The Exorcism of Emily Rose Page #6

...powers and rulers of darkness.

Counsel Bruner, my courtroom day | begins at 9:30 a.m.

- I'm sorry, Your Honor, l... | - Which was 17 minutes ago.

Ready to proceed?

Yes, Your Honor.

Dr. Briggs, please state | your qualifications for the court.

I have advanced degrees | in medicine...

...psychiatry and neurology | from Johns Hopkins...

...and I have had three books | and several dozen papers published...

...in the fields of neurology | and neuropsychiatry.

What was the cause of death, | as determined by the autopsy?

The decedent expired due to a gradual | shutdown of the bodily functions.

Why did her body shut down?

The autopsy found | that it was a cumulative effect...

...from numerous physical traumas | exacerbated by malnutrition...

...which severely inibited her ability | to recuperate from those traumas.

In other words, her starving body | had little or no means to recover...

...from the injuries it was sustaining, | and so it eventually just gave out.

How did Emily get these injuries?

Some were the result | of violent epileptic seizures...

...and some were self-inflicted.

And why, in your opinion, | did Emily injure herself...

...and why did she stop eating?

Upon review | of her complete medical file...

...I concluded that Emily's epilepsy | had evolved...

...into a condition known as | psychotic epileptic disorder.

This is a rare development, | to be sure...

...but one that I have witnessed | numerous times.

- Emily was epileptic and psychotic? | - Yes.

Explain how this psychotic epileptic | disorder would manifest itself.

The seizures would have | the symptoms of schizophrenia...

and visual hallucinations...

... and sometimes extreme paranoia.

and slightly contort the body.

making the eyes appear black.

So you believe | that Emily had epilepsy...

...which developed into | a form of violent psychosis...

...a condition that can be controlled | with Gambutrol?

Yes. And it would've been, | if she'd continued her treatment.

In your opinion, if Emily | had continued with her medication...

...would she be alive today? | - Absolutely.

If treated early, psychotic epileptic | disorder is rarely fatal.

I mean, this...

This was a very sick girl.

The defendant should've realized | that Emily was in need...

...of continued medical treatment.

Thank you, doctor. Your witness.

Doctor, you testified that Gambutrol | could've controlled Emily's condition.

How do you know that?

It's the inevitable result | of taking the drug.

It would've controlled | her seizures...

...which were the root cause | of her psychosis.

But wasn't Emily still experiencing | psychotic symptoms...

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