Thread by @kgosztola

The eleventh day of proceedings in the trial portion of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition hearing will begin shortly. I'll have live updates today. #AssangeTrial

Professor Michael Kopelman, who is a forensic psychiatrist, will give evidence on Assange's clinical depression, risk of suicide, and how he the US government is targeting him for his political opinions. #AssangeTrial

Yesterday, in my written report, I paid attention to fixer who is closely tied to Donald Trump Jr. who threatened a political activist after she visited Assange to inform him that the Trump administration planned to expel and arrest him.
shadowproof.com/2020/09/21/tru… #AssangeTrial

Housekeeping note: I compiled guide to journalists and advocacy organizations. Collectively, we have spent the last two weeks breaking the establishment media's blackout by providing daily coverage on #AssangeCase. shadowproof.com/2020/09/21/gui…

Professor Michael Kopelman is present at the courthouse to testify as a witness. He is expected to testify for at least 3-4 hours. #AssangeTrial

Edward Fitzgerald, defense attorney, invites the press to "use some sensitivity" when reporting on medical issues that must be covered #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: high risk of suicide should extradition become imminent. The risk emerges from Assange's psychiatric disorder. #AssangeTrial

Fitzgerald recounts how Assange's condition was severe in December 2019 and then moderately severe in Feb/March 2020. Then it grew more severe (again) during lockdown under COVID-19. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman notes Assange's increased depression in Ecuador embassy in London, especially starting in 2015-2016 #AssangeTrial

Assange is reluctant to "volunteer" statements to prison medical staff on his health #AssangeTrial

Kopelman says Assange has reported hearing music hallucinations that have become worse while depressed. He also experiences auditory hallucinations, like voices. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman indicates can't make a "mathematical prediction" on suicide risk. "All we can do is note there are abundance of known risk factors in Mr. Assange's case." #AssangeTrial

Kopelman provided testimony related to what Assange would endure if incarcerated in single-cell in US prison and subject to conditions that amount to solitary confinement. It would compound his deterioration. #AssangeTrial

Prosecutor James Lewis is trying to quiz Professor Kopelman on ICD-10 criteria as they are used to help healthcare providers identify depression and Kopelman refuses to close his book, believing it's an unreasonable request. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: "I've never said that Mr. Assange has delusions" #AssangeTrial

Lewis claims he is establishing yardstick for measuring what he will cross-exam Kopelman on related to Assange. Kopelman adds Assange has "great difficulty in concentrating and memorizing and his lawyers have found this." Particularly evident 2nd half of 2019 #AssangeTrial

Lewis is testing Kopelman on what articles he remembers reading on malingering and exaggeration of psychiatric conditions. Anything he can recall off the top of his head, which Kopelman clearly finds ridiculous. #AssangeTrial

Baraitser pauses the cross-exam to suggest to Kopelman that Lewis is trying to establish a base level of what information the professor has in mind when he examines Assange. Lewis replies that's exactly right. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: "Yes, I try to evaluate whether Mr. Assange was exaggerating or malingering by..."

Lewis cuts him off. "I wonder if we could just stick with my script for a moment." #AssangeTrial

I remind everyone that yesterday Judge Baraitser spent a good amount of time complaining about how the defense was prolonging proceedings and needed to get its act together when it came to scheduling witnesses. #AssangeTrial

Lewis questions Kopelman on how he assessed Assange or factored in the alleged concealing of a razor blade a month after he arrived at Belmarsh. #AssangeTrial

Apparently, Assange told Kopelman he was charged with having a "hidden razor" and put in solitary confinement for 4 days. The prosecution disputes whether Assange ever had a razor that could hurt him. (Perhaps, defense will address in re-exam.) #AssangeTrial

We are in middle of 10-minute break, as Kopelman is standing in witness box for duration of this 3-4 hour cross-exam by prosecutor. #AssangeTrial

Court heard evidence that Assange has made specific end-of-life plans—drafting farewell letters to family and friends, drawn up a will, confession to Catholic priest. #AssangeTrial

Lewis suggests Assange is reading British Medical Journal so he can finesse and improve his ability to exaggerate psychiatric symptoms, and in fact, he is consulting with his attorneys on how to do effectively. Pure conjecture. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman answers that Assange reads British Medical Journal "because he's very preoccupied by his state of health." He's a "little bit hypochondriacal." It is like him to want to discuss with legal team before doing anything. #AssangeTrial

April 29, 2019: Kopelman is told by Assange he had "near death experience." He wonders if CIA is finding way to get him, which was noted as possible paranoia. Concerned about case being "strong enough to fight hundreds of lawyers the US had fighting against him." #AssangeTrial

Lewis is going through individual days, picking apart summaries by Kopelman, and nitpicking over details that Kopelman left out of his report submitted to the court. And Kopelman notes he didn't actually have first meeting with him until May #AssangeTrial

Lewis questions note to give Assange more orange (juice?) in entry in May 2019 & whether weight loss is depression symptom.

Kopelman insists quite significant weight loss is factor. "So they will give him anything that's going to help in boosting his daily intake." #AssangeTrial

Kopelman did not meet with Assange for the first time until May 30, 2019. Yet, Lewis has asked Kopelman about entries in April and May before he ever met Assange in person. #AssangeTrial

Lewis is openly and repeatedly trying to pressure Kopelman into changing his diagnosis of Assange's mental health condition #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: "I don’t believe he’s got delusions. He's very worried about whether discussions are recorded." Computers should be switched off.

"In light of experiences in embassy, that was rational anxiety." #AssangeTrial

Lewis contends only medical diagnosis of depression is from Professor Paul Mullen in 1995 in Australia. #AssangeTrial

Lewis explicitly asked Kopelman to describe the audible hallucinations. He again says they're derogatory and persecutory. For example, "You're worthless," or, "You're dead." #AssangeTrial

We're on lunch break. Kopelman will return in the afternoon so Lewis can finish. Then defense will re-exam. This is the only witness for the day. #AssangeTrial

Lewis emphasizes the auditory hallucinations were "self-reports."

Kopelman replies that is "nature of psychiatry. There's no MRI scanner that will shoe you a hallucination." #AssangeTrial

Kopelman submitted two statements. First one did not mention Stella Morris, his partner, because relationship was not public. Lewis objects and asserts he was deceiving the court. #AssangeTrial

Re: revealing Stella Morris' relationship with Assange

Lewis: "First duty is to court, and it doesn't matter if embarrassing or confidential"

Kopelman: "She was very concerned about privacy, and I was trying to respect that." #AssangeTrial

Lewis calls report from UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer neither balanced or accurate. Reads from it. Kopelman says he didn't rely on it to make a psychiatric diagnosis. It's a "political document." #AssangeTrial

US prosecutor James Lewis describes UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Nils Melzer's assessment of Assange as "palpable nonsense." #AssangeTrial

Lewis insists on reading further from this report from Melzer, even though Kopelman hasn't used any of the political sections. Kopelman objects. He merely referenced bits on physical or mental health. Reading what he specifically included #AssangeTrial

Lewis believes Assange is able to follow the court proceedings and give instructions to his legal team, and to him, that is "inconsistent" with someone who has moderate or severe depression. #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: "I cannot evaluate his mental and cognitive state from what’s in here. He’s made a few comments, some longstanding semantic knowledge that he’s replied appropriately. That doesn’t mean cognitive state is normal." #AssangeTrial

Lewis objects to Kopelman relying on defense experts' statements on US prison conditions, but prosecution did not provide Assistant US Attorney Gordon Kromberg's affidavits. Somehow, supposed to know to request. Not provided voluntarily til after he did his reports #AssangeTrial

Lewis: "LikiWeaks" #AssangeTrial

Somehow becomes even more petty than in prior hours, as Lewis asks if depression prevented Assange from soliciting or leaking materials from US government, public speaking, coordinating with media, or prevent from doing a "chat show" on RT. #AssangeTrial

The psychiatrist at Belmarsh prison has not come to the same conclusion on Assange's psychiatric health as Kopelman.

Kopelman says that is likely because Assange doesn't have a "good relationship" with the doctor #AssangeTrial

One more break and then Lewis will conclude his cross-exam. We'll have Fitzgerald re-exam Kopelman and then finish for the day. #AssangeTrial

Defense is trying to re-exam Kopelman about the "concealed" razor. Lewis interrupts and says he isn't disputing a razor was found in Assange's possession. Kopelman adds, "That's not what I inferred this morning." #AssangeTrial

Fitzgerald: Opinions dependent on assumptions about US prison conditions?

Kopelman: Not really. That did not enter as a factor #AssangeTrial

Kopelman: If extradition became imminent or were to happen, that would be the trigger to a suicide attempt #AssangeTrial

Kopelman agreed if detained in conditions of isolation for long period the risk of suicide would be exacerbated.

"Isolation he would experience in North America would be far worse than anything experienced in embassy or Belmarsh." #AssangeTrial

Kopelman referred to prior case where US govt assured him, like Kromberg has done, about prison conditions at Metropolitan Correctional Center in New York. And then, he added, Jeffrey Epstein hanged himself.

"Just showed reassurances were not very reassuring." #AssangeTrial

According to Kopelman, Chelsea Manning's attempted suicide in Alexandria Detention Center, where Assange would be held, concerned him a lot. #AssangeTrial

Re: Chelsea Manning's attempted suicide in ADC

Kopelman said Assange noted she was getting bail and attempted suicide before her potential release. "It just shows how awful conditions must be." #AssangeTrial

We're wrapping up for the day, dealing with scheduling.

Defense says there are 14 witnesses for next week. Three the defense could do without, but three prosecutors now say they must question. #AssangeTrial

Both defense, as well as prosecution, oppose releasing the report prepared by Kopelman for the court record on Assange's mental health. There is a press request for a copy. Neither party plans to disclose. #AssangeHearing

Fitzgerald: "Nobody can say haven't had a full disclosure of medical issues." #AssangeTrial

We are adjourned for the day, and I will do a live video report on Day 11: #AssangeTrial

US prosecution accused WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of exaggerating symptoms of depression and pressured psychiatrist to change their diagnosis of Assange's mental health condition shadowproof.com/2020/09/22/us-… #AssangeTrial