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Sep 23, 2020 54 tweets 18 min read Read on X
The twelfth day of proceedings in the trial portion of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange's extradition hearing will begin shortly. I'll have live updates. #AssangeTrial
Yesterday, lead prosecutor James Lewis asserted Assange exaggerates his symptoms of depression, and in fact, no one with severe or moderate depression could possibly function and run a media organization. shadowproof.com/2020/09/22/us-… #AssangeTrial
Housekeeping note: To receive written reports in your inbox after each day of court, go to dissenter.substack.com/subscribe. It's that easy to stay informed on #AssangeTrial
Dr. Quinton Deeley, National Health Service psychiatrist who specializes in autism, ADHD, & other mental health issues, will testify first.

By afternoon, we'll have Professor Paul Mullen, psychiatrist in Australia who diagnosed Assange with depression in 1995. #AssangeTrial
Dr. Quinton Deeley takes the witness stand in the Old Bailey Courthouse #AssangeTrial
Assange told Deeley about conditions he feared if extradited to the United States, fears of isolation, and fears of new indictment. Also was concerned about Joshua Schulte, who was accused of releasing Vault 7 materials, and how Schulte was confined before trial. #AssangeTrial
We are hearing evidence related to Deeley's autism diagnosis and some of the features of disorder that stood out to Deeley. #AssangeTrial
Deeley says risk of suicide would be high if extradited. "It’s an outcome which he fears, which he dreads."

He "ruminates about prospective circumstances at length." #AssangeTrial
Deeley added that risk is "influenced by his appraisal of his prospective circumstances," which he views as "intolerable ordeal. He views it as unjust." #AssangeTrial
Deeley testifies Assange is "prominent public figure," and he sees what he is going through as "exemplary punishment" — an "example is being made out of him." It "compounds his sense of its unbearability." #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald asked Deeley what would happen if Assange was extradited and confined in US prison. Deeley said it would "cause severe deterioration of his mental state."

He was severely depressed in 2019. Improved to moderate depression this year. #AssangeTrial
Prosecutor James Lewis is going over Deeley's autism diagnosis of Assange #AssangeTrial
Prosecution shows clips from a Frontline Club event, where Assange participated in a Q&A. The US government believes this undermines the autism diagnosis because it's their view autistic person could not function well in this setting. #AssangeTrial
The clips are from video of this Frontline Club event, "The Data Revolution: How WikiLeaks is Changing Journalism."
Deeley rejects what prosecutor tried to show. "Highly rehearsed social role of him talking about topic in which he has expertise." Highly structured. Lacks quality of having to respond to informal social interaction. #AssangeTrial
Lewis: Are you trying to help the court or advocate a cause?

Fitzgerald: Wholly inappropriate. Given a focused intelligible answer.

Baraitser allows Lewis to ask this antagonistic question, which has featured in most cross-exams by prosecution. #AssangeTrial
Lewis went through several examples from assessments of Assange that showed he engaged with "good eye contact" and asked why Deeley still maintained his autism diagnosis of Assange #AssangeTrial
Lewis asked if depression could be alternative explanation for reduction in nonverbal communication.

Deeley said Assange's mother, as well as Kopelman's interviews with people who have known Assange, helped form basis of diagnosis #AssangeTrial
Lewis: But he fathered children and had relationships with women?

Deeley: He has had very few lifelong friends and people who have befriended Assange all had to make allowances...accommodate odd aspects of "interpersonal functioning." #AssangeTrial
Lewis: Yes but he's written books, given speeches, and hosted a "chat show."

Deeley: "It's possible to both have a diagnosis of Asperger syndrome and to demonstrate expertise and be authoritative and knowledgeable when talking about certain topics." #AssangeTrial
Lewis: You don't mention the fact that he has written or given speeches. Why do you simply always try to defend the position?

Deeley: It's a summary judgment. I've noted the features are mild rather than marked. #AssangeTrial
Lewis asked Deeley if he has an "autistic trait" because he is looking at ceiling and not making eye contact during cross-exam. And Deeley took this in stride saying he is taking in body language of judge and other parties in court #AssangeTrial
Lewis asked if it is simply that Assange has elevated risk of suicide compared to "normal population of men."

Deeley said no, he would "attache more weight to risk than that." #AssangeTrial
Professor Mullen is unable to testify this afternoon. There is no witness after this one, and Baraitser is livid. Insisted Fitzgerald and defense team find someone to take the stand. #AssangeTrial
Defense is re-examining Dr. Deeley.

Deeley says the autism diagnosis was based on test administered, collateral interviews, case notes, psychiatric reports, and a 6-hour interview #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald returned to clips played from Frontline Club, and Deeley said he called Assange's remarks a "monologue" because it's "uninterrupted discourse over many minutes." He's acting as expert & inhabits "social realms, where he's granted a platform to do that." #AssangeTrial
Baraitser says she wants to conclude proceedings on October 2. Fitzgerald rises to say he doesn't think that is possible given there's 14 witnesses for next week and also closing arguments. #AssangeTrial
Lunch break. Mightily trying to see if Professor Seena Fazel, a medical expert, can take the stand this afternoon. #AssangeTrial
Seena Fazel, a medical expert for the prosecution, is called to the witness stand at the Old Bailey. #AssangeTrial
Fazel says Assange has capacity to "self-manage his risk and that to me is not consistent with the idea, the notion that his mental condition is so severe that he can’t resist suicide." #AssangeTrial
Fazel is no expert but he suggests US prisons would offer standard assessment and treatment of mental health problems and even cognitive behavioral therapy. #AssangeTrial
Fazel's diagnosis is that Assange has depression but not necessarily with "psychotic features." #AssangeTrial
Defense is cross-examining Fazel. They immediately note he did not see Assange when he was most disturbed in December 2019. #AssangeTrial
When Fazel assessed Assange, he was on medication and was no longer in segregation in hospital unit in Belmarsh #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald asked if US prison conditions, if he is convicted or sentenced, could it make a big difference in his risk of suicide.

Fazel said it could but important to know what those conditions are. #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald asked Fazel about solitary confinement and what it may mean as far as increased risk of suicide.

Fazel first said "some people may not have a poor reaction." Then he said if access to family, other forms of support were removed, he'd accept higher risk. #AssangeTrial
Fazel consistently said it would be hard for him to draw a direct causal link between prison conditions and risk of suicide because there are "so many other factors that have to be considered." #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald described what conditions are like at ADX supermax prison in Colorado, where they think Assange could be confined. Fazel accepted if he had "bleak prospects" or indefinite/lengthy sentence it would increase the risk of suicide. #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald asked if Fazel could assess suicide risk of someone subject to SAMs in pretrial detention in US or someone confined in ADX Colorado. He clearly stated he is not an expert and couldn't give useful testimony. #AssangeTrial
Fazel conceded that others with expertise on effects of confinement conditions on prisoners at ADX Colorado would be the ones to ask, not him. #AssangeTrial
Fazel would only go so far as to agree that Assange had "autistic-like" traits. He did not diagnose Assange with autism but accepted Deeley was an expert capable of assessing Assange. #AssangeTrial
On re-exam, the prosecutor read a section from Assistant US Attorney Gordon Kromberg's affidavit on conditions at ADX Colorado, to suggest this would reduce risk of suicide. He mentioned programs for prisoners, etc.
Fazel, a prosecution witness, replied that he would have to know "to what extent are these implemented" and "what is the quality." #AssangeTrial
Fazel noted range of activities that would reduce risk of suicide. "I would want to know more, whether they're implemented in practice and the quality of them. It needs to be supported by information on whether these happen and the quality of the interventions." #AssangeTrial
We are on a break and there will likely be a witness statement entered into the record. Baraitser is adamant that more be done this afternoon #AssangeTrial
Witness statement from Kate Humphreys, psychiatrist who produced a neuropsychological report on Assange, entered into court record. Thiis based on tests in Jan 2020 that were conducted on his cognitive health. #AssangeTrial
Fitzgerald read it rather quickly, but conclusions were Assange had intellectual under functioning, his episodic memory was weak, struggled with task instruction, & attention & working memory were weak. Results came during heightened state of anxiety and depression. #AssangeTrial
Baraitser insists Assange's legal team have closing arguments ready for Monday and Tuesday in the 5th week. Fitzgerald doesn't think they can do justice to Assange's case. They want a month of preparation. #AssangeTrial
Alternatively, James Lewis proposes submitting everything in writing about a week or so after last witness. No oral argument. No hearing necessary. Then Baraitser could rule. #AssangeTrial
We're adjourned. I will be going live with a report on Day 11 of proceedings in #AssangeTrial.

Watch here:
Adding this graph on COVID-19 cases to show how wild it is that Baraitser is growing so impatient with Assange's legal team when it comes to scheduling. Pandemic delayed trial until September. It may even disrupt 4th week as spiking intensifies. #AssangeTrial
Baraitser says she wants Assange's legal team to have closing arguments right after all these witnesses, flippantly alluding to toll this is taking on Assange. But as attorney said, Assange wants team to put on best defense. This is about Baraitser, not Assange. #AssangeTrial
Correction: Day 12. Losing track of dates.
Doctor diagnosed WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange with Asperger's syndrome. This could be a significant factor in the judge's decision to reject a U.S. extradition request, as it was in the cases of Lauri Love and Gary McKinnon. shadowproof.com/2020/09/23/doc… #AssangeTrial

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More from @kgosztola

Feb 20
Today is Day 1 of extradition appeal hearing for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange at the British High Court of Justice.

His legal team has requested that the court grant Assange a full appeal hearing.

Thread with articles on what Assange's team considers grounds for appeal.
The CIA allegedly plotted to kidnap, poison, or kill Assange. To extradite Assange would undermine his right to life & right to be free from “torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment” under European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
thedissenter.org/countdown-day-…
Since the Espionage Act has never been used by US to prosecute a publisher, Assange's attorneys argue extradition is barred. Publishing info was not a “criminal offense under national or international law at the time when it was committed.”
thedissenter.org/countdown-to-d…
Read 12 tweets
Jun 22, 2023
The media delusion that Daniel Ellsberg blew the whistle 'the right way' thedissenter.org/media-delusion…
Video version that includes the clip of David Brooks and Jonathan Capehart erroneously arguing that what Ellsberg did was somehow different from Snowden's whistleblowing. Or that Ellsberg did it the "right way."
Incredibly, while contending that Snowden was an egomaniac, Brooks and Capehart spend the part of the show that is supposed to be a tribute to Daniel Ellsberg focusing on themselves. They make it about their views on Snowden—views they know Ellsberg absolutely didn't share.
Read 6 tweets
Dec 31, 2022
Not only was 2022 yet another year with WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange in prison, but it also was another year in which Committee to Protect Journalists (@pressfreedom) refused to include Assange in their annual jailed journalists index
The United Kingdom, which has kept Assange in Belmarsh prison for over 3.5 years at the behest of the US government, should be light red on this map - just like Algeria, Egypt, Morocco, Philippines, Turkmenistan, etc. But CPJ’s leadership can’t bring their organization to do that
The Committee to Protect Journalists’ own methodology suggests Assange qualifies, and should have qualified long ago.

Assange frequently commented on “public affairs” for print, radio, TV, and online.

So why doesn’t CPJ include Assange in their index?
Read 7 tweets
Dec 25, 2022
Bah humbug from @SouthwestAir to far too many passengers flying their airline.

This is Midway airport in Chicago, where families with crying children had to deal with the fact that they were lied to by this airline. Because their flights were never going to leave Chicago. ImageImageImage
I was booked on an 8:10 PM flight to Denver to visit family for Christmas. The plane was there at the gate, but @SouthwestAir had no pilot. They must’ve known, yet they waited til 15 min before boarding time to cancel the flight.
Apparently, @SouthwestAir is in the middle of major crisis in Denver. They are dealing with a staff shortage that’s so bad that at least one flight from Tampa was turned around and sent back to where it took off.

How many flights to Denver were canceled today due to this crisis? Image
Read 17 tweets
Nov 16, 2022
US Senate investigation confirmed that dozens of women at the Irwin County Detention Center were medically abused by a single ICE doctor, who was hired even though the Justice Department and state of Georgia had sued him thedissenter.org/senate-investi…
Here is Karina Cisneros Preciado at the Senate permanent subcommittee hearing on ICE's medical mistreatment of women. She courageously shared her incarceration story, including when OB-GYN contracted by ICE subjected her to treatment without her consent.
Sen. Ossoff grilled the ICE official who is in charge of oversight for doctors contracted by the agency. His negligence allowed Dr. Mahendra Amin to treat and abuse dozens if not hundreds of women who were in ICE custody at Irwin County Detention Center between 2017-2020.
Read 6 tweets
Oct 8, 2022
Rallies in Denver, Minneapolis, Seattle, Tulsa, San Francisco Bay Area, & Washington DC, to support Stella Assange & supporters who formed human chain around UK Parliament to free Assange.

All part of global day of action that has been underway. I'm speaking at the DC rally.
LIVE: Hands Off Assange rally in DC at 12pm ET

thedissenter.org/livestream-han…
DC Free Assange rally at DOJ about to begin
Read 10 tweets

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