Patterico's Pontifications

4/1/2005

George Felos’ Psychic Friends Network

Filed under: General,Schiavo,Scum — See Dubya @ 11:34 pm



Why were Terri Schiavo’s wishes determined according to a standard of ‘clear and convincing evidence’? Judge George Greer found the precedent in a previous case that the Florida Supreme Court decided in 1990, In re Guardianship of Browning. The Browning in the title was Estelle M. Browning, and…hmmm….where have I heard that name before? Oh, right. Estelle Browning was George Felos’ client, the one with whom he enjoyed (according to his book, Litigation as Spiritual Practice) telepathic communication in a spontaneous bedside seance. Felos laid the groundwork for the Schiavo decision in 1990 through his work on Browning. It’s a small world, after all–or in Mr. Felos’ case, a medium.

Ms. Browning was in her late eighties, and there was considerably less doubt about her wishes since she had signed a living will that explicitly asked for a feeding tube not to be used. In fact, there is no conflicting testimony offered to dispute the fact that Ms. Browning intended for her life support to end under the circumstances she faced. Mr. Felos, armed with a Savonarolan certainty of his mission, continued to litigate the case even after Estelle Browning died in 1989, convincing the Florida Supreme Court of the urgency of the matter even though it was moot.

Some questions I would like to ask George Felos, should he be so kind as to read my mind and respond either through e-mail (seedub [at] hotmail.com) or angelic manifestation:

I wonder whether Mr. Felos engaged in a similar sort of mystic colloquy with Terri Schiavo, who was (like Ms. Browning) diagnosed as being in a Persistent Vegetative State?

Did he feel “the mid-section of his body open” again when he communed with Terri? Did he presume to form an opinion of either incapacitated client’s wishes to die based solely or even partially on a magical mid-section-opening vision?

Does Mr. Felos really believe that persons in a PVS are, like he claims of Estelle Browning, aware of their surroundings, suffering psychological trauma, and capable of thinking in complete sentences like ‘Why am I still here … why am I here?’

If so, was this dream-quest evidence disclosed to opposing counsel or was it protected under attorney-client confidentiality? In the future, may Mr. Felos’ opponents move for discovery of “all conversations, transmissions, revelations, etc. of an extra-sensory, paranormal, clairvoyant or eldritch nature”?*

When the court wrote in Browning that “Unfortunately, human limitations preclude absolute knowledge of the wishes of someone in Mrs. Browning’s condition”, had Mr. Felos made them aware of his own personal and miraculous transcendence of these limitations, or had he withheld material information from the Court?

Does Mr. Felos’ construing that his client wished to die based on a parapsychological epiphany constitute legal malpractice in the state of Florida?

Does the imposition of Mr. Felos’ private spiritual beliefs upon the public policy process violate the Establishment Clause, or does the Establishment Clause apply only to Evangelical and Catholic Christians?
____
The lovely, the talented, the XRLQ is chasing this story down from the other end. I found the link to the Browning case through his post here.

*I would seriously advise the next attorney to oppose Mr. Felos to do something like this–and hold a press conference–in order to make his bat-crap gonzo looniness a matter of public comment.

UPPADATE: Justene sends word of this article from way-back-when (2001) about the wacky hijinks of the oh-so-spiritual Mr. Felos, which mentions his otherworldly experience in the Browning case. This was not revealed for the first time in his book, and the media could have followed up on it had they been so inclined. Not only does Mr. Felos engage in yoga and drink goat’s milk by the gallon, he wears birkenstocks to court. Now, living in California as I do, all that seems pretty normal to me, but this line caught my eye:

The case gained him a reputation as the person to see when you want to let someone die.

We have a name for people like that where I come from.

15 Responses to “George Felos’ Psychic Friends Network”

  1. […] uding him in the delegation. Due to my special extrasensory George Felos-like clairvoyant powers, I am able to reveal that Jimmy Carter actually co […]

    Patterico's Pontifications » I’m here to help… (0c6a63)

  2. To the best of your knowledge, is there a bar association requirment that a lawyer be sane?

    David L (b55a11)

  3. Hey Einstein postulated a parallel universe, didn’t he? Sounds like Felos has been spending some time there.

    Anyone who is familiar with courts has long known that no least possibility is left unplumbed when finding grounds for a particular argument.

    Ruth (deec64)

  4. Need to investigate possibility he is a Goa’uld delivered here by the Stargate. Or maybe he’s just f’ing nuts.

    Old Coot (72ce38)

  5. It was simple for Mr. Felos to determine that Terri Schiavo’s was PVS. He simply tried to read her mind. When he got no reading, the answer was obvious.

    I intend to stay out of Florida for this reason.

    Neo (7136ee)

  6. I am not sure if you have seen this article. It was in the St Petersburg paper at the early stages of the public debate — May 2001. That paper reported the Browning experience with a straight face and then came out heavily on the “Terri has to die” side of the issue.

    Justene (de8f34)

  7. And out of the gaping abyss levitated a luminous caldron and it beckoned Felos thusly, “Dip your earthly hand into my cavity and pull from it the mystic speaking circuit honorarium”.

    And George did as he was beckoned and lo! He found his lucky charm (and a dope named Michael Schiavo who still thinks he can make over one million in compensation for his betrayal.)

    Paul Deignan (dc3280)

  8. The guy make be, well, a nut but he knows how to play the press like a Stradivarius (the instrument of the Divine, after all).

    Admittedly, it doesn’t take a great imagination or masterly skill to hornswoggle the men and women of the press.

    SMG

    SteveMGalbraith (7ff2fe)

  9. I think that when Felos’ midsection opened up his soul flew out and flapped around the room until it found an open window, just like a canary fleeing its cage. Apparently the thing never came back.

    D. Carter (91a063)

  10. SMG:

    You said” “The guy make be, well, a nut but he knows how to play the press like a Stradivarius (the instrument of the Divine, after all).”

    It’s too easy. As I have understood, this wasn’t Felos’ choice. Please elucidate. How is Felos the initiator? And is his the only ‘movement’ in the symphony? Yes, I agree there is much to criticize, but you are implying that Felos is the only instrument in the orchestration. To follow an analogy way beyond the end of the Finis.

    Ruth (d954c4)

  11. Ruth:
    I never said he was the sole “instrument” in this sad opera. Or the “initiator”. I just commented on his previous writings – you must admit that someone who says that they engaged in “telepathic communications” with another person is saying some “odd” things, no? – and that he has been brilliant in playing the press, not only in this case but others.

    In fact, he boasts in his book about being able to get good press reports on his actions.

    Odd that you say this “wasn’t Felos’s choice”. He wasn’t a court appointed attorney, correct? He could have refused Mr. Schiavo’s request to represent him? Yes? or No?

    SMG

    SMG

    SteveMGalbraith (7ff2fe)

  12. Thanks, yes he is not appointed. As I understand it the origin of the interfamilial contest originated after the award of malapractice awards. ummm please tell me if I’m wrong. Frankly I don’t want anything more to do with this. but when I see statements of wrong facts, i just cant sit down and say ofuggit about it.

    [Ruth: see the updates. — Patterico.]

    Ruth (e42917)

  13. Patterico: thanks for the note, I know a couple like that, including judges. and
    SGM: Sorry I got snarky, I was being pushed out the door and took it out on my post. But I do think that in view of the fact that legal action started about 6 years after Ms. Schiavo’s incident, there was justification for surety that she would not be saved. And just don’t feel it’s fair to come down on Felos for doing his job as a lawyer, which is to represent his client.

    However, to be outrageous, I will refer to a Ted Rall political cartoon that (although he is one usually I find over the top, but …) is on the subject:
    http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&u=/uclickcomics/20050328/cx_tr_uc/tr20050328&e=3

    Ruth (28e6ed)

  14. I am emailing every article such as this to the american bar association – especially their dept that says, “do you need help? click here”!!!! All bloggers need to work on this man and getting him disbarred. He is a kook!!!!!!

    anne f (cae58b)

  15. Does Mr. Felos’ construing that his client wished to die based on a parapsychological epiphany constitute legal malpractice in the state of Florida?

    You’d THINK so, wouldn’t you?

    -S- (0ae3db)


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