FTX co-founder, Sam Bankman-Fried, has reached out to a United States judge in a plea for long-release Adderall, citing difficulties in maintaining concentration during his ongoing criminal trial.
Bankman-Fried’s legal team submitted a letter to New York District Judge Lewis Kaplan on October 15th, requesting permission for him to take a “12-hour extended-release 20mg dose of Adderall” before he’s transported to the trial on October 16th.
In their letter, the lawyers emphasized that the absence of the prescribed stimulant during trial hours has severely impacted Bankman-Fried’s ability to focus at his usual level.
As the crucial moments of his defense strategy and the decision of whether he will testify loom closer, there are growing concerns that the FTX founder won’t be able to actively participate in presenting his defense without his medication.
The letter revealed that despite the absence of medication, Bankman-Fried has been making diligent efforts to remain focused during the trial.
However, even if he is granted the requested medication, there remains uncertainty about whether the extended-release dose will be effective.
To address this situation, Bankman-Fried’s legal team proposed two potential solutions to Judge Kaplan.
Firstly, they requested that the trial be paused for one day on Tuesday, October 17th, if Bankman-Fried cannot receive the long-release dose or if it proves ineffective.
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This would allow time to find an alternative solution for the remainder of the trial. Alternatively, they asked for permission to provide Bankman-Fried with his prescription of Adderall at the District Court during the trial.
The lawyers noted that they had attempted to resolve this issue with the Bureau of Prisons but had received no response to their five attempts to contact them between October 5th and October 12th.
Judge Kaplan had previously approved a motion to allow Bankman-Fried access to Adderall and anti-depressant medication while in prison on August 14th.
This decision was based on his history of major depressive disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and his psychiatric care since early 2019.
However, in an August 22nd hearing, Bankman-Fried’s legal team had complained about his lack of access to Adderall, stating that he had not received the medication for 11 days.
As Bankman-Fried’s criminal trial enters its third week, various witnesses, including former associates and his ex-girlfriend, have provided testimonies. Bankman-Fried has pleaded not guilty, maintaining his innocence throughout the trial.
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