Thread by @jamesdoleman

Proceedings resume in the Julian Assange extradition hearing in London.

Counsel for #Assange, Edward Fitzgerald QC, is continuing his submissions on why the judge in the original case was justified in relying on the evidence of psychiatrist Michael Kopelman.
"He was an impartial and reliable witness," he says.

Mark Summers QC for Mr Assange rises to continue the defence submissions.
He begins by reviewing the evidence about US prison conditions.

Summers says that after losing the argument about prison conditions the US government has changed position, now trying to provide assurances about how he will be treated.
"There are genuine questions about there trustworthiness," he says.

Summers, "Why are they allowed to change their case after two years with a mentally vulnerable defendant in custody?"

Summers is now going over the evidence about the "special administrative measures" (SAMS) that Assange could face in a US prison.
I wrote about those here

assangecourt.report/september-29-a…

The QC notes that if there was no risk of SAMS the US side could have made a firm commitment not to impose them, which they have not.
"This might give us an indication of their intentions," he says,

Summers reminds the court that the US government official whose statements on prison conditions were relied on by them declined to take the stand and be cross-examined over his assertions.
#Assange

Summers quotes Kromberg on US "supermax," prison conditions, in which he says inmates can carry out crochet, poetry, communicate and "recreate individually,"

Summers says that the US government could have dealt with the issue of SAMS and supermax prisons, off the table, instead, their assurances were, "Conditional, qualified and aspirational."
#Assange

Summers notes that the CIA has classified Wikileaks as a “hostile non-state intelligence entity,” and according to reports "wanted vengeance," over the leaks of the Vault 7 archive.

Sommers says Krombeg's seventh statement does not rule out SAMS or Supermax prisons, but just tries to argue "they are ok."

Moving onto possible sentences, Summers says

Every single lawyer who has looked at this says these guidelines would lead to a life sentence.

#Assange

Sommers also noted a Spanish case of a Mr Mendoza in which US prosecutors had guaranteed that if he was extradited and convicted he would be sent back to Spain to serve his sentence.
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Mendoza was duly convicted and applied but this was refused by the Department of Justice denied the application. He said prosecutors could assert what they wished, but this would not be their decision.
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Sommers concludes his submissions, James Lewis rises to respond for the US government.
#Assange

Lewis then dismissed the defence argument that the assurances had come too late. “We could start the extradition process all over again, with the assurances,” he said, noting that it was usual only to provide these after a court had expressed concerns.

“These are decided at the highest level, they are not dished out like smarties,” he said adding, “They are a responsible step for an extradition partner to make.”

Lewis: “My learned friends have completely shifted their ground.” Reminding the court that the US government had pledged to allow #Assange to serve any sentence in Australia so there was no prospect of him spending the rest of his life in a Supermax prison.

Lewis has ended his submission

The two judges, The Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett and Lord Justice Holroyd thanked the parties and retired to consider their decision, and the hearing concludes

#Assange