TechFlow news — On September 24, according to Cointelegraph, a group of physicians specializing in neurodiversity submitted an amicus brief to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, supporting the appeal of FTX co-founder Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF). The physicians noted that SBF has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and that these neurodiverse traits may have led to misinterpretations during his criminal trial.
The brief emphasized that the Manhattan district court’s decision to allow prosecutors to cross-examine SBF without a jury present could have adversely affected him. The physicians explained that individuals with ASD often interpret language literally and tend to give lengthy responses, which led the judge to repeatedly admonish SBF and may have negatively influenced his subsequent performance before the jury. Additionally, they pointed out that SBF was unable to receive an adequate dosage of ADHD medication early in the trial, which could have significantly impaired his focus and performance. They also noted that the absence of specific documents poses a serious challenge for individuals with ASD, potentially leading to responses containing expressions of uncertainty that might be misinterpreted as uncooperative or evasive.
