South Africa - Martin, 55, Theresa, 54, Rudi van Breda, 22, murdered, 26 Jan 2015 #4

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: because patients frequently lose consciousness there may be symptoms which precede the loss of consciousness

Dr B: the moment they lose consciousness we have no independent count of what has happened to them during the seizure

Dr B: one part is obtaining spontaneous history from the person and asking specific questions

Dr B: He is 23 years old, right handed, had appendicitis, he also reported that he uses an anti depressant, gives you more serotonin and he used this since February 2015, he said its effective and no side effects

Dr B: he was also prescribed a sleeping tablet in February 2015, no family history of seizures, he had no seizures in his early childhood that he knew of, no previous trauma to the brain, no meningitis

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

Henri was admitted in order to make a diagnosis. Timing in terms of trial narrative very interesting, however.

Dr. Butler: Henri had appendicitis at 9 years of age. Now a conversational debate on whether it was removed or not, and how interesting it is.

Henri using an antidepressant called Nuzak. Side-effects at this link. No family history of seizures. No previous seizures or injuries to brain.

No other history of note relevant to his problem. What about the brain scans in Melbourne? Would think that's hugely relevant.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: I asked him to describe what happened on Wednesday 8 November 2017 he was sitting on bed with his girlfriend, stressed, discussing court case and he abruptly lost his memory

Dr B: she reports that he looked like he was about to cough he lent forward and then fell backwards and his eyes rolled back and it lasted approximately 1 minute

Dr B: we dont rely on the 1 minute as most family members witnessing seizures are mildly traumatised and the duration tends to be overestimated

Dr B: his face was red and jaw clenched he didnt turn his head to either side. This is important in some seizures if it starts on one side of the brain the head will turn to one side

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

On Wednesday, 8th November at 16:30 Henri had his seizure. It lasted 1 minute according to his girlfriend. This was the day after the defense applied to the court for an psychologist to testify, which the state had to agree to. Dr. Butler is additional witness.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: he did not salivate and his breathing was noisy when he regained memory he felt light headed tired and disoriented

Dr B: these are typical symptoms experienced by people who have experienced serious seizures, he did not bite his tongue or urinate

Dr B: she phoned her father who suggested a medication he should take, he took this 90min after the event and went to bed at 9 that evening, he consumed no alcohol in the days preceding the event

Dr B: having been confronted with this, the rule is the first seizure is commonly not the first seizure so you then set about to establish if this has happened before

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

His face was red, jaw was clenched. Dr. Butler refers to 2 epilepsies. Those starting in one side of brain can cause an asymmetry of epileptic movement.

Dr. Butler: He didn't salivate. His breathing was very noisy. When he came to he was very tired and disorientated.

Sometimes it takes days for the brain to recover fully from a seizure. Interestingly Henri's eyes on January 27th were described as glassy or glazed.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: his girlfriend said that approximately Feb 2016 he became emotional one evening and a short while later without any warning he again lost his memory but it was dark and his girlfriend couldnt see what he looked like

Dr B: she said she saw he was shaking and then he appeared out of it and very tired. He said he cant remember how he felts, this is not uncommon

Dr B: on that night he had had atleast 6 glasses of wine that night, he did not bite his tongue or urinate

Dr B: his girlfriend reported the event to her father but nothing made of the event we all thought it was probably the wine

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

Interesting that Henri's girlfriend is an absolutely key witness in Butler's report. Her GP father also assisting. Have heard her mother, who is in Scotland, doesn't approve of their relationship.

Another seizure associated with drinking around 6 glasses of wine.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: This enquiry is relevant to whether he has epilepsy and to whether he has focal epilepsy. The symptoms tell you from which part of the brain its likely to have originated

Dr B: gives example of a patient who heard a tune and then said to his wife about a tune and she said that program is not on today, this went on for a few years and then he had a major seizure, the seizure was activating that memory

Dr B: so that is the relevance of the history. Majority of symptoms would indicate focal epilepsy

Dr B: he simply said he had a few episodes where his memory became unclear while at college but he linked this to excessive consumption of alcohol

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

Still waiting for Dr. Butler to review Henri's brain scan in Melbourne, even if only to dismiss it at rumour.

Dr. Butler invoking how normal it is for epileptics to see [or hear] phantoms [Gillmore's Request] as part of a seizure.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLifehttps://twitter.com/CapeTownEtc

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr B: there are a myriad of symptoms of the many symptoms only 2 are indicative of general and all the others are indicative of focal epilepsy

Dr B: the two minor symptoms are brief absences- he denied the presence of that, the other type is a "funny twitch or jerk"

Dr B: he reported intermittent shivers of his whole body while completely awake and at anytime of the day

Dr B: as falling asleep it is normal but during the day its different. Of all symptoms the only one he said he experienced were these jerks

Dr B: hear things, see things, taste things that arent there, panic attacks, nausea. He denied all of these except panic which he experienced at court when he was anxious

https://twitter.com/traceyams?lang=en

Dr. Butler seems to find it amusing, Henri's "blacking out" several times associated with excess consumption of alcohol while at college. Seems to see this as normal and separate to his epileptic diagnosis. Seems clumsy science to me, but anyway.

Henri told doctor he experienced shivers during all hours of the day. Also in court then? And on the stand? Show us on the livestream feed doc.

Do you see, smell, taste things that aren't there, panic attacks, deja vu, brief nausea? He emphatically denied all of these except panic, which he experienced while in court. [And at crime scene?]

And that's Dr. Butler's testimony in chief done. Looking forward to Galloway's cross.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[Interested Bystander]

Thanks JJ. Would you believe I have to go out this morning in 20 minutes. This seems to happen to me on all the days of interest (for me).

Looking forward to catching up this evening.

Looks as though he is experiencing stress related episodes. Everything HvB could be associated, ie the noisy breathing (hyperventilation), the shivering, often referred to "someone walking over one's grave", stress related loss of memory. He is a FAKE. Botha is just wasting time.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Thanks JJ. Would you believe I have to go out this morning in 20 minutes. This seems to happen to me on all the days of interest (for me).

Looking forward to catching up this evening.

Looks as though he is experiencing stress related episodes. Everything HvB could be associated, ie the noisy breathing (hyperventilation), the shivering, often referred to "someone walking over one's grave", stress related loss of memory. He is a FAKE. Botha is just wasting time.

Don't worry IB. You can watch YouTube when you return and all the tweets will be here ... if they deign to return from what is a very long morning tea.

At this stage of the trial I can see why he's stressed. Things haven't been going well for the Defence and maybe he's starting to feel very nervous and/or frightened.

 

[JudgeJudi]

They've been away for an hour. I have to lie down for a few minutes. I'll be back in 5 minutes.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Yes, now we are getting somewhere. Dr. Butler refers to the impact of seizures and epilepsy on a young person's independence, specifically their capacity to drive. Henri only got his new BMW 6 months after murders.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[tmar]

Morning tea 'over an hour'.
Great: gives Galloway more time for a great cross examination.

How long will the 'lunch break' be: several hours?

 

[L2L]

They've been away for an hour. I have to lie down for a few minutes. I'll be back in 5 minutes.

Are you Okay, JJ?

 

[JudgeJudi]

It seems Tracey has left the court. I have a lot of catching up to do!

I'm not sure to start from so apologies if I double up a bit.

Majority of symptoms point to focal epilepsy, Dr Butler says.

Apparently had a few episodes where memory became unclear. Happened while at college but thought it was caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

Only symptom #VanBreda confirmed were jerks, Dr Butler says. He also reported experiencing panic attacks while in court.

Because of #VanBreda's twitches/jerks, Dr Butler thought he may have had epilepsy, psychogenic non-epileptic seizures or malingering. Henri has just walked in after the tea break - court had resumed without him. Dr Butler will repeat what he had just said.

Dr Butler says he had reorganised what he had initially thought was wrong with #VanBreda. Epilepsy is a "bad term" as there is a variety of types of epilepsy.

Dr Butler says he didn't discuss diagnosis with #VanBreda or his girlfriend, other than to say he would check for epilepsy or stress-related seizures. Usually discusses likely diagnosis, but due to unusual circumstances and possibility of malingering he didn't.

While examining the EEG reports and seeing the abnormalities, Dr Butler was confident that Henri #VanBreda had epilepsy.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr Butler found juvenile myoclonic epilepsy was highly likely.

#VanBreda told Dr Butler he describe the jerk, which he explained was his whole body giving "just one shake". Could happen 5 times a day (max) and often doesn't experience it for 3 days. Sometimes doesn't notice any jerks for a week.

Dr Butler asked #VanBreda about sequence of events the night of the murders. His focus was around the period he lost his memory. HvB said after intruder left, he walked up stairs with cellphone, Googling emergency services numbers. Saw Marli and that she was moving.

Dr Butler checked with #VanBreda if someone may have hit him on the head. He didn't hear anyone following him, and nobody came towards him down the stairs.

#VanBreda's memory terminated after looking up from his phone and seeing Marli.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

 

[JudgeJudi]

VanBreda denied biting his tongue, experiencing aching muscles or having wet himself, but later remembered that police had found urine on the pants he had been wearing.

LIVE: Strong presence of epilepsy in #VanBreda test results, court hears

In photo of #VanBreda in ambulance, he has dark rings under eyes, bruise at left eye, looks considerably "dull" to him, Dr Butler says. Consistent with someone recovering from seizure. Appearance is similar to patients in postictal state.

Short adjournment as TV on the blink. Viewing footage of #VanBreda in hospital. He was instructed to press a button when experiencing one of the symptoms.

#VanBreda's left hand on lap. Right hand behind his head. Thumb moves away from palm, Dr Butler says. Often both sides. Movement occurs at time of seizure discharge in brain.

As trivial as it looks, at that moment there was a seizure discharge in the brain, Dr Butler says.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

 

[JudgeJudi]

VanBreda hadn't pushed the button. Butler spotted it in the EEG.

VanBreda has epilepsy - "unambiguous", Dr Butler says.

He is legally not allowed to drive for a year. Minor seizures are associated with major seizures. Minor occur more frequently.

Video of #VanBreda while asleep. He gives a jerk. In EEG he is in depths of stage 2 sleep. He is woken by this "little seizure", which Henri said was a "little shiver", Dr Butler says.

Major jerks while asleep is a myoclonic jerk, Dr Butler says.

Dr Butler asked #VanBreda about the jerks. Not at particular time of day, typically every few days, clustered. Once almost dropped a file because of it.

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy doesn't impair daily function, Desai asks. Correct, Dr Butler says.

VanBreda said after period of amnesia on night of murders, he was disorientated and in shock. Doesn't remember some questions put to him. Recalls paramedics walking past him, but not the ambulance arriving.

https://twitter.com/TeamNews24

 

[JudgeJudi]

Interesting, Danielle has known Henri since Feb 2016. Suppose it stands to reason, as that's when he attended chef school, her too. But he was evidently girlfriendless for the entire 2015.

Wow, so now it's a case that he remembers "bits" of his police interrogation. Does he also remember bits of what he testified to in trial, or what's written in his plea explanation?

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[JudgeJudi]

Desai asks the doctor to specify what parts of Henri's questioning he couldn't answer. Butler says Henri wasn't answering some of the questions. Not sure if EMS, or police. Botha insists it was police officer's questions.
Now Botha asks for lunch adjournment.

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

 

[L2L]

Interesting, Danielle has known Henri since Feb 2016. Suppose it stands to reason, as that's when he attended chef school, her too. But he was evidently girlfriendless for the entire 2015.

Wow, so now it's a case that he remembers "bits" of his police interrogation. Does he also remember bits of what he testified to in trial, or what's written in his plea explanation?

https://twitter.com/HiRezLife

Didn't he testify he remembered every detail of police interrogation/ I think I'm going crazy!! He went through his testimony word for word with Galloway and corrected dozens of what he called 'discrepancies'. Some were even 'malicious'!

 

[JudgeJudi]

I think it's so rude of journos to just stop posting. I thought they were on an extended break. That's happened before. Sorry folks.