The Wendland Case in the Media:

2001


In an early 2001 interview, Rebekah Vinson told People magazine, "it hurts me what Rose has done to my mom."


Florence (seen here on "Good Morning, America" in January 2001) made clear during interviews that, contrary to Rose's contention, she and Robert were not estranged.

Because Florence won her case in the trial court on a motion for judgment, her attorney never presented evidence.  Thus, the judge never heard Florence testify about her relationship with Robert either before or after his 1993 car accident.

   Stockton Record
August 9, 2001

"Court's opinion expected on Wendland case"

Stockton Record
July 27, 2001

Letter to the Editor: "Wendland case a sad lesson"

Lodi News-Sentinel
July 27, 2001

"Lodi hospital stresses need for medical directives"

San Francisco Chronicle
July 24, 2001

"If disabled means expendable"
By Chronicle columnist Debra J. Saunders

San Francisco Chronicle
July 19, 2001

"Court may still decide near-coma patient case --
Ruling sought even after man's death"

Los Angeles Times
July 19, 2001

"Man's Widow Pursues Ruling
Law: Subject of right-to-die battle succumbed before court
could act.  Wife says she still wants decision that might help others."

Lodi News-Sentinel
July 19, 2001

"Legal Battle Continues
Despite Robert Wendland's Death"

Stockton Record
July 19, 2001

"Wendland's Widow Wants Court Decision"

Bay City News
July 19, 2001

Los Angeles Times
July 18, 2001

"Injured Man in Life Support Case Dies
Court: His wife and mother had battled for years over the right to end medical aid."

KCRA Channel 3
July 18, 2001

"Man at center of right-to-die case dies"
Includes video clip

KOVR Channel 13
July 18, 2001

"Right-to-die controversy will continue after the death of Robert Wendland"

Associated Press
July 18, 2001

"Man at center of right-to-die case dies in Lodi hospital"

San Francisco Chronicle
July 18, 2001

"Man at center of right-to-die fight is dead
Controversial case was pending in
California Supreme Court"

Sacramento Bee
July 18, 2001

"Man at center of right-to-die case dies in Lodi hospital"

Stockton Record
July 18, 2001

"Robert Wendland dies"

KXTV 10
July 18, 2001

"Death of Robert Wendland Fails to End Family Feud"
Includes video clip

The Recorder
July 18, 2001

"Robert Wendland Dies But Battle Continues --
Both sides still want court to render decision"

Lodi News-Sentinel
July 18, 2001

"Robert Wendland dies after 8 years on life support"

KCRA Channel 3
July 18, 2001

"Wendland Family Remains Divided"
Includes video clip

Lodi News-Sentinel
July 17, 2001

"Robert Wendland's condition worsens"

Stockton Record
July 17, 2001

"Court petition seeks information on Wendland's health"

The Recorder
July 17, 2001

"Wendland Condition Deteriorates"

KXTV News 10
July 17, 2001

"Man at Center of Life Support Battle Dies"

Stockton Record
July 15, 2001

"Wendland Condition Worsens"

  July 14, 2001

Press Statement issued by Florence Wendland, Rebekah Vinson, and family

KXTV Channel 10
July 14, 2001

"New Conflict Arises in Bitter Life Support Battle"
Includes video clip

National Right to Life Committee
June 2001

"Another Dimension of Death"

Praxis Press
June 27, 2001

The Ethicist: The People's Choice
"How Conscious is Conscious?"

Opinions
June 27, 2001

Bruce Hilton: "A man's last wishes"

The Recorder
June 26, 2001

"Mosk Cases Reassigned to Other Justices"

Los Angeles Times Article
June 21, 2001

San Francisco Chronicle Article
June 21, 2001

Sacramento Bee Article
June 21, 2001

The Recorder
June 22, 2001

Stockton, California Catholic Bishop
June 7, 2001

"Life is Good . . . Not Absolute"*

Response to statement of Stockton, California Catholic Bishop
by Catherine Short, Legal Director,
Life Legal Defense Foundation

 

* Note to members of the Catholic Community:

The Alliance of Catholic Health Care, Catholic Healthcare West, and Mercy Healthcare Sacramento joined in filing a brief in theCalifornia Supreme in support of Rose Wendland.

People Magazine
June 4, 2001

"In the Balance
A legal battle between his wife and mother will decide whether Robert Wendland lives or dies"

Listen to National Public Radio's
June 4, 2001 Report

Santa Rosa Press-Democrat
June 4, 2001

Letter to the Editor: "Reasons to Live"

Cape Cod Times
June 2, 2001

Editorial: "The right to live --
California Supreme Court should respect the wishes of the mother of a man on feeding tubes"

Santa Rosa Press Democrat
June 2, 2001

Editorial: "Good will --
Writing out wishes could save a family unendurable grief"

Fresno Bee
June 2, 2001

"Robert's Wishes: Court struggles to set the parameters of the right to die"

Topeka Independent Living Resource Center
June 2001

"Disability Advocates Protest Starvation of Disabled Man"

The Tribune
May 31, 2001

"Uncharted Legal Ground in Top Court --
Brain-damaged man's wife, mother fight over life and death"

  San Francisco Daily Journal
May 31, 2001

"Right-to-Die Case Reaches Top State Court --
The wife of a semi-conscious man wants his feeding tube removed, but his mother and sister say he should be kept alive."

  The Recorder
May 31, 2001

"Court Wary of Ending Patient's Life"

Transcript of CNN's "Talk Back Live"
May 30, 2001

Cape Cod Times
May 30, 2001

"Court tackles right-to-die limits --
California justices seem leery of allowing the death of a man who is paralyzed but still conscious"

KXTV News 10
May 30, 2001

"State Supreme Court Hears Case of Lodi Man on Life Support"
Includes video clip

Alliance Defense Fund
May 30, 2001

"California Supreme Court to Hear Arguments in Landmark Life and Death Case Today"

KPIX Channel 5
May 30, 2001

"Family Split Over Life or Death"

The KCRA Channel
May 30, 2001

"Disabled Man's Life In Justices' Hands"

Associated Press
May 30, 2001

"State High Court Grapples with Pulling Plug on Accident Victim"

San Francisco Chronicle
May 30, 2001

"New Twist in Cases Over Right to Die"

Stockton Record
May 6, 2001

"State's High Court to Hear Wendland Case"

California Healthcare Foundation
April 9, 2001

"In the Twilight Between Life and Death"

Time Magazine
March 27, 2001

"When a Coma Isn't One"

The Tidings
March 2, 2001

Congress Workshops: "In Search of Healing -- A duty to die?"

Stockton Record
February 11, 2001

"Life-or-Death Decisions Not Solely Court's"

The Center For An Accessible Society
January 23, 2001

"Wendland Case Coverage 'One-Sided,' Charges Attorney"

Not Dead Yet
January 22, 2001

Letter from Attorney for Florence Wendland to "Good Morning America" in response to appearance by Rose and Wendland children

Ragged Edge reports on "Good Morning America" Segment

Transcript of CNN's "Burden Of Proof" January 15, 2001

Stockton Record
January 13, 2001

London Times
January 10, 2001

"Don't Let My Son Die"

London Times
January 4, 2001

"Mother and Wife in Court Battle Over Man's Life"

Los Angeles Times
January 2, 2001

"Out of a Coma, Into a Twilight"

lifeissues.net

"The Betrayal of Hippocrates"
An Interview with Lawyer and Writer Wesley J. Smith

ACLU News
January-February 2001

"ACLU-NC Supports Man's Right to End Life Support"

The day after Robert Wendland died, his wife called a press conference at which she complained that she and her children could not "have grief in private."


Robert and Rose's oldest child, Katie (middle), read a prepared statement in which she said it was "disgusting" that her grandmother & aunt were "allowed" to interfere in her mother's decision to bring about Robert's death by dehydration and starvation.  Rose's attorney, Lawrence J. Nelson (right), repeatedly, while the case was pending, referred to Florence and Robert's other family members as "strangers."

Rose and her children stopped visiting Robert in 1996.

During the 1997 trial, daughter Katie testified that she didn't know prior to entering the courtroom that day or "care" whether or not her father was capable of operating a wheelchair because he wasn't living the kind of life she claimed he would want to live.