Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #12 *Arrest*

[LinasK]

yes she is being very crafty in her answers...

Yes to me she's being weasly, claiming that she doesn't remember when it suits her, like when it's damning.

 

[Detechtive]

Yes, not disagreeing that it was her decision. But I am super confident that it was on her team's recommendation to do that.

Why's that? Literally no defence ever recommends this.

 

[MsMarple]

Selective memory...

Deceptive memory.

 

[MrJ]

"Erin responds that "nobody was interested in what I did months and years ago" during those conversations."

Why did we need a long sob story for the past couple of days then?

 

[LinasK]

Erin said.. Erin responds that "nobody was interested in what I did months and years ago" during those conversations, and that everything was all centred specifically on the meal.

She is starting to feel the pressure..! This is what Dr Rogers wants to see

Oh, we're interested. The court probably has no idea that this trial is being followed around the world.

 

[Bats]

Why's that? Literally no defence ever recommends this.

Well, for one, it would be pretty silly to go against the advice of your extremely experienced team....who are on your side.

But apart from that, I just think it's clearly obvious its part of their strategy. It's not the norm but it's not unheard of.

 

[Lisa4]

From what I can find, survival after deathcap ingestion of any amount is impossible unless there is prompt and intensive medical action.

Refer this article March 2022 Are wild mushrooms safe: Sydney man's close call after tasting mushroom from his garden

Man tasted a tiny piece, violently ill within 2 hours, wife immediately rushed him to hospital where "He spent two nights in hospital and needed 5 litres of saline through an IV drip and three rounds of blood tests.
Mr Herrman said he "was very, very lucky" to get away with as little medical treatment as he did."

*Note, from another source, it is believed this man consumed lepiota venenata mushroom, LESS dangerous than deathcap mushroom.

So it appears he was receiving treatment within 5-6 hours, after eating a tiny piece of a "less dangerous" mushroom...

https://fungimap.org.au/about-fungi/edible-poisonous-fungi/

The most deadly is the Amanita phalloides – Death Cap, responsible for 90% of the deaths attributable to fungal poisoning in the world (Southcott, 1996; p. 298). Death is painful and unpleasant. There are no symptoms for the first 12 hours or so, then the victim experiences violent stomach pain and gastroenteritis, followed by vomiting and diarrhoea. Then the effects pass, but only for a couple of days. By that time the toxin has smashed its way through the victim’s liver and kidneys, giving A. phalloides an unenviable 50% death rate (Southcott, 1996; p. 300). Should you survive, you are likely to have major kidney and liver damage.

 

[LinasK]

It is highly doubtful that they recommended that she testified. That would more than likely been her decision, in which case they would have told her that she is going to need to fess up to a lot of the lies if she is to have a shot at appearing credible, which, IMO, she has no chance at.

I think she's toast with her admission of having foraged.

 

[Gavel Rash]

The lies, the deceptive actions and the complete lack of any remorse for the deceased, should it have been a huge mistake ie admitting foraging and perhaps chance of contamination is sending out many red flags.

 

[LinasK]

Well, for one, it would be pretty silly to go against the advice of your extremely experienced team....who are on your side.

But apart from that, I just think it's clearly obvious its part of their strategy. It's not the norm but it's not unheard of.

And yet many suspects do testify against the advice of their lawyers. It's purely the defendant's decision. So their lawyer has to work with the strategy the client is good with.

 

[L_B]

Why does the "nobody was interested in what I did months and years ago" make me think of years ago alleged poisoning of Simon

 

[Scooby-Doo]

Oh, we're interested. The court probably has no idea that this trial is being followed around the world.

She is now dictating to Dr Rogers what she should only be saying. Lol

 

[Lisa4]

I think she had never experienced a true episode of food poisoning of any sort and so believed from her internet research that the symptoms would appear as bad gastro.

Trust me, once you've experienced food poisoning yourself you will never make this mistake. Once you know, you know. OH BOY do you know...!

 

[LinasK]

I think she had never experienced a true episode of food poisoning of any sort and so believed from her internet research that the symptoms would appear as bad gastro.

Trust me, once you've experienced food poisoning yourself you will never make this mistake. Once you know, you know. OH BOY do you know...!

Yes and stuffing yourself with cake, coffee, chili, hotdogs isn't going to feel the same either.

 

[ch_13]

Erin said.. Erin responds that "nobody was interested in what I did months and years ago" during those conversations, and that everything was all centred specifically on the meal.

She is starting to feel the pressure..! This is what Dr Rogers wants to see

Of course the medical team would have been keen to learn that she went foraging months ago, then dehydrated the mushrooms and stored them in her pantry. But since they didn't specifically ask if she had dehydrated mushrooms in her pantry then she's claiming she was truthful with them.

IMO, she thinks being really cunning with her "rules-lawyering". But I think the jury will more likely see her evasiveness as outright deceit.

 

[drsleuth]

Of course the medical team would have been keen to learn that she went foraging months ago and then dehydrated the mushrooms and stored them in her pantry. But since they didn't specifically ask if she had dehydrated mushrooms in her pantry then she's claiming she was truthful with them.

IMO, she thinks being really cunning with her "rules-lawyering". But I think the jury will more likely see her evasiveness as outright deceit.

I do too.

 

[LinasK]

I do too.

It occurs to me that the real reason to dehydrate the Death Caps is to hide them (Shrink them in size, pulverize them into powder). Still get the toxins, but not visible. Someone here just said that she tried to commit the perfect murder. Only the experts figured out that the toxins were Death Caps- not her lame excuse that the mushrooms were from Woolworth's and a mystery Asian grocer.

 

[L_B]

It occurs to me that the real reason to dehydrate the Death Caps is to hide them (Shrink them in size, pulverize them into powder). Still get the toxins, but not visible. Someone here just said that she tried to commit the perfect murder. Only the experts figured out that the toxins were Death Caps- not her lame excuse that the mushrooms were from Woolworth's and a mystery Asian grocer.

I think someone mentioned in a previous thread, she may have been better off to not have mushrooms in the dish and just have the powder.. so when asked what they ate, eg we had shepherds pie / lasagna / etc then it wouldn't have rung any alarm bells. But I don't think she realised how fast the drs would identify the possible source of their illness when they heard mushrooms.

 

[browneyes]

Erin seems to be handling the cross-examination well so far, I my opinion.

She has obviously been well tutored by her team on how to answer the questions. I'm sure they'd be happy with their decision to recommend she take the stand and testify (my speculation only).

Just my opinion and observations.

I don’t think continually answering “I don’t know or I don’t remember” makes her a good witness. IMO

 

[LinasK]

The point is that Heather noticed that the guests plates- be they light grey or whatever color were noticeably different in color/pattern from Erin's and probably not for any innocent reason. Why not use the more distinctive and memorable black & white ones?

Quoting myself to further explain better- it would have been less suspicious if even she'd given one of the guests the odd-colored/sized plate and given herself a grey one. Instead, all of her guests- who all got violently ill from Death Caps in her meal had the same plates, while she who only had minor gastro symptoms- seemingly cured by Imodium and Ginger Tea had a different plate. That's highly suspicious and suggests color-coding to me so that she knew who had the poisoned portions.