Morning Session:

Defense has dropped the issue of Reactive vs. instrumental.  Trial continues at 11.

DR. SAMUELS on direct:

1. (S)Samuels states Arias does not have Global Amnesia but does have dissociative amnesia.  He reviews acute stress and its effect on the brain. 
2. S. goes through his story regarding a complaint filed where he admits he had to pay a fine but did not lose his license.  Claims he was bartering services and did not know that New Jersey changed the law while he was bartering. 

Afternoon Session:

DR. SAMUELS on direct:

1. Sexual predators are often protected by their families, except in cases where a pedo sexually molests a family member.
2. He reviewed the symptoms of PTSD.
3. When he first met Arias she had low self-esteem, but she is stronger now.
4. Her PTSD symptoms include: blunted affect, stress when testifying, detachment (made up stories, pretending all was okay with Ryan and Leslie). Also her shaking, which he witnessed, she said began when Travis argued with her. She also forgets her words when stressed.
5. June 4^th crime scene he agrees with the attorney was ‘disorganized.’
6. Brought up that she took the gun and rope but left behind the camera, her handprint and her hair.
7. By putting Travis’ body in the shower she demonstrated ‘great strength’ suggesting Acute Stress, adrenaline and fight or flight mode.

DR. SAMUELS ON CROSS:

1. He was hired to evaluate, not treat.  He sent her a gift- the book “Erroneous Zones” crossing a boundary he had crossed before and was not only fined $2500 for but also told to take a class on ethics and crossing boundaries inappropriately with clients. This implies he started to care about her as he sent this to help her as she was ‘suicidal.’  Of course he did not report her as suicidal to anyone at the jail. So much for an impartial assessment. (I heard he also sent her a card but I did not catch that actual testimony).
2. He gave her 2 tests to help his evaluation.  One of them, the ‘PSD’ he could not remember the name of and had to look it up.  Said he has given this test 15 times. He admits he took notes on her answers and then filled in the answer sheet himself later, admitting to making a mistake. He also self scored it instead of doing it through a computer. JM (Juan Martinez) proves she lied on this test and the Doc admits it as the test was taken while she was sticking to the story of 2 intruders killing Travis.  The doc admits he should have given the test again later. On this test she said the PTSD was caused by a stranger attacking her.  She also indicates on this test that she has never been sexually assaulted by any person she knows.  The Doc admits his diagnosis of PTSD was partly based on this test which was based on her lies. At one point JM tried to ask about a specific question on the test but the Doc couldn’t find the questions…he said he would bring it tomorrow.  He appeared incompetent.
3. They talked about the (supposed) rope she was tied up with for a sex act.  Apparently she told the Doc that her hands AND feet were tied up, inconsistent with her former statement.  The Doc then indicated she told him Travis cut the ropes off of her then they took the photos (which we know have no rope in them). JM pointed out it would have been important for the Doc to look at these photos to confirm that she was not lying to him- he   agreed.
4. Court (and the cross) continues at 10 am tomorrow.