Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #10 *Arrest*

[BreakingNews]

I trust that jurors take seriously the judge's warning not to google stuff that they heard in evidence today. Reportedly he reminded them that they are not investigators.

The last thing we need in a technically detailed case like this is a mistrial called part way through due to juror misbehavior.

Thankfully when I was a juror on a murder trial we didn't have mobile phone. Each night when I went home, I was exhausted and just went to bed. I had no energy to watch news, nor even talk with my partner. Just yearned for normality. In those days, courts didn't finish early. Most days we went until 5.30 to 6pm.
We took on every word the judge told us.

 

[BreakingNews]

Does anyone remember when their church ran a workshop about growing mushrooms in burlap? I have been searching different keywords in the thread and can't find it. I know we posted about it way back somewhere because it was in one of the church newsletters.

I was wondering if it was after Tom May spoke at the Korumburra Middle Pub on 28th May 2021.
I was also wondering if that is why Erin didn't want anyone to look in her pantry. Do mushrooms have to grow in a darkened place?

When I tried to grow mushrooms, the kit said to keep it in a dark place. In hindsight, tropical Australia is not conjusive to growing mushrooms.

 

[MrJ]

Thankfully when I was a juror on a murder trial we didn't have mobile phone. Each night when I went home, I was exhausted and just went to bed. I had no energy to watch news, nor even talk with my partner. Just yearned for normality. In those days, courts didn't finish early. Most days we went until 5.30 to 6pm.
We took on every word the judge told us.

This is a fascinating insight, appreciate you sharing this with us. I’m just remembering (and trying to keep this relevant to the case) that one juror was dismissed for talking about this particular trial to someone else. How was that sort of behaviour prevented from your experience and how did you keep track of all the evidence presented? I’m imagining it must’ve been overwhelming

 

[CityKid]

I don't see how it helps the defense that she was normal and calm because it tends to show that she was not 'unwell', like they are trying to show. She told people she was unwell at that time but it doesn't really look like it here, nor did she seem unwell when the ambulance transferred her to the other hospital. Nor while she was in the hospital.

The 4 other victims were sliding into comas and she was perfectly fine.

So I am not sure this clip helps the defense too much. Buying sandwiches at a gas station is not indicative of someone who fears they have food poisoning already, imo.

Or perhaps someone claiming to be sick might want to induce a minor bit of food poisoning by eating service station food? MOO

 

[SouthAussie]

3. Ex newsletter editor ​

Ms Patterson took over a local newsletter from her now dead former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson in 2018, editing The Burra Flyer newsletter until 2020.

The 2019 September-November edition of the newsletter included details of a local workshop teaching people in the community how to grow their own mushrooms. In the Korumburra workshop people would be taught “how to grow gourmet mushrooms at home using easy to source materials and low-tech methods”, it spruiked.

“The class includes making your own oyster mushroom grow bag to take home, teaching notes and a delicious afternoon tea,” a notice in the newsletter read.

There is no suggestion that the details published in this newsletter are in any way linked to the alleged mushroom lunch poisonings.

Is it from this community newsletter?
The Burra Flyer 2019
Page 43

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/64ee9fbc5f35271034ee8f5e/t/64f9974de85117457ee177fe/1694078861451/2019-09-spring-compressed.pdf

Thank you both. 2019.
No wonder I couldn't find it. I was searching on "church newsletter" and "burlap" when it was neither of those things! It was the Burra Flyer and oyster bags.

 

[Ellery84]

So, on 28th May 2021 (not 2022, when Erin googled Korumburra Middle Pub) Dr Tom May - who has already testified at this trial as an expert from the Royal Botanical Gardens - appeared as an after-dinner speaker at the Korumburra Middle Pub.

Maybe Erin saw this notice (that has been shown to me) on Google on 28th May 2022, and looked to see if he was at the pub that night. He wasn't.

He was there the year before, but the announcement doesn't state a year.
(In 2022 the 28th was a Sunday)

Or maybe she went to hear him speak there in 2021, and was looking to see if he would be there again.

View attachment 587582

https://www.basscoastlandcare.org.au/uploads/8/9/8/3/89835233/korumburra_land_care_meeting_210528.pdf

That is brilliant.

 

[Lisa4]

[Sorry, seems my attempt to quote my original post failed - ref #402 ]
Appreciate the reactions, thank you! Still hoping to hear whether anyone has seriously considered that EP was secretly starring in her own real-life AC plot? Personally I believe it's a genuine possibility (albeit very unlikely to be proven unless she were to state so herself). Furthermore, according to Google, it wouldn't be the first time a murder was inspired by AC books (!)

 

[Yh5r]

That is brilliant.

Totally! Sleuthing at its best!

 

[BreakingNews]

This is a fascinating insight, appreciate you sharing this with us. I’m just remembering (and trying to keep this relevant to the case) that one juror was dismissed for talking about this particular trial to someone else. How was that sort of behaviour prevented from your experience and how did you keep track of all the evidence presented? I’m imagining it must’ve been overwhelming

We were too tired and sick of confusing evidence at the end of each day to talk. However once deliberation started we were kept together, in the days when we were put in a motel for the night. They dont do that these days. Just tell jurors to keep it to themselves. I'm wondering if the dismissed juror was one of the original 12. If he was, juror #13 would move into his place. If he was a spare juror, that would just limit the spares to 2.

 

[SouthAussie]

We were too tired and sick of confusing evidence at the end of each day to talk. However once deliberation started we were kept together, in the days when we were put in a motel for the night. They dont do that these days. Just tell jurors to keep it to themselves. I'm wondering if the dismissed juror was one of the original 12. If he was, juror #13 would move into his place. If he was a spare juror, that would just limit the spares to 2.

I believe they said they hadn't designated which 12 would be deciding the verdict. That they would take a ballot at the end of the trial to choose the 12 jurors.


Fourteen jurors remain on the case, which still has several weeks left to run.

When all the evidence is completed, two other jurors will be balloted off, to leave a final 12 to make the call on whether Erin Patterson is guilty or acquitted of murder and attempted murder charges.

One juror dismissed, 14 remain in mushroom murder trial

A juror has been discharged from the Erin Patterson trial, after reports emerged that he had been discussing the case with family and friends.

www.abc.net.au

 

[BreakingNews]

I believe they said they hadn't designated which 12 would be deciding the verdict. That they would take a ballot at the end of the trial to choose the 12 jurors.


Fourteen jurors remain on the case, which still has several weeks left to run.

When all the evidence is completed, two other jurors will be balloted off, to leave a final 12 to make the call on whether Erin Patterson is guilty or acquitted of murder and attempted murder charges.

One juror dismissed, 14 remain in mushroom murder trial

A juror has been discharged from the Erin Patterson trial, after reports emerged that he had been discussing the case with family and friends.

www.abc.net.au

Oh I didn't realise that. I was under the assumption that they go in order of being called. Eg is thevjft

 

[Bats]

DBM

 

[BreakingNews]

Remembering that Simon collapsed and was gravely ill in May 2022.

View attachment 587563
Mushroom cook’s ex ‘almost died’ from mystery gut illness

However not of this can be taken into consideration now. Simon's charges are dropped and can't be brought up in a fair trial for Erin

 

[Warshawski]

At a glance.....
It looks like she upgraded her phone in February.
New phone is phone A and old phone is phone B.
She gave phone B to one of the kids then took it back on August 2nd did a factory reset and then put her sim card in that phone on August 3rd.
Whatever was on the phone from August 3rd to August 5th - she didn't want known.
Nor did she want phone A scrutinised at all.

Yep, all plausible for me too.

However since use of each phone was recorded on a different mobile number, it appears something must be suggesting that both phone numbers were used by EP.

 

[Warshawski]

If the accused throws her phone out somewhere in the toilet at the BP service station in those 9
seconds, wouldn't the service employee there find it? I can't see it going down the toilet. The police would contact him/her after viewing the CCTV?

No one looks in the Sanitary Bins (imo)

 

[Warshawski]

Did she buy anything? I can’t recall. Might have been perusing to appear to enter the service station to purchase rather than just use the bathroom. Generally sign posted for ‘customers only’.

I do know that salty biscuits or chips work well if your desperate to settle your stomach outside the house (yes, gas station food) but leaving the house for a long journey plus wearing white pants does seem odd. It was 24+ hrs after lunch, her symptoms might have settled whereas her guests were deteriorating. I realise that these points all suggest she was perfectly fine and free of toxins but I don’t think every action screams guilt either.

A couple of different sandwiches I think were reported upstream, along with some lollies. ….. I have no idea of the reality.

I just struggle with a scenario where one continues to go about one’s usual daily activities while one's lunch guests of yesterday are now hospitalised with severe gastro symptoms…. …and said carrying out of one’s activities is done with not a care in the world for the well-being of the people you hosted at lunch the day before !

Maybe I’m mistaken, but in my world we / I host people who I care about & whose company I enjoy & value. If I’m alerted at any time of them being poorly, it impacts me & motivates me to reach out in care & concern for them.

I’m trying so hard to remain objective & to hear all the evidence put forward in what is a dreadful situation, but also a somewhat fascinating case.

However certain things resonate for me, as I’m sure certain things will resonate for each member of the jury.

I don’t envy them their task … and I pray for individual guidance in these deliberations

 

[JBowie]

However since use of each phone was recorded on a different mobile number, it appears something must be suggesting that both phone numbers were used by EP.

I'm puzzled as to how EP indeed operated the two phones and the two SIM cards and why it's proposed that she disposed of one of them. I hope the prosecution's witnesses are called on to explain all of that.

 

[Warshawski]

I think the service station receipts may be more accurate. The police could probably track back for the actual purchases, as many receipts (and cash register records) state what a person bought.

For all we know, the son may be confusing what she bought and did on that trip to flying lessons with a different trip to his flying lessons.

My experience of 14 year old boys is that they’d forget their head if not screwed on !

But also that it’s a challenging age for boys, as they wrangle all the hormonal changes, and the lurking offshoots of same.

Depending on the situation ( or even the moment) they will often waft between not wanting to be seen with Mum V wanting a cuddle V being Mum’s biggest supporter ( and protector if needed) and for some, wondering if there will ever be a day when their father begins to care or even be a father.

IMO it’s a minority of people in a ‘split’ situation who put themselves/ their hurt aside in order to be wholesome parents for their shared children. ….who are no doubt the envy of those who don’t have that situation.

Despite the fact that I thought the interviews with Erin & Simon’s children were clumsily / even unempathetically done, and also missed a lot of opportunities, I didn’t get a comfortable feeling from either of their statements I think those kids were subliminally coached, as they possibly have been against their father for many years.

Simon said she’s a clever person - ‘clever’ can also mean ‘manipulative’ imo . ( and I'm not suggesting he was a saint! Obviously it wasn’t a loved up marriage for whatever reason, but people across the globe have weathered that situation without being faced with charges of Murder & Attempted Murder )

Just my own personal thoughts.

 

[Warshawski]

I don't think they would have taken the kids phones. They were not POI's and it wouldn't be easy to get a court to grant that.

Any ‘phones’ ie connections on her phone account would be deemed as her’s / her responsibility so IMO it would be quite lacking in their investigation for Police to not explore them.

 

[SouthAussie]

However not of this can be taken into consideration now. Simon's charges are dropped and can't be brought up in a fair trial for Erin

Understood. But I can see how charges were drawn up even though they have been retracted.

A lot of fungi study going on right before Simon's grave collapse and coma.

imo