Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #11 *Arrest*

[MrJ]

“And I’ve been painted as an evil witch. And the media is making it impossible for me to live in this town. I can’t have friends over. The media is at the house where my children are at. The media are at my sister’s house so I can’t go there. This is unfair.’’

Me me me me. I don't doubt it would've been frustrating. But so much of this is about her. No thought for Ian and hoping for his recovery? You threw the dehydrator out and lied to the police and health workers. You can't lament being painted as an evil witch and then turn around and be less than truthful to people just trying to do the right thing. Which is it, Erin? Either do the right thing or not.

 

[MsMarple]

I've wondered that too.
It's why I think the jury won't be allowed to use things like the dumping of the dehydrator and other bits and pieces when they are considering factors that prove guilt.

JMO

I’m not familiar with Australian law but here in the US anything entered into evidence can be considered by the jury. Sometimes an objection is upheld but apart from that motions are always heard beforehand out of the jury’s hearing. Anything prejudicial is usually struck before it ever enters the courtroom.

Otherwise how exactly would either prosecution or defense be able to demand the jury “unhear” or unsee the evidence?

 

[SouthAussie]

Me me me me. I don't doubt it would've been frustrating. But so much of this is about her. No thought for Ian and hoping for his recovery? You threw the dehydrator out and lied to the police and health workers. You can't lament being painted as an evil witch and then turn around and be less than truthful to people just trying to do the right thing. Which is it, Erin? Either do the right thing or not.

Just out of interest and as a refresher, I took a look at what the jurors could and could not consider in the Greg Lynn trial (with manslaughter off the table).

They were allowed to consider the disposal of the bodies, as incriminating behaviour.

They were not allowed to consider any sympathy they may have had for the deceased or their families.
They were not allowed to consider Lynn stealing money from Russell's wallet, or Lynn failing to properly store his gun.
They were not allowed to consider two questions asked of Lynn by the prosecution, relating to how Lynn used his shotgun on the night Russell and Carol were killed (because there was no evidentiary basis for the questions).

Judge says deaths of Carol Clay and Russell Hill cannot be ruled manslaughter in Greg Lynn trial

Judge Michael Croucher tells the jury that the only charges to be considered are the alleged murders of two Victorian campers, Carol Clay and Russell Hill.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I think her kids were born in about 2009 and 2014, the first inheritance came in 2009 when her grandmother passed away I believe. So while she might have been a SAHM with the kids being little, most mums (especially single mums) do return to work once the children are in primary school. Her children were 9 and 14 in 2023 so would have likely had to return to work when they were younger if it hadn’t been for the inherited money (and especially seeing her and Simon separating in 2015, would be hard to support a family and pay for two households on an engineering wage). JMO

Thanks for clearing up the timeline. Do we have any idea how.much that first CBBC inheritance was?

totally agree. Work isn’t needed to live a fulfilled life but it helps with structure and purpose. Outside of Lego, online sleuthing and editing a local community paper, we don’t know what Erin did with her time while the children were at school.

Don't forget her hobbies of mushroom foraging and dehydrating, and researching medical conditions.

 

[Bats]

Otherwise how exactly would either prosecution or defense be able to demand the jury “unhear” or unsee the evidence?

The judge will instruct the jury on "how" they can use certain evidence.

If certain evidence needs to be "dealt with" in a certain way, the jury will understand that.

 

[SouthAussie]

Thanks for clearing up the timeline. Do we have any idea how.much that first CBBC inheritance was?

I don't know what CBBC means, but Erin's first inheritance was in 2006 ... $2M.


Erin inherited $2 million from her grandmother in 2006, money which was then used to purchase properties and facilitate loans to Simon's siblings.

Erin Patterson doesn't have 'high self-esteem', murder trial hears — as it happened

The jury in Erin Patterson's murder trial hears the accused tried to persuade her estranged husband to attend the lunch where four guests ate meals containing death cap mushrooms. Look back on how the hearing unfolded in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HoneyBunOne]

I don't know what CBBC means, but Erin's first inheritance was in 2006 ... $2M.


Erin inherited $2 million from her grandmother in 2006, money which was then used to purchase properties and facilitate loans to Simon's siblings.

Erin Patterson doesn't have 'high self-esteem', murder trial hears — as it happened

The jury in Erin Patterson's murder trial hears the accused tried to persuade her estranged husband to attend the lunch where four guests ate meals containing death cap mushrooms. Look back on how the hearing unfolded in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

CBBC is apparently what gets typed when your over excited dog taps your phone as you're typing.

 

[MsMarple]

The judge will instruct the jury on "how" they can use certain evidence.

If certain evidence needs to be "dealt with" in a certain way, the jury will understand that.

Ah, I see; that makes better sense, thanks!

 

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[SouthAussie]

"Erin Patterson faces her sixth week on trial for three murders, accused of intentionally serving up a poisonous mushroom dish to her estranged husband's family.

The 50-year-old's defence team will continue to question the case's lead investigator today, after he spent four days in the witness box last week.

The trial before Justice Christopher Beale in the regional Victorian town of Morwell continues."

In her own words: Erin Patterson speaks in murder trial

www.9news.com.au

 

[SouthAussie]

That's a big change of schools. Over an hour away from Leongatha, along the Bass Highway. Google Maps
I have to wonder if that caused consternation among the rest of the family.


"Detective Eppingstall ..... mentions that he did not see a lot of food from Asian or Indian grocers at her home.

“Did you look in my fridge? I’ve got a lot of Asian cooking stuff in my fridge,” she replies

The detective then follows up by asking if Ms Patterson has “more of that kind of stuff” at her second home in the Melbourne suburb of Mount Waverley.

But she tells him no, she cleaned out the pantry and fridge there because she’s “got to sell that place”.

Ms Patterson tells the officer she’s thinking of selling it to buy a home on Phillip Island where her children are now going to school."

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-jury-shown-accused-womans-police-interview-a-week-after-fatal-lunch/news-story/092b8220ba6f0ba839821334a71f629c

 

[Deleted member 363451]

She said she was sick from midnight and the leftovers were eaten by both kids on the Sunday night (the following night), so that can’t be it.

I don't know if anyone has already posted this, but this is a recording of actors re-enacting Erin Patterson's police interview.

 

[MrJ]

Key Event
19m ago

Welcome to the blog​

By Tim Callanan​

Welcome to the start of another week of the Erin Patterson murder trial from the Latrobe Valley Law Courts.

We're expecting more witnesses to be called today to give evidence.

ABC reporter Joseph Dunstan will be giving us updates from inside the courtroom in Morwell.

Erin Patterson tells murder trial about relationship with estranged husband — as it happened

Erin Patterson's triple murder trial continues in Morwell. She's charged with three counts of murder over the deaths of three relatives who died from after eating a meal she prepared containing death cap mushrooms.

www.abc.net.au

 

[MrJ]

Key Event
1m ago

Questioning of witnesses resumes​

By Tim Callanan​

Victoria Police Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall is giving evidence.

He's being questioned by lead defence lawyer Colin Mandy SC.

 

[MrJ]

Key Event
1m ago
Defence takes police witness to images of plates in Erin's home

By Joseph Dunstan

Images tendered by the prosecution which were taken during a police search of Erin Patterson's house on August 5, 2023 are shown to the court.

The stills, which were taken from footage, show plates on a kitchen bench, in a drawer and stacked in a dishwasher.

Erin Patterson's lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, then describes them as black, black-and-red and white. One is colourful with a white background and has light-coloured stripes along it.

Mr Mandy then notes to Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall that those were the plates seen at Erin's house, as captured in the video taken on the day.

 

[MrJ]

1m ago
More photographs shown to witness and jury

By Joseph Dunstan

On Nov 2, 2023, police conducted another search of Erin Patterson's Leongatha home.

Mr Mandy brings up a photograph taken that day, which shows a black laptop, keyboard and mouse sitting on the dining room table.

There's a brief delay as it appears a juror is having issues viewing the exhibit on their tablet device.

Justice Christopher Beale suggests a reboot of the tablet, saying the method "solves about 95 per cent of problems", to a ripple of laughter in the courtroom.

 

[MrJ]

Key Event
Just now
Shelf 'rearranged' says witness

By Joseph Dunstan

Further images from November 2023 appear to show the same white shelves photographed in the police search conducted in August 2023.

Colin Mandy SC suggests some items which were visible in the earlier search, such as a keyboard, are no longer visible.

"That shelf has been rearranged," Leading Senior Constable Eppingstall agrees.

 

[MrJ]

Key Event
1m ago
Diagram shows 'flow' of SIM card

By Tim Callanan

Mr Mandy is now talking about communication between Don and Gail Patterson and Erin Patterson.

He puts it to the witness whether some of the content of messages from Don's phone was not accessed by police and Mr Eppingstall agrees.

There is now discussion of a "flow chart" that sets out the three relevant SIM cards under investigation in the case.

Mr Mandy says the diagram shows a SIM card "flows" through several phones from 2019.

 

[MrJ]

Wow.... BBM

3m ago
Phone and SIM flow chart

By Joseph Dunstan

The court is then shown what's described as a "phone and SIM flow chart".

The font is extremely small and hard to read clearly in the media overflow room.

But it shows SIM cards on the left of the diagram, with phones in vertical columns going down.

One SIM card, ending in 783, moves between several devices between January 2019 and August 2023.

The diagram suggests this includes at least seven devices.

 

[MsMarple]

Key Event
19m ago

Welcome to the blog​

By Tim Callanan​

Welcome to the start of another week of the Erin Patterson murder trial from the Latrobe Valley Law Courts.

We're expecting more witnesses to be called today to give evidence.

ABC reporter Joseph Dunstan will be giving us updates from inside the courtroom in Morwell.

Erin Patterson tells murder trial about relationship with estranged husband — as it happened

Erin Patterson's triple murder trial continues in Morwell. She's charged with three counts of murder over the deaths of three relatives who died from after eating a meal she prepared containing death cap mushrooms.

www.abc.net.au

Apologies, a dear friend who recently lost her husband stopped by so I’m not able to post right now. I’ll be back later and thank you for the updates!