 There are a few things that are unclear about this whole episode of the mini-stroke and the lawyers and High Court's failure to take it into account During the US appeal hearing. I'm not a doctor, but I don't think symptoms of stroke precede a stroke They appear during or after and it would appear that Julian is likely to have had the episode Just prior to the hearing and his inability to animate at the right side of his face or keep his head up without Supporting it with his palm would have been an effect of the mini-stroke or transient ischemic attack This may also be the reason his lawyers were told he would not attend the video link Due to an increase in medication which was unexplained and which Fitzgerald announced at the beginning of the hearing The implication I think it was in fact made explicit was that Julian did not wish to attend I subsequently asked Stella about this and she told me that he had wanted to attend But the prison had not allowed it. I went Julian Unexpectedly appeared and was obviously extremely unwell and or very drugged out Unable to keep his head up with the right side of his face Obviously drooping nothing was made of his appearance This is also odd as on previous occasions the court was certainly able to see him on the video link Now were they unable to see him or was the terrible nature of his appearance ignored and Why would the court not be able to see him when journalists on the video link could? Regarding his mental faculty at the time Julian obviously had still been able to prevail He did attend despite an attempt to prevent him from doing so He also made another decision during the hearing he rose and stepped out of shot He gave up propping his head up. He would have known we were all watching him I have a sense that these two decisions showed that though Julian was in a terrible state physically and his thinking clouded a Small part of him refused to be switched off said I'm alive. I have agency I want to be present at something so significant to me and then I'm not able to control my body I don't want to be gawked at the whole episode is Very muddy and it occurs to me that the very reason an attempt was made to ensure that he did not appear and The court either were not able to see him or ignored the way he looked was precisely so that his Newly deteriorated condition and its possible cause would not become an issue That was certainly the result