As Sam Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial enters its third week, the disgraced cryptocurrency founder’s lawyers are haggling to expand his access to ADHD drug Adderall. Adderall) opportunities.
in a court filing Late Sunday, one of Bankman-Fried’s attorneys, Mark Cohen, wrote that difficulties in getting his client an adequate supply of Adderall hampered the defense’s ability to prepare its case, And could influence the key decision of whether Bankman-Fried agrees. – Fried will testify.
“Mr. Bankman-Fried has struggled to stay focused during the trial over the past two weeks,” Cohen wrote, arguing that the defense had “increasing concerns” about Bankman-Fried’s ability to fully concentrate. meaningful participation” in the trial.
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According to the previous court documentsBankman-Fried has taken Adderall pills three to four times a day for the past three years, a medication his lawyers argue is necessary for the notoriously hyperactive cryptocurrency founder. . In posing questions to potential jurors, his attorneys hope to screen Bankman-Fried’s body language, which is caused by ADHD, for potential bias.
U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan revoked Bankman-Fried’s bail in August after she shared a personal letter from the prosecution’s star witness, Carolyn Ellison. , he later asked the court to expand his access to Adderall, with little success. Just two weeks after Bankman-Fried was remanded to the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, his attorney told a hearing that he had not received his medication and that he was taking another depression medication. Supply is limited.
Although obtaining medication in detention centers is notoriously difficult, Kaplan ruled that Bankman-Fried receive treatment for ADHD and depression. However, since the trial began in early October, Bankman-Fried’s attorneys have argued that the long hours in court have prevented him from taking necessary medications.
Kaplan told Bankman-Fried’s attorneys to work with the Bureau of Prisons to develop an appropriate timeline, while Cohen wrote in Sunday’s filing that despite the “numerous” emails and voice messages received, the defense team ” No reply received.” Their recommendation was to give Bankman-Fried a slow-release dose that would last throughout the day, although Cohen noted they couldn’t be sure of its effectiveness. He further asked the court to adjourn on Tuesday if an appropriate solution could not be reached.
The debate over Adderall is indicative of the broader struggles detained defendants face in being adequately prepared for trial, whether that’s access to electronic evidence or drugs. In Bankman-Fried’s case, his attorneys argued that as the government’s charges against him become more serious, his exposure to Adderall could determine whether the FTX founder decides to go to court to defend himself. During the first and second weeks of the trial, members of his inner circle, including former chief technology officer Gary Wang and Ellison, detailed how Bankman-Fried directed them to use cryptocurrency exchanges of customer deposits to plug a huge hole in the balance sheet of its affiliated trading company, Alameda Research.
The Justice Department expects to complete the submission of evidence around the end of October. Bankman-Fried is expected to rule by the end of November.
Svlook
