. Normally if you're in different states, each state will respect the laws of the other state. If you execute an instrument that's valid in Florida, it would normally be recognized in New York. But a lot of people recommend taking the most conservative approach, which would literally mean having two different witnesses, plus a notary. But I want to emphasize most state laws only require two independent witnesses.

COSTELLO: Kendall, you've been so very helpful this morning. Thank you for joining us live on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

COFFEY: Thank you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: DAYBREAK will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com


Aired March 22, 2005 - 05:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Good morning to you, welcome to the second half-hour of DAYBREAK. From the Time Warner Center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Chad Myers.
"Now in the News."

Both sides fighting over Terri Schiavo's fate are waiting to see if a federal judge will order her feeding tube reinserted. A U.S. judge in Tampa heard arguments in the case but gave no indication on exactly when he would rule.

Still no motive yet for that shooting rampage that left 10 people dead on a Minnesota Indian reservation. Police say a high school student killed his grandparents, then went to his high school on the reservation and killed seven people before turning the gun on himself.

Chief Justice William Rehnquist has returned to the bench for the first time since being treated for thyroid cancer. He and other justices will hear a free speech case today involving famed attorney Johnny Cochran.

Several tornadoes touched down in parts of Oklahoma. No injuries reported here, but the pictures this morning. Authorities say several buildings were destroyed or damaged.

And I would say that's a tornado -- Chad.

CHAD MYERS, CNN METEOROLOGIST: That certainly is. Probably like an F0, maybe it could be an F1, depending on how far it gets on the ground there.

But you can tell that it's kind of what we call a rope tornado. The lowering of the cloud is actually very interesting to see. We call that the wall cloud. See that gray mass on the very top? That's the part that you actually look for before the tornado will actually come down. A rotating wall cloud will lower itself closer to the ground and then the tornado will spin out of that. And obviously touching down there somewhere, although you can't see it.

Many times tornadoes are on the ground and there is not a complete tube all the way to the sky, but you can see the debris spinning down on the ground. And then eventually it picks up enough stuff that it fills in the tube, usually with grass and stuff like that, but sometimes with pieces of houses. There you go.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: Not too bad. Thank you -- Chad.

MYERS: You're welcome.

COSTELLO: As Terri Schiavo's fate hangs in the balance, we're getting a take on how you feel about the case. A new CNN-"USA Today"- Gallup Poll is out and nearly 6 out of 10 people surveyed indicate that removing Schiavo's feeding tube was the right thing to do. Also, most Americans surveyed in a new ABC poll believe Congress should have stayed out of it.

The lawyer for Schiavo's husband, who has been fighting for years to allow his wife to die, is hailing that response.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MICHAEL SCHIAVO, TERRI SCHIAVO'S HUSBAND: No, I'm not surprised at all. I think Americans should speak out. This is outrageous. These people should not be in our personal, private matters.

GEORGE FELOS, MICHAEL SCHIAVO'S ATTORNEY: You know, Larry, the American people are very smart and have common sense, and they know when something stinks, and this sure did.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: And as we've said, it's now a waiting game, that federal judge still has not decided whether to reinstate Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. He'll make that decision when he sees fit, he says.

Let's head live now to Laurie Davison of CNN affiliate Bay News 9. She's outside the hospice in Pinellas Park where Terri Schiavo is staying.

Good morning to you.

LAURIE DAVISON, BAY NEWS 9: Good morning, Carol.

The battle over Terri Schiavo continues this morning here on several fronts. Overnight, protesters did keep vigil here at the hospice where Terri Schiavo is staying. She has been without food now since Friday.

Now her parent's supporters were hoping that a federal judge would rule yesterday very quickly on an emergency request to have her feeding tube reinserted. That did not happen. So at this point, as you mentioned, for her family, it is a big waiting game.

Terri's husband, Michael Schiavo, says that his wife would not want to be kept alive by artificial means. He says that this has been decided in the court system time and time again.

Meanwhile, a group of people have gone to Tallahassee, our state capital. They are trying to swing three state senators to approve legislation to have that tube reinserted on the state level. Doctors estimate that Terri Schiavo can live one to two weeks without that feeding tube.

Back to you.

COSTELLO: The judge in this case, Judge Whitmore (ph), he's the federal judge hearing the case, what can you tell us about him?

DAVISON: Well he's actually heard some other very high profile cases here. And we were all a little bit surprised yesterday, because we got the news about 10:00 in the morning that he would be holding that hearing at 3:00 in the afternoon. So it was pretty obvious to a lot of us that he was in no rush to make a decision in this case at that point.

COSTELLO: Have there been any demonstrations at his home, anything like that around the courthouse?

DAVISON: Yes, there have been some at the courthouse in Tampa, not at his home, as far as I know. There have been demonstrations in front of Judge Greer's home. He was the other judge that's been involved in this case. And also, of course, the demonstrations here at the hospice.

COSTELLO: I know people are out there very early. Are they staying out there overnight?

DAVISON: Yes, we've seen a few out here overnight. They mostly keep vigil. They usually hold their vigils about 10:00, 11:00 at night, and then a lot of people do go home. A lot of people we've been very surprised at even of bringing children out here. So a lot of them do go home. But, yes, we do see a few people out here this morning.

COSTELLO: Laurie Davison of CNN affiliate Bay News 9, thank you so much for that excellent information this morning.

The Vatican thinks this is not such a good thing but for a different reason. It has condemned removal of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. "The Vatican Newspaper" reporting only God can decide if a person should live or die. It adds -- and I'm quoting here -- "who can judge the dignity and sacredness of the life of a human being, made in the image and likeness of God? Who can decide to pull the plug as if we were talking about a broken or out-of-order household appliance?" -- end quote. Those words from "The Vatican Newspaper" this morning.

Do we have Alessio Vinci on the line from Rome? We do indeed.

Good morning -- Alessio.

ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

And as a matter of fact, it is extremely rare for Vatican officials to publicly discuss ongoing legal matters, especially if they take place in a different country. But I'm telling you, in Terri Schiavo's case, they are really taking the unusual step of, first of all, criticizing the removal of her feeding tube, but also really using strong language. Vatican officials telling us, one of them telling us, that this would be a -- that removing the tube is a ruthless way to kill a person. Another Vatican officials told me yesterday this amounts to euthanasia.

Now church officials say that they are against keeping a person alive at all costs, especially if medical treatment and medical intervention prolong the patient's agony. But they insist that artificially feeding and hydrating a person in a vegetative state does not constitute aggressive therapy. And because Terri Schiavo has not been pronounced brain dead but brain damaged, Vatican officials insist she must be kept alive.

Now the pope himself a year ago wrote that doctors have a moral duty to preserve life. Saying -- and I quote here -- "that the administration of water and food, even when provided by artificial means, always represents a natural way of preserving life, not a medical procedure." So the Vatican here obviously defending the right to life for Terri Schiavo -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Alessio Vinci, reporting live from Rome this morning, thank you.

In news "Across America" this morning, eight people at a northern Minnesota high school are dead in the worst school shooting since Columbine. A high school student at the Red Lake Indian Reservation went on the shooting rampage after first killing his grandparents. At least a dozen others were wounded in the high school shooting. That high school on the reservation. Some students say the gunman, who killed himself, had actually planned his attack for a long time.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A couple of kids told me that he had planned this last year. That he was going to come up here and shoot the school.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Three children are presumed dead after an explosion at a Colorado ski lodge. They were attending a family reunion at the Electric Mountain Lodge in western Colorado. Several members of the family were hospitalized after the blast, which completely leveled the building. The cause of the explosion is still under investigation this morning.

All 20 people who were aboard a grounded ship are now safe. The Coast Guard is working to free the sailing ship that became stuck on a sandbar off the coast near Oxnard, California. Rescuers plucked some people out of the water after they were either washed overboard or jumped.

When DAYBREAK continues, we've heard from the families and the politicians. Ahead, we'll hear what some doctors have to say about the Terri Schiavo case. Plus, how can you avoid having your death turned into a battle? We're answering your questions about living wills this morning. DAYBREAK@CNN.com. If you have a question about living wills, we want to hear them. We will answer them, actually, Kendall Coffey, our legal expert, will answer them later on DAYBREAK.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: What a beautiful shot of Central Park.

Your news, money, weather and sports. It's 5:43 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

The deadliest school shooting since Columbine. Police say a student gunned down seven people at his high school in northern Minnesota and then killed himself. It's believed he killed his grandparents earlier.

If you're a late 30-something, Uncle Sam still wants you. The Army is struggling to bring new recruits into the Reserve and National Guard so it's bumping up the recruitment age limit to 39. Right now it's 34.

In money news, it looks like you're filling up despite some pain at the pump. The Energy Department says fuel demand is still rising, even though gas prices have shot up nearly 13 cents in the past two weeks.

In culture, New York flair, a sharp tux and a velvet voice, Bobby Short had it all. The cabaret singer has died of leukemia. He was 80. Bobby Short was a fixture at New York's Carlisle Hotel.

In sports, there will be a new coach on the bench tonight for the Cleveland Cavaliers. The struggling Cavs fired Coach Paul Silas. Assistant Brendan Malone was named interim coach. So they'll see how that works -- Chad.

MYERS: Good morning -- Carol.

COSTELLO: What are you doing back there?

MYERS: I am working on a Doppler radar picture here.

(WEATHER REPORT)

Carol, back to you.

COSTELLO: We will keep our eyes pointed west.

MYERS: OK.

COSTELLO: Thank you, Chad.

Finding answers in the Terri Schiavo case, it's tough no matter where you look. You've heard from family members, from politicians, from the clergy, but what about the medical experts, are they shedding any light on this case or just getting tangled up in it? See for yourself.

Here's CNN senior medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

DR. SANJAY GUPTA, CNN SENIOR MEDICAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): In a medical case as high profile as Terri Schiavo, you would think the medical experts would have all the answers. But just by listening to them and reviewing statements they gave to the court, it's easy to see why a final answer is so complicated.

DR. WILLIAM HAMMESFAHR, NEUROLOGIST: I spent about 10 hours across about three months and the woman is very aware of her surroundings. She's very aware. She's alert. She's not in a coma. She's not in PVS.

GUPTA: PVS, persistent vegetative state. Dr. Hammesfahr was chosen by Terri Schiavo's parents to testify in court, his opinion very different from Dr. Ronald Cranford, chosen by Michael Schiavo, Terri's husband.

DR. RONALD CRANFORD, NEUROLOGIST: A vegetative state is a scary diagnosis. Unless you know what you're looking for, it looks like the patient is interacting. But Terri is not interacting.

GUPTA: Both of them are neurologists and their conclusions are based on diagnostic tests that are supposed to be objective. Yet, they tell different tales.

HAMMESFAHR: Her C.T. scan has maybe 75 percent of the brain tissue still left.

CRANFORD: I've seen her. There's no doubt in my mind, whatsoever, she's in a permanent vegetative state. Her CAT scan shows extremely severe atrophy to the brain. And her EEG is flat. It doesn't show any electrical activity at all.

GUPTA: And, most importantly, their opinions about a possible recovery?

HAMMESFAHR: With proper therapy, she will have a tremendous improvement. I think, personally, that she'll be able to walk, eventually, and she will be able to use at least one of her arms.

CRANFORD: There's no way. That's totally bogus.

GUPTA: Five doctors gave their medical opinions in an evidentiary hearing ordered by a Florida appellate court, two doctors chosen by each side and one court-appointed neurologist who was chosen by the judge. He declined a CNN interview, but told the court: "The preponderance of the data and my clinical examination reveal no evidence of awareness of self, environment or ability to interact with others. Mrs. Schiavo exhibits no evidence of language comprehension or expression. I would state that her chances of a meaningful neurological recovery to be virtually nonexistent." His language leaves little room for doubt, unless you ask yet another neurologist. And so a medical choice, normally decided between doctors and a patient's loved ones, is fought out in the courts.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

COSTELLO: For more on this or any other health story, head to our Web site. The address, CNN.com/health.

Still to come on DAYBREAK, Terri Schiavo's case was a family dispute and then a legal battle and now it's a fierce political fight that all could have been avoided with a simple piece of paper, or is it so simple? Our legal expert Kendall Coffey will join us to answer your questions on living wills. If you have one to send to us, it's DAYBREAK@CNN.com.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Terri Schiavo case might have left a nagging question in your mind, what if I ended up in a persistent vegetative state? Schiavo didn't make a living will, but as the tug-of-war over her life unfolds, many of you are now looking into them.

Our legal analyst Kendall Coffey joins us live now to answer your questions.

But, first of all, Kendall, this case has affected you as well as when it comes to living wills, hasn't it?

KENDALL COFFEY, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Well, Carol, so many of us think that we're at a stage of life where it really isn't an issue. But I didn't have a living will. I'm 52. And as this controversy intensified, it occurred to me that is such a simple thing to do. Just do it, have it covered, because the one thing none of us want to see is loved ones go through the kind of a bitter family dispute over what should happen if some tragedy occurs and one of us ends up in a somewhat similar circumstance.

COSTELLO: So it's safe to say you have one now?

COFFEY: I have one now.

COSTELLO: Good.

Chad wants to join in on this because we're getting so many questions from our viewers this morning.

Chad, why don't you read the first one.

MYERS: Yes, actually some very good ones, Carol. Jack (ph) wants to know the difference between a living will, an advanced directive and a medical power of attorney.

COFFEY: Well it's a great question, Chad.

Advanced directive, in a certain sense, is a broad category that can include some different kinds of instruments, such as a living will. And a living will is essentially the individual's own directions as to what they want done if something arises, such as, for example, allegedly a persistent vegetative state or for some other reason you're in basically a terminal condition and unable to express your wishes.

What's a little different with a medical power of attorney is that is a document that entrusts to someone else the ability to make those kind of decisions, always, of course, in consultation with an examining physician who has to make the determination that there is no hope.

Another example of an advanced directive, again, that's kind of the broader term, can be anatomical gifts, basically organ donations which some people may want to give.

COSTELLO: But in this case, Kendall, what you really need is a living will, right?

COFFEY: You really do. I mean I think all of us want to have some ability to direct those final decisions in our lives. And a living will to make it easier will also include a designation of who that person is who would in effect consult with the doctor.

But when you make out a living will, you can specify exactly under what conditions you want to have what so-called artificial life extending procedures. You can specify whether, for example, you would want to have continued tube feeding or whether you would want to have things like cardiac resuscitation or be put on a breathing machine.

MYERS: Can you give it a time limit, Kendall? I mean can you give it -- OK, if I'm not better in 30 days, then pull it, but give me 30 days or something? Can you make it that distinct?

COFFEY: You certainly can and you can change your mind. You can put together the specifics that you think are right. But as the years evolve, as we sort of witness and experience things, you can cancel the instrument, you can change it. It gives you an ability to really have some critical control over your own destiny.

COSTELLO: OK.

MYERS: Don't you think it's important also to share it with our parents? If you've made it with your wife, and your wife knows, your spouse, whatever, don't you think it's important that everybody knows about this that loves you so that there isn't the fighting that's going on here that we have?

COFFEY: Absolutely. And just as a kind of a prudent matter, you would also want this instrument to be in the care of your doctor and even a lawyer, if that's appropriate.

COSTELLO: OK, quickly, I want to get a few questions in here from our viewers. Does it have to be notarized? Joy (ph) from New Jersey wants to know.

COFFEY: Sometimes, usually not. Usually it's enough if it has just two witnesses. They ordinarily can't be family members or a spouse, but usually two witnesses. But they really need to consult the law of their own state. Sometimes notarization is required.

MYERS: Here...

COSTELLO: And I found this one interesting from Courtney (ph) from Denver. She says let's say my spouse makes out a living will but I'm the only one who knows about it and then she becomes incapacitated. And in the stress of having to pull the plug, I decide that I want extraordinary measures to be taken to keep her alive, who would know?

COFFEY: Well nobody would know, and that's why it is important usually to make sure that this document is on file in a couple of places. If there is a hospital you go to, they can maintain a record. Again, your primary physician, your lawyer, close friends, things like that.

MYERS: Carol, Norm (ph), in Arkansas, travels out of the country a lot, and he wants to know whether this document is still valid if something happens to him, let's say he's in Italy and something happens to him, does this cross country lines?

COFFEY: Well it could be controlled by the laws of Italy in that case. Normally if you're in different states, each state will respect the laws of the other state. If you execute an instrument that's valid in Florida, it would normally be recognized in New York. But a lot of people recommend taking the most conservative approach, which would literally mean having two different witnesses, plus a notary. But I want to emphasize most state laws only require two independent witnesses.

COSTELLO: Kendall, you've been so very helpful this morning. Thank you for joining us live on DAYBREAK. We appreciate it.

COFFEY: Thank you -- Carol.

COSTELLO: DAYBREAK will be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com