Key Takeaways
- The prosecution is expected to rest their case in Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial after presenting over 20 testimonies.
- A strong case against SBF has been made, aiming to prove his guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
- SBF’s defense may argue that medical factors, including Asperger’s and the use of Adderall.
Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial is nearing its conclusion; on October 26, after over 20 testimonies had been examined, the prosecution is expected to rest their case.
It appears clear that the prosecution will persuade the jury that they have proven SBF’s guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.”
Defense May Cite Autism and Adderall
According to crypto legal expert David Lesperance from Lesperance & Associates, it is reasonable to assume that the defense will call on medical professionals to testify that SBF’s medical concoction produced impaired mental acuity.
This could have prevented him from being able to form the mental capacity (also known as “mens rea” or “knowingly and willingly”) necessary to have committed the actions argued in his case.
Lesperance mentioned Asperger’s disease as one factor. Bankman-Fried has often been compared to Tesla’s CEO Elon Musk who spoke openly on his Asperger syndrome.
Developmental disorder Asperger’s Syndrome is an autism spectrum disorder. Young persons with Asperger’s Syndrome often have inflexible, repetitive thought and behavior patterns and have trouble relating to others socially.
According to Lesperance, the defense could try to explain Bankman-Fried’s wrong dealing with Asperger syndrome.
Early on, Sam Bankman-Fried received a diagnosis of autism . As SBF’s defense gears up, expect medical experts to claim a drug called Adderall caused diminished capacity, too.
ADHD and narcolepsy symptoms can be effectively treated with Adderall , which is generally well tolerated. At therapeutic dosages, Adderall produces euphoric, altered sex drive, greater alertness, and improved cognitive control as well as emotional and cognitive impacts.
During the trial, Bankman-Fried’s attorneys asked the judge to permit him to continue receiving his prescribed Adderall while he was being held during his fraud and money laundering trial. According to the attorneys, this will be a crucial issue in determining whether Bankman-Fried will testify.
https://twitter.com/BCC_Mitchell/status/1716314945657417827
Lesperance said that Bankman-Fried could say that maybe he was over-self-medicating or maybe he was denied an adequate amount of medication by the judge.
The attorneys continued by stating that Bankman-Fried’s ability to receive Adderall will affect the “critical decision” of whether or not he will testify.
Autistic Or Drug Dependant?
Be it as it may, it seems that Bankman-Fried didn’t take only his prescripted Aderall. He was wearing an item known as an Emsam patch when he was apprehended in the Bahamas.
Bankman-Fried wanted to inform a House committee that he had a prescription for Emsam and had for around ten years, according to a prepared statement .
“It is not generally the case that people are expected to talk about their private medical conditions, but enough paparazzi have snapped photos of my belongings and theorized about it online that I guess I have no choice,” he allegedly stated.
NYTimes journalist Jacob Silverman explained the patch can help a person stay focused and be more creative. However, it can also lead a person to become a shopaholic.
Lawyer Lesperance concluded:
“Now, looking forward to the defense, here’s what I would anticipate that they would go for with kind of the ultimate question: Here’s the pros, here’s the cons of Sam, you know, what have I got to lose versus it’s gonna be their assessment of, you know, AAA risk-return here.”
