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Terri Schiavo Ruling; Condition of Terri Schiavo

Aired March 23, 2005 - 06:30   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: And good morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining us this morning.
"Now in the News."

A major new development overnight in the Terri Schiavo case. In a 2-1 vote, a federal appeals court has refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Schiavo's parents are vowing to appeal again on behalf of their brain-damaged daughter. This time, they'll take it to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Turning overseas. Should Europe's weapons embargo on China be lifted early? The European Union's foreign policy chief thinks so. At an EU summit in Brussels today, he says Beijing has made progress on human rights.

More questions about the family of Michael Jackson's teenaged accuser. Testimony resumes today in the pop star's child molestation trial. Yesterday, a comedian testified she once gave the cancer- stricken teen $10,000, only to have his dad ask for more.

To the forecast center now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Back to our lead story now, the federal appeals court decision this morning not to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be reinserted. The brain-damaged woman is now beginning her fifth full day without nutrition and water.

Live to our Bob Franken. He's in Pinellas Park, Florida, where Terri Schiavo is housed at a local hospice.

Good morning -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And in all probability, the lawyers here will next make an accelerated appeal to the Supreme Court, in effect the court of last resort. The two lower courts have overturned any efforts to get an emergency order that would reconnect the tube, the feeding tube that has now been out since Friday, as you pointed out.

The judges in this case, two out of the three said no matter how much we wish that Ms. Schiavo had never suffered such a horrible accident, we are a nation of laws, they said, and the laws do not permit them to come up with the emergency order.

There was one dissent, somebody saying -- the judge, Charles Wilson, saying, that the decision by the judges -- quote -- "frustrates Congress's intent, which is to maintain the status quo by keeping Terri Schiavo alive."

And it is a race against the clock now. The family is pulling out all of the stops in addition to going to the Supreme Court. There is a strong lobbying effort at the state capitol in Tallahassee to try and get the legislature to somehow come up with a bill, a law that would require the reconnection of the tube.

The doctors are saying that probably she has no more than a week in her presence circumstance.

The family has been in and out of the hospice here to see Terri Schiavo. In court papers they said she is deteriorating. However, her spiritual counselor, who is a Catholic monsignor, says that he found her in good spirits and in reasonably good health when he went in.

So, there is the confusion, there is the sadness, the bitterness of this family fight, which looks like now it's going to be taking itself, once again, to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, which twice before has refused to get involved -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Is Michael Schiavo with his wife, Bob?

FRANKEN: He is not now, to the best of our knowledge. But he has periodically made trips into the hospital. In fact, that has created some awkward situations, because he, who is the guardian and has the authority to decide who sees Terri Schiavo and when, has insisted that he not be in the room when the family is in the room, as you might imagine, because this is a very, very bitter fight.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Bob Franken live in Florida this morning.

An attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents says their brain-damaged daughter is fading quickly and might die at any moment. Her grief- stricken mother has been begging for lawmakers to save her daughter's life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY SCHLINDER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: I'm begging you, don't let my daughter die of thirst.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: (AUDIO GAP) echoed by many other people across the country, including some celebrities. Actor-director Mel Gibson says Terri Schiavo's husband should sign the care of his wife over to her parents, so she can be properly cared for.

And there are similar statements from actress Patricia Heaton and singers Randy Travis and Pat Boone. Heaton says if Terri Schiavo is still alive on Good Friday, she plans to fast to show her support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA HEATON, ACTRESS: I think I've always had a heart for people with no voice. And Terri literally has no voice. There's a long history of this kind of treatment in other cultures. We know that the Nazis felt the same way about the disabled, that before they started taking the lives of Jews and Catholics and homosexuals, they started with the disabled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Patricia Heaton.

Clearly, this is not merely a legal issue to many people. It's an ethical one. It's a moral one.

Live to London now and Dr. Andrew Fergusson, head of the Policy Center for Bioethics and Public Policy.

Good morning.

DR. ANDREW FERGUSSON, CTR. FOR BIOETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Can you talk specifically about her condition right now in the hospital? Or can you talk about the legal aspect of this case?

FERGUSSON: Well, it's rather difficult...

COSTELLO: Go ahead, I'm sorry.

FERGUSSON: That's OK. It's difficult watching this from a few thousand miles away, particularly with a medical background, because we can't be from this side of the Atlantic exactly sure of the precise state that Terri is in. She clearly has a severe degree of brain damage and has for a long time. And the prognosis, the future clearly doesn't look good.

But, of course, the ethical and legal dilemma is that if we do leave her without food and fluid at all, then we can be absolutely certain of what's going to happen, and that is that she's going to die.

And there has been a surprising amount of interest in Europe at large about this case. Decisions like this are being taken quietly all around the world all the time. But this one has been in the particular legal and media spotlight. And it raises for all of us the agonizing questions of the life, in the family's case, of a loved one. But for the rest of us, it's the life of one of us.

And, of course, I have ethical interest in this along the lines that it might be you, it might be me one day. We have a state, a societal and a global interest nowadays in the lives of all individuals. COSTELLO: We certainly understand that. But the court rulings have come down. They've ruled against the Schlinders. The feeding tube will not be reinserted. Now, the court of appeals in Atlanta has ruled also. Do you think that these are correct rulings?

FERGUSSON: It's not, I think, for me to say outside of the immediate legal situation. I would just remind you that things can be legal but unethical, or they can be ethical but illegal. The law and ethics are not necessarily the same thing. In a perfect world, they would be. But there's going to be a gap. There's going to be discontinuity sometimes. And from my perspective, this is an example of that discontinuity.

I think the will of Congress was that this be re-evaluated from the beginning. We know that one of the three judges has dissented strongly from the opinion of his majority two colleagues. So that dissent within the appeal panel alone is indicating how hard this is.

COSTELLO: Dr. Andrew Fergusson joining us live from London this morning. Thank you.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you, Carol.

Yes, of course, the big question is: What is next now for Terri Schiavo's parents now that that federal appeals court has declined their request?

This morning, we speak to Alan Dershowitz of Harvard University. We're going to talk about the legal options there.

Also, we're going to talk about going back to the Supreme Court. As you well know, the Supreme Court has declined to hear the case before. But will they do that again? And what happens next?

Also this morning, we're talking about a story that you've been discussing as well, this teenage suspect in that Minnesota high school shooting spree. We're going to talk to the school principal this morning and find out how the students there are coping in the wake of this terrible, terrible tragedy. Also find out if there were any warning signs.

That and much more ahead this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," which starts at the top of the hour.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Soledad, thank you.

Removing a patient's feeding tube. Terri Schiavo's parents say it's a cruel way to bring about their daughter's death. But what do the experts have to say? Joining us now from New York is Dr. Shawn Morrison of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. It's his job to oversee patients who are in circumstances similar to Schiavo's.

Welcome, Doctor.

DR. SEAN MORRISON, DIR. GERIATRIC AND PALLIATIVE CARE: Good morning.

COSTELLO: You know, we get a lot of e-mails talking about the slow starvation of Terri Schiavo. I want to read part of one to you. This is from Daniel. He says: "If Michael Schiavo were to, God forbid, shoot, stab or strangle Terri Schiavo to death, wouldn't he be charged with murder? Then why is it OK for him and the powers that be to starve her to death?"

Can you answer his questions?

MORRISON: I can try. I think what has happened here is that people have equated the removal of artificial nutrition and hydration with starvation. In reality, that's not what happens for people in a persistent vegetative state.

People in a persistent vegetative state don't appear to experience discomfort. They don't appear to experience pain, largely because those parts of the brain that perceive pain have died. And so that removing artificial nutrition and hydration does not cause hunger pangs. It does not cause discomfort. It does not cause distress.

he only thing that we see that's associated with removing this medical intervention is dry mouth and dry lips, which we can easily treat with both artificial saliva and lubricants.

The other issue is, which is of critical importance in this case, is that when artificial nutrition and hydration is removed, the patient is not abandoned. We do aggressive management of pain and other symptoms. If there is any sign or appearance of discomfort, we have a whole range of medications that can treat them.

So, it's not as if we stop something and then abandon the patient and just leave them to die. She's getting aggressive comfort measures throughout the course of her illness.

COSTELLO: She's been off the feeding tube now since Friday. How long do you think it might be?

MORRISON: Typically, from the time when the feeding tube is removed until death ensues, it's typically on the order of 10 to 14 days. And many people have asked, "What is the process?" Well, the process is that people spend less and less time awake, more and more time in a coma. And as the end nears, they gradually drift off into a very, very peaceful coma. It's not associated with writhing. It's not associated with grimacing or discomfort. It's a very, very peaceful process.

COSTELLO: You know, the pope has also weighed in on this and said that Terri Schiavo shouldn't have her feeding tube removed, because she is not brain-dead but brain-damaged. What exactly is her state, Doctor?

MORRISON: Well, her state is that the parts of the brain that are associated with thinking, with feeling, with being aware have died. But the parts of the brain that control breathing, that control movement, that control eye movement, that control even the movement of the mouth so that it would appear be smiling are still alive and still persisting.

And, indeed, she's not brain-dead. But I think what is of critical importance in this country is that the Supreme Court has said that Americans have the right to decide what is both put into their body and what is taken out of their body. And the courts in Florida have consistently ruled that there is clear and convincing evidence that Terri Schiavo would not have wanted to be kept alive in this particular condition.

Now, that's a ruling that applies only to her. It's not extended to the disabled. It's not extended to somebody exactly like her that would have said, no, this is a quality of life I would like preserved, and I would want the feeding tube. But for Terri Schiavo, the courts have said that there is evidence that she would not want to be kept alive in this state. And it has nothing to do with being brain- damaged, brain-dead or even in a coma.

COSTELLO: Dr. Sean Morrison of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Thank you for enlightening us this morning.

When DAYBREAK continues, this flyer shows a happy couple, but they have been missing now for more than a month. Now a daughter makes her plea.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:47 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Terri Schiavo's parents say their next step is the U.S. Supreme Court. That comment came after an appeals court in Atlanta decided against an injunction that could have led to the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. The court backed yesterday's district court's ruling against issuing temporary relief.

Jeff Weise, the teenager authorities say carried out that school shooting rampage in Minnesota, may have posted comments on a neo-Nazi Web site. The writer assumed two user names, NativeNazi and Todesengel. That's "angel of death" in German.

In money news, coming soon to a highway near you, the Jeep Commander, Chrysler's new SUV. The Commander will be unveiled today at the New York International Auto Show and on the Jeep Web site. It gets 13 miles to the gallon in the city, 18 on the highway. In culture, famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti returns to Italy this weekend, following neck surgery in New York this month. After some rest, he'll resume his farewell tour, a tour that ends next year in New York.

In sports, there's a new No. 1. Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is the all-time winningest head coach in Division I basketball. She surpassed North Carolina's Dean Smith last night, win No. 880 with a 75-54 victory over Perdue in the NCAA tournament.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

We will watch the Terri Schiavo matter again today. She has now been without nutrition for about five days. Is she running out of time? Or would the U.S. Supreme Court now take up her case? All angles are at the top of the hour here, Carol, on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Also today, we'll have a closer look at faith in America. This morning, we hit campus, meeting three friends who say debating their own different beliefs actually helps to strengthen their own religious values. Their story is part of our continuing series that begins today on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour here.

See you in about 10 minutes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll be there. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: OK.

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, an emotional anniversary for families in one Army unit. One soldier remembers her falling comrades next.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It is 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

It appears the Terri Schiavo case is going back to the U.S. Supreme Court. Overnight, a federal appeals court in Atlanta refused to order the reinsertion of the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube.

In Philadelphia, it's been more than a month since a couple vanished after a night out on the town. But authorities still have no clue where Richard Petrone and Danielle Imbo are. They say the couple's cell phones and credit cards have not been used, and there is no sign of their pickup truck. Petrone's 14-year-old daughter is now pleading for help.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ANGELA PETRONE, DAUGHTER: I just need them back, please.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Relatives say they don't think the couple would have just run away, because they have strong ties to family.

It was exactly two years ago today that the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, was ambushed early on in the Iraq war. Some of the soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch, were rescued. It was also on that fateful day that Army Specialist Lori Piestewa was killed.

Lynch is spending this week remembering her friend and fellow soldier, who left behind two small children.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JESSICA LYNCH, FORMER POW: She taught me so much, and knowing her made me a better person. I think of her every day. In fact, like, when we traveled, it rained. And in the Hopi tradition when it rains, it wakes the spirits. So, every time that we travel, when it rains on me, I know that Lori is still with me.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Lori Piestewa was the first American servicewoman killed in the Iraq war. She's also believed to be the first Native American woman killed while fighting for the U.S. military.

Be sure to join Aaron Brown right here for "NEWSNIGHT." His guest will be Jessica Lynch and other members of the 507th who were held prisoner in Iraq. 10:00 p.m. Eastern is the time.

Let's go to the forecast center for a bit.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: You are watching DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: It is time for Jack Cafferty's favorite part of our DAYBREAK program, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is a pretty chasky (ph) coffee mug, but, you know, it works. And it gets the viewers involved.

COSTELLO: As Paris Hilton would say, it's hot.

MARCIANO: And it's time to give one away.

COSTELLO: Yes, it is.

MARCIANO: Let's go over what the questions were on Monday. Which city had the cheapest gas on our map? And the answer -- or the second question is: What Web site is expected to be sold in a multibillion-dollar deal? The answer to question one is Atlanta. And the answer to question two is AskJeeves. It's an online search engine, and they have agreed to pay -- or to be bought by $1.9 billion takeover on Monday.

The winner is Jeff Thurmond from Houston, Texas. Congratulations, Jeff. You're going to win one of our coffee mugs.

Here are today's questions. What actor is planning his debut as a director? And the second question: What's the name of IBM's new technology to fight spam?

Submit your answers online, yours answer to CNN.com/daybreak.

COSTELLO: CNN.com/daybreak. Good luck to all of you people out there.

From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Rob Marciano today. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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 23, 2005 - 06:30   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you. From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello. Thank you for joining us this morning.
"Now in the News."

A major new development overnight in the Terri Schiavo case. In a 2-1 vote, a federal appeals court has refused to order the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. Schiavo's parents are vowing to appeal again on behalf of their brain-damaged daughter. This time, they'll take it to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Turning overseas. Should Europe's weapons embargo on China be lifted early? The European Union's foreign policy chief thinks so. At an EU summit in Brussels today, he says Beijing has made progress on human rights.

More questions about the family of Michael Jackson's teenaged accuser. Testimony resumes today in the pop star's child molestation trial. Yesterday, a comedian testified she once gave the cancer- stricken teen $10,000, only to have his dad ask for more.

To the forecast center now.

(WEATHER REPORT)

COSTELLO: Back to our lead story now, the federal appeals court decision this morning not to order Terri Schiavo's feeding tube be reinserted. The brain-damaged woman is now beginning her fifth full day without nutrition and water.

Live to our Bob Franken. He's in Pinellas Park, Florida, where Terri Schiavo is housed at a local hospice.

Good morning -- Bob.

BOB FRANKEN, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: Good morning.

And in all probability, the lawyers here will next make an accelerated appeal to the Supreme Court, in effect the court of last resort. The two lower courts have overturned any efforts to get an emergency order that would reconnect the tube, the feeding tube that has now been out since Friday, as you pointed out.

The judges in this case, two out of the three said no matter how much we wish that Ms. Schiavo had never suffered such a horrible accident, we are a nation of laws, they said, and the laws do not permit them to come up with the emergency order.

There was one dissent, somebody saying -- the judge, Charles Wilson, saying, that the decision by the judges -- quote -- "frustrates Congress's intent, which is to maintain the status quo by keeping Terri Schiavo alive."

And it is a race against the clock now. The family is pulling out all of the stops in addition to going to the Supreme Court. There is a strong lobbying effort at the state capitol in Tallahassee to try and get the legislature to somehow come up with a bill, a law that would require the reconnection of the tube.

The doctors are saying that probably she has no more than a week in her presence circumstance.

The family has been in and out of the hospice here to see Terri Schiavo. In court papers they said she is deteriorating. However, her spiritual counselor, who is a Catholic monsignor, says that he found her in good spirits and in reasonably good health when he went in.

So, there is the confusion, there is the sadness, the bitterness of this family fight, which looks like now it's going to be taking itself, once again, to the highest court in the land, the Supreme Court, which twice before has refused to get involved -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Is Michael Schiavo with his wife, Bob?

FRANKEN: He is not now, to the best of our knowledge. But he has periodically made trips into the hospital. In fact, that has created some awkward situations, because he, who is the guardian and has the authority to decide who sees Terri Schiavo and when, has insisted that he not be in the room when the family is in the room, as you might imagine, because this is a very, very bitter fight.

COSTELLO: You're not kidding. Bob Franken live in Florida this morning.

An attorney for Terri Schiavo's parents says their brain-damaged daughter is fading quickly and might die at any moment. Her grief- stricken mother has been begging for lawmakers to save her daughter's life.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

MARY SCHLINDER, TERRI SCHIAVO'S MOTHER: I'm begging you, don't let my daughter die of thirst.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: (AUDIO GAP) echoed by many other people across the country, including some celebrities. Actor-director Mel Gibson says Terri Schiavo's husband should sign the care of his wife over to her parents, so she can be properly cared for.

And there are similar statements from actress Patricia Heaton and singers Randy Travis and Pat Boone. Heaton says if Terri Schiavo is still alive on Good Friday, she plans to fast to show her support.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PATRICIA HEATON, ACTRESS: I think I've always had a heart for people with no voice. And Terri literally has no voice. There's a long history of this kind of treatment in other cultures. We know that the Nazis felt the same way about the disabled, that before they started taking the lives of Jews and Catholics and homosexuals, they started with the disabled.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

COSTELLO: Patricia Heaton.

Clearly, this is not merely a legal issue to many people. It's an ethical one. It's a moral one.

Live to London now and Dr. Andrew Fergusson, head of the Policy Center for Bioethics and Public Policy.

Good morning.

DR. ANDREW FERGUSSON, CTR. FOR BIOETHICS AND PUBLIC POLICY: Good morning.

COSTELLO: Can you talk specifically about her condition right now in the hospital? Or can you talk about the legal aspect of this case?

FERGUSSON: Well, it's rather difficult...

COSTELLO: Go ahead, I'm sorry.

FERGUSSON: That's OK. It's difficult watching this from a few thousand miles away, particularly with a medical background, because we can't be from this side of the Atlantic exactly sure of the precise state that Terri is in. She clearly has a severe degree of brain damage and has for a long time. And the prognosis, the future clearly doesn't look good.

But, of course, the ethical and legal dilemma is that if we do leave her without food and fluid at all, then we can be absolutely certain of what's going to happen, and that is that she's going to die.

And there has been a surprising amount of interest in Europe at large about this case. Decisions like this are being taken quietly all around the world all the time. But this one has been in the particular legal and media spotlight. And it raises for all of us the agonizing questions of the life, in the family's case, of a loved one. But for the rest of us, it's the life of one of us.

And, of course, I have ethical interest in this along the lines that it might be you, it might be me one day. We have a state, a societal and a global interest nowadays in the lives of all individuals. COSTELLO: We certainly understand that. But the court rulings have come down. They've ruled against the Schlinders. The feeding tube will not be reinserted. Now, the court of appeals in Atlanta has ruled also. Do you think that these are correct rulings?

FERGUSSON: It's not, I think, for me to say outside of the immediate legal situation. I would just remind you that things can be legal but unethical, or they can be ethical but illegal. The law and ethics are not necessarily the same thing. In a perfect world, they would be. But there's going to be a gap. There's going to be discontinuity sometimes. And from my perspective, this is an example of that discontinuity.

I think the will of Congress was that this be re-evaluated from the beginning. We know that one of the three judges has dissented strongly from the opinion of his majority two colleagues. So that dissent within the appeal panel alone is indicating how hard this is.

COSTELLO: Dr. Andrew Fergusson joining us live from London this morning. Thank you.

CNN's Soledad O'Brien joins us now for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning -- Soledad.

SOLEDAD O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: And good morning to you, Carol.

Yes, of course, the big question is: What is next now for Terri Schiavo's parents now that that federal appeals court has declined their request?

This morning, we speak to Alan Dershowitz of Harvard University. We're going to talk about the legal options there.

Also, we're going to talk about going back to the Supreme Court. As you well know, the Supreme Court has declined to hear the case before. But will they do that again? And what happens next?

Also this morning, we're talking about a story that you've been discussing as well, this teenage suspect in that Minnesota high school shooting spree. We're going to talk to the school principal this morning and find out how the students there are coping in the wake of this terrible, terrible tragedy. Also find out if there were any warning signs.

That and much more ahead this morning on "AMERICAN MORNING," which starts at the top of the hour.

Carol -- back to you.

COSTELLO: All right, Soledad, thank you.

Removing a patient's feeding tube. Terri Schiavo's parents say it's a cruel way to bring about their daughter's death. But what do the experts have to say? Joining us now from New York is Dr. Shawn Morrison of Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. It's his job to oversee patients who are in circumstances similar to Schiavo's.

Welcome, Doctor.

DR. SEAN MORRISON, DIR. GERIATRIC AND PALLIATIVE CARE: Good morning.

COSTELLO: You know, we get a lot of e-mails talking about the slow starvation of Terri Schiavo. I want to read part of one to you. This is from Daniel. He says: "If Michael Schiavo were to, God forbid, shoot, stab or strangle Terri Schiavo to death, wouldn't he be charged with murder? Then why is it OK for him and the powers that be to starve her to death?"

Can you answer his questions?

MORRISON: I can try. I think what has happened here is that people have equated the removal of artificial nutrition and hydration with starvation. In reality, that's not what happens for people in a persistent vegetative state.

People in a persistent vegetative state don't appear to experience discomfort. They don't appear to experience pain, largely because those parts of the brain that perceive pain have died. And so that removing artificial nutrition and hydration does not cause hunger pangs. It does not cause discomfort. It does not cause distress.

he only thing that we see that's associated with removing this medical intervention is dry mouth and dry lips, which we can easily treat with both artificial saliva and lubricants.

The other issue is, which is of critical importance in this case, is that when artificial nutrition and hydration is removed, the patient is not abandoned. We do aggressive management of pain and other symptoms. If there is any sign or appearance of discomfort, we have a whole range of medications that can treat them.

So, it's not as if we stop something and then abandon the patient and just leave them to die. She's getting aggressive comfort measures throughout the course of her illness.

COSTELLO: She's been off the feeding tube now since Friday. How long do you think it might be?

MORRISON: Typically, from the time when the feeding tube is removed until death ensues, it's typically on the order of 10 to 14 days. And many people have asked, "What is the process?" Well, the process is that people spend less and less time awake, more and more time in a coma. And as the end nears, they gradually drift off into a very, very peaceful coma. It's not associated with writhing. It's not associated with grimacing or discomfort. It's a very, very peaceful process.

COSTELLO: You know, the pope has also weighed in on this and said that Terri Schiavo shouldn't have her feeding tube removed, because she is not brain-dead but brain-damaged. What exactly is her state, Doctor?

MORRISON: Well, her state is that the parts of the brain that are associated with thinking, with feeling, with being aware have died. But the parts of the brain that control breathing, that control movement, that control eye movement, that control even the movement of the mouth so that it would appear be smiling are still alive and still persisting.

And, indeed, she's not brain-dead. But I think what is of critical importance in this country is that the Supreme Court has said that Americans have the right to decide what is both put into their body and what is taken out of their body. And the courts in Florida have consistently ruled that there is clear and convincing evidence that Terri Schiavo would not have wanted to be kept alive in this particular condition.

Now, that's a ruling that applies only to her. It's not extended to the disabled. It's not extended to somebody exactly like her that would have said, no, this is a quality of life I would like preserved, and I would want the feeding tube. But for Terri Schiavo, the courts have said that there is evidence that she would not want to be kept alive in this state. And it has nothing to do with being brain- damaged, brain-dead or even in a coma.

COSTELLO: Dr. Sean Morrison of the Mt. Sinai School of Medicine. Thank you for enlightening us this morning.

When DAYBREAK continues, this flyer shows a happy couple, but they have been missing now for more than a month. Now a daughter makes her plea.

But first, here's a look at what else is making news this Wednesday morning.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

COSTELLO: Your news, money, weather and sports. It is 6:47 Eastern. Here's what's all new this morning.

Terri Schiavo's parents say their next step is the U.S. Supreme Court. That comment came after an appeals court in Atlanta decided against an injunction that could have led to the reinsertion of Terri Schiavo's feeding tube. The court backed yesterday's district court's ruling against issuing temporary relief.

Jeff Weise, the teenager authorities say carried out that school shooting rampage in Minnesota, may have posted comments on a neo-Nazi Web site. The writer assumed two user names, NativeNazi and Todesengel. That's "angel of death" in German.

In money news, coming soon to a highway near you, the Jeep Commander, Chrysler's new SUV. The Commander will be unveiled today at the New York International Auto Show and on the Jeep Web site. It gets 13 miles to the gallon in the city, 18 on the highway. In culture, famed tenor Luciano Pavarotti returns to Italy this weekend, following neck surgery in New York this month. After some rest, he'll resume his farewell tour, a tour that ends next year in New York.

In sports, there's a new No. 1. Tennessee women's basketball coach Pat Summitt is the all-time winningest head coach in Division I basketball. She surpassed North Carolina's Dean Smith last night, win No. 880 with a 75-54 victory over Perdue in the NCAA tournament.

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COSTELLO: Those are the latest headlines for you this morning.

Let's check in with CNN's Bill Hemmer for a look at what's coming up on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Good morning.

BILL HEMMER, CNN ANCHOR: Hey, Carol, good morning to you.

We will watch the Terri Schiavo matter again today. She has now been without nutrition for about five days. Is she running out of time? Or would the U.S. Supreme Court now take up her case? All angles are at the top of the hour here, Carol, on "AMERICAN MORNING."

Also today, we'll have a closer look at faith in America. This morning, we hit campus, meeting three friends who say debating their own different beliefs actually helps to strengthen their own religious values. Their story is part of our continuing series that begins today on "AMERICAN MORNING" at the top of the hour here.

See you in about 10 minutes -- Carol.

COSTELLO: We'll be there. Thank you, Bill.

HEMMER: OK.

COSTELLO: Still to come on DAYBREAK, an emotional anniversary for families in one Army unit. One soldier remembers her falling comrades next.

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COSTELLO: It is 6:53 Eastern. Here is what will be making news today.

It appears the Terri Schiavo case is going back to the U.S. Supreme Court. Overnight, a federal appeals court in Atlanta refused to order the reinsertion of the brain-damaged woman's feeding tube.

In Philadelphia, it's been more than a month since a couple vanished after a night out on the town. But authorities still have no clue where Richard Petrone and Danielle Imbo are. They say the couple's cell phones and credit cards have not been used, and there is no sign of their pickup truck. Petrone's 14-year-old daughter is now pleading for help.

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ANGELA PETRONE, DAUGHTER: I just need them back, please.

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COSTELLO: Relatives say they don't think the couple would have just run away, because they have strong ties to family.

It was exactly two years ago today that the 507th Maintenance Company from Fort Bliss, Texas, was ambushed early on in the Iraq war. Some of the soldiers, including Private Jessica Lynch, were rescued. It was also on that fateful day that Army Specialist Lori Piestewa was killed.

Lynch is spending this week remembering her friend and fellow soldier, who left behind two small children.

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JESSICA LYNCH, FORMER POW: She taught me so much, and knowing her made me a better person. I think of her every day. In fact, like, when we traveled, it rained. And in the Hopi tradition when it rains, it wakes the spirits. So, every time that we travel, when it rains on me, I know that Lori is still with me.

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COSTELLO: Lori Piestewa was the first American servicewoman killed in the Iraq war. She's also believed to be the first Native American woman killed while fighting for the U.S. military.

Be sure to join Aaron Brown right here for "NEWSNIGHT." His guest will be Jessica Lynch and other members of the 507th who were held prisoner in Iraq. 10:00 p.m. Eastern is the time.

Let's go to the forecast center for a bit.

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COSTELLO: You are watching DAYBREAK for a Wednesday morning.

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COSTELLO: It is time for Jack Cafferty's favorite part of our DAYBREAK program, Rob.

ROB MARCIANO, CNN METEOROLOGIST: It is a pretty chasky (ph) coffee mug, but, you know, it works. And it gets the viewers involved.

COSTELLO: As Paris Hilton would say, it's hot.

MARCIANO: And it's time to give one away.

COSTELLO: Yes, it is.

MARCIANO: Let's go over what the questions were on Monday. Which city had the cheapest gas on our map? And the answer -- or the second question is: What Web site is expected to be sold in a multibillion-dollar deal? The answer to question one is Atlanta. And the answer to question two is AskJeeves. It's an online search engine, and they have agreed to pay -- or to be bought by $1.9 billion takeover on Monday.

The winner is Jeff Thurmond from Houston, Texas. Congratulations, Jeff. You're going to win one of our coffee mugs.

Here are today's questions. What actor is planning his debut as a director? And the second question: What's the name of IBM's new technology to fight spam?

Submit your answers online, yours answer to CNN.com/daybreak.

COSTELLO: CNN.com/daybreak. Good luck to all of you people out there.

From the Time Warner center in New York, I'm Carol Costello, along with Rob Marciano today. "AMERICAN MORNING" starts right now.

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