In a letter to County State Attorney Bernie McCabe, Florida Governor Jeb Bush has asked state prosecutors to look into the circumstances of Terri Schiavo's collapse in 1990. McCabe has agreed to open an investigation. I'm no expert in the statute of limitations provisions of Florida criminal law, but I gather the major crime that could still be prosecuted that far back would be homicide or attempted homicide.

  What's the case that Schiavo's 1990 collapse might have involved a homicide or attempted homicide? According to press reports, the key is a possible delay between when Michael Schiavo found Terri collapsed and when he called the paramedics:

  In a 2003 interview on "Larry King Live," Michael Schiavo said he heard his wife fall around 4:30 a.m., the same time he told the medical examiner's office. Later, during the 2000 trial on his wife's end-of-life wishes, he said he heard a "thud" and rushed to find his wife lying in the hallway at about 5 a.m.
  Yet according to the autopsy report, paramedics weren't summoned until 5:40 a.m.
  "In light of this new information, I urge you to take a fresh look at this case without any preconceptions as to the outcome," Bush wrote to McCabe. "Mrs. Schiavo's family deserves to know anything that can be done to determine the cause and circumstances of her collapse 15 years ago has been done."

  Although Gov. Bush's letter apparently isn't clear on this, I gather his theory is that perhaps Michael Schiavo attempted to kill Terri Schiavo back in 1990 by intentionally failing to call the police for 40-70 minutes after she collapsed. I'm not sure that's the theory, actually, but that's my best guess.

  I recognize that the Schiavo case is a terribly sad and emotional topic. But assuming I am right about Gov. Bush's theory, I think it's worth noting how implausible that theory is from the standpoint of trying to make out a criminal case. As I understand it, the theory would require that Michael Schiavo: a) wanted Terri Schiavo to die, and intentionally decided to wait 40-70 minutes before calling the paramedics; b) didn't wait until the morning to call to make sure she was dead, but instead waited only 40-70 minutes and then called at the unusual hour of 5:40 am; and c) later decided to go on Larry King Live where he announced the key piece of evidence against himself by giving the time of the collapse as 4:30am instead of 70 minutes later. How likely is that?

  Have I misunderstood Bush's letter, or the evidence? Or am I wrong in thinking the cases is being investigated as a possible attempted murder? Or am I wrong that this theory seems quite implausible? I have enabled comments. As always, civil and respectful comments only.