Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #12 *Arrest*
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Just now - 02:33 PMMax Corstorphan
She says she only found out “indirectly” that Heather and Ian Wilkinson were unwell on Monday.
Ms Patterson told the court she “doesn’t remember” a conversation where she was asked if she “went mushrooming” as authorities were growing more concerned about the possibility of death cap poisoning.
She said is she was asked if she “went mushrooming”, she would have asked what the questioner meant.
“Is your evidence today that you don’t understand the word mushrooming?” the prosecution asked.
“I would have wanted to know what she meant by mushrooming,” Ms Patterson replied.
“It is not a phrase that I have or would use. I would use forage if I meant picking.”
Ms Patterson then defined foraging as “pick and eat”.
thenightly.com.au
‘Pick and eat’: Patterson’s definition of ‘mushrooming’ and ‘foraging’
Erin Patterson claims she found out that Don and Gail Patterson were unwell on Sunday, after her Saturday lunch.She says she only found out “indirectly” that Heather and Ian Wilkinson were unwell on Monday.
Ms Patterson told the court she “doesn’t remember” a conversation where she was asked if she “went mushrooming” as authorities were growing more concerned about the possibility of death cap poisoning.
She said is she was asked if she “went mushrooming”, she would have asked what the questioner meant.
“Is your evidence today that you don’t understand the word mushrooming?” the prosecution asked.
“I would have wanted to know what she meant by mushrooming,” Ms Patterson replied.
“It is not a phrase that I have or would use. I would use forage if I meant picking.”
Ms Patterson then defined foraging as “pick and eat”.
Ex ‘would have had beef Wellington too’ if he’d come
LIVE UPDATES: Erin Patterson says she would have served ex-husband Simon Patterson a beef Wellington, too, if he had turned up to the deadly lunch.
thenightly.com.au
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This is going to be interesting to hear her explanation of exactly how the Death Caps got into the Beef Wellingtons if she didn't actively place them into it. I'm guessing that she's heading into the "I wasn't aware" realm.
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Just now - 02:33 PMMax Corstorphan
‘Pick and eat’: Patterson’s definition of ‘mushrooming’ and ‘foraging’
Erin Patterson claims she found out that Don and Gail Patterson were unwell on Sunday, after her Saturday lunch.
She says she only found out “indirectly” that Heather and Ian Wilkinson were unwell on Monday.
Ms Patterson told the court she “doesn’t remember” a conversation where she was asked if she “went mushrooming” as authorities were growing more concerned about the possibility of death cap poisoning.
She said is she was asked if she “went mushrooming”, she would have asked what the questioner meant.
“Is your evidence today that you don’t understand the word mushrooming?” the prosecution asked.
“I would have wanted to know what she meant by mushrooming,” Ms Patterson replied.
“It is not a phrase that I have or would use. I would use forage if I meant picking.”
Ms Patterson then defined foraging as “pick and eat”.
Ex ‘would have had beef Wellington too’ if he’d come
LIVE UPDATES: Erin Patterson says she would have served ex-husband Simon Patterson a beef Wellington, too, if he had turned up to the deadly lunch.
No wonder Simon didn't want to argue with her, IMO
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I kind of am impressed with her performance and coaching, but it's still arguing semantics and her lies are too overwhelming for it to make any difference. The jury might see her as petulant and evasive.
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Key Event
1m ago
Erin's spirituality raised by prosecution
By Joseph Dunstan
Dr Rogers says she will come back to that point about panicking once she finds the exact evidence.
Dr Rogers then moves to the topic of Erin's spirituality and religious beliefs, recapping that she had been helping stream Korumburra Baptist Church services.
She then moves to evidence from one of Erin's Facebook friends with whom she discussed her personal life and topics of shared interest.
"Her evidence was that you wrote or posted that you found it challenging being an atheist while Simon came from a very strong Baptist background," Dr Rogers says.
Erin is asked if she felt close to her Facebook friends, and says "depends" which friend is being spoken about. She says this friend, Christine Hunt, is not someone she feels close to.
"I shared personal things in the private group, but in regards to the Facebook group that Christine Hunt was a member of, I didn't share anything personal after about 2021," Erin says.
"And before that it was quite limited."
"So your evidence is that you did not say or post that you were an atheist?" Dr Rogers asks.
Erin says she did not post that message.
1m ago
Erin's spirituality raised by prosecution
By Joseph Dunstan
Dr Rogers says she will come back to that point about panicking once she finds the exact evidence.
Dr Rogers then moves to the topic of Erin's spirituality and religious beliefs, recapping that she had been helping stream Korumburra Baptist Church services.
She then moves to evidence from one of Erin's Facebook friends with whom she discussed her personal life and topics of shared interest.
"Her evidence was that you wrote or posted that you found it challenging being an atheist while Simon came from a very strong Baptist background," Dr Rogers says.
Erin is asked if she felt close to her Facebook friends, and says "depends" which friend is being spoken about. She says this friend, Christine Hunt, is not someone she feels close to.
"I shared personal things in the private group, but in regards to the Facebook group that Christine Hunt was a member of, I didn't share anything personal after about 2021," Erin says.
"And before that it was quite limited."
"So your evidence is that you did not say or post that you were an atheist?" Dr Rogers asks.
Erin says she did not post that message.
They must have fallen in when she wasn't looking.
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It was Simon's fault, he magically snuck into her pantry and contaminated the food and the dehydrator.
It was Simon's fault, he magically snuck into her pantry and contaminated the food and the dehydrator.
Like he's done so many times before and even ended up in a coma because of it.
now05.40 BST
Patterson asked about ‘mushrooming’ and ‘foraging’
Rogers says Patterson lied to Stuart at Monash Health when she said she did not go “mushrooming.” Patterson says she would have asked Stuart what she meant by the phrase. She says it is not a phrase she would have used.
She says “mushrooming” could mean a couple of things, including “foraging” and “other uses of mushrooms” that are not eating.
Under questioning by Rogers, Patterson says she uses the word “foraging” to refer to picking and eating.
Patterson denies she deliberately used foraged mushrooms in the beef wellington meal on 29 July 2023.
She says she did not deliberately put death cap mushrooms in the lunch meal.
Patterson asked about ‘mushrooming’ and ‘foraging’
Rogers says Patterson lied to Stuart at Monash Health when she said she did not go “mushrooming.” Patterson says she would have asked Stuart what she meant by the phrase. She says it is not a phrase she would have used.
She says “mushrooming” could mean a couple of things, including “foraging” and “other uses of mushrooms” that are not eating.
Under questioning by Rogers, Patterson says she uses the word “foraging” to refer to picking and eating.
Patterson denies she deliberately used foraged mushrooms in the beef wellington meal on 29 July 2023.
She says she did not deliberately put death cap mushrooms in the lunch meal.
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'I didn't deliberately put death cap mushrooms in the meal': Erin
Dr Rogers asks Erin when she found about the Wilkinsons being sick.“When I got to Leongatha Hospital (on Monday morning) and was spoken to by Dr (Chris) Webster, he said to me that everybody else who ate the lunch had become unwell,” she says.
Returning to the term mushrooming, Erin says it could have multiple meanings, such as foraging or other uses of mushrooms that are “not eating”.
When asked what she means by foraging, she says “pick and eat”.
Dr Rogers suggests to Erin that she knowingly used foraged death cap mushrooms in the beef wellingtons served to her guests.
“No that’s not true,” she replies.
Dr Rogers suggests she deliberately put death caps in the meal.
“I didn’t deliberately put death cap mushrooms in the meal,” Erin says.
Dr Rogers say Erin earlier told the jury she “panicked” after the lunch and did not want to tell people that she had foraged.
Erin says she can’t recall saying that and asks Dr Rogers to take her to that anser.
Dr Rogers pauses for a moment as she looks for the reference.
“I apologise, Ms Patterson, I’ll come back to that at a later time when I’ve found the reference,” she says.
now14.42 AEST
Patterson asked about religious views
Rogers takes Patterson to her prior evidence that she is a Christian.
She says Patterson’s Facebook friend Christine Hunt told the trial the accused said she was an atheist and struggled with Simon coming from a religious background.
Patterson says she did not feel close to Hunt. She says she did not share “anything personal” in the Facebook group chat with Hunt after 2021.
Patterson denies messaging in the group chat that she was an atheist.
“I suggest that’s an untruth,” says Rogers.
Patterson says she did not post this.
Patterson asked about religious views
Rogers takes Patterson to her prior evidence that she is a Christian.
She says Patterson’s Facebook friend Christine Hunt told the trial the accused said she was an atheist and struggled with Simon coming from a religious background.
Patterson says she did not feel close to Hunt. She says she did not share “anything personal” in the Facebook group chat with Hunt after 2021.
Patterson denies messaging in the group chat that she was an atheist.
“I suggest that’s an untruth,” says Rogers.
Patterson says she did not post this.
(Kind of surprised that Rogers does not have a transcript page reference in her notes.)
2.44pm
Senior Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers has cross-examined Patterson about evidence given by Department of Health manager Sally Ann Atkinson, who testified earlier in the trial that she asked Patterson if she had foraged for mushrooms. Patterson told Atkinson at the time that she had bought them, and affirmed that response again to Rogers in court.
Rogers then pressed Patterson on her response to questions from Department of Health official Professor Rhonda Stuart about whether she had been mushrooming, and the meaning of the terms “mushrooming” and “foraging”.
www.theage.com.au
Prosecutor grills Patterson on her definition of ‘foraging’
By
The court has returned from its adjournment, and accused killer Erin Patterson is back in the witness box.Senior Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers has cross-examined Patterson about evidence given by Department of Health manager Sally Ann Atkinson, who testified earlier in the trial that she asked Patterson if she had foraged for mushrooms. Patterson told Atkinson at the time that she had bought them, and affirmed that response again to Rogers in court.
Rogers then pressed Patterson on her response to questions from Department of Health official Professor Rhonda Stuart about whether she had been mushrooming, and the meaning of the terms “mushrooming” and “foraging”.
After a short break to look for the reference, Rogers apologised to the jury and said she would return to the evidence after she found that reference.
Erin Patterson murder trial day 27 as it happened: ‘You thought the lunch guests would die’: A rare invitation and a ‘lie about cancer’
It was rare for Erin Patterson to host guests; having four people over for a meal was not an ordinary, casual event for the mother of two.
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That's ^^^ big that she says she 'didn't know' if she went to Loch on the 28th. I fully expected her to deny deny deny that she was there that day.
It's so dumb that she keeps denying that the photo was death caps----their defense was it was ACCIDENTAL poisoning so why keep denying you had death caps in your kitchen?
1m ago22.37 EDT
The jury is shown another photo with mushroom caps on a tray.
Rogers says mycologist Dr Thomas May gave evidence that the mushrooms were consistent with death caps.
Rogers says: “I suggest to you that these were death caps that you foraged on or after 28 April 2022. Correct?”
Patterson replies: “No, that’s not correct.”
WHY DENY THIS? Isn't this their defense? They are supposedly admitting she accidentally saved death caps so why does she keep lying about it still?
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I have heard the word "crafty" being used to describe intelligent women before.
More than once.
More than once.
Last edited:
Prosecution should have the evidence page reference at hand to refute that claim.
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Key Event
1m ago
Prosecution questions Erin's use of emojis
By Joseph Dunstan
Dr Rogers then brings up before the court a Facebook message from Erin to her friends that we've seen several times before.
It's from December 2022, during financial disagreements with Simon. In it, Erin vents to her friends about her parents-in-law being reluctant to take sides in the dispute.
In it, she says that Don Patterson said "all he can ask is that Simon and I get together to pray for the children
", using what Dr Rogers refers to as two eyeroll emojis.
In another message from that time, Erin wrote that Don had suggested a solution was that Simon and her get together and "try to talk and pray together
" using two emojis, which Erin says show a straight line smile underneath.
Dr Rogers notes that emojis are a deliberate choice made by a user, and asks Erin what she'd call the emojis.
"All I can say about it, it's a face with a straight line for a mouth," Erin says.
"I don't know what I'd call it."
"Even though you used it?" Dr Rogers asks?
"Yeah," Erin replies.
Dr Rogers takes her to another emoji after a reference to prayer again in the message. They disagree about whether it's an eyeroll emoji.
"There's a better eyeroll emoji than these ... I can't see anything about eyes rolling in there," Erin says.
Dr Rogers suggests Erin was "mocking" the advice from her in-laws there, partly the religious component they sat beside.
"I wasn't mocking, I was frustrated," Erin says.
1m ago
Prosecution questions Erin's use of emojis
By Joseph Dunstan
Dr Rogers then brings up before the court a Facebook message from Erin to her friends that we've seen several times before.
It's from December 2022, during financial disagreements with Simon. In it, Erin vents to her friends about her parents-in-law being reluctant to take sides in the dispute.
In it, she says that Don Patterson said "all he can ask is that Simon and I get together to pray for the children
", using what Dr Rogers refers to as two eyeroll emojis.In another message from that time, Erin wrote that Don had suggested a solution was that Simon and her get together and "try to talk and pray together
" using two emojis, which Erin says show a straight line smile underneath.Dr Rogers notes that emojis are a deliberate choice made by a user, and asks Erin what she'd call the emojis.
"All I can say about it, it's a face with a straight line for a mouth," Erin says.
"I don't know what I'd call it."
"Even though you used it?" Dr Rogers asks?
"Yeah," Erin replies.
Dr Rogers takes her to another emoji after a reference to prayer again in the message. They disagree about whether it's an eyeroll emoji.
"There's a better eyeroll emoji than these ... I can't see anything about eyes rolling in there," Erin says.
Dr Rogers suggests Erin was "mocking" the advice from her in-laws there, partly the religious component they sat beside.
"I wasn't mocking, I was frustrated," Erin says.
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