Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #14 *Arrest*

[CuriousDetective]

RSBM
In fact, she seems very healthy, especially for someone who has apparently paid very little attention to diet and exercise.

How do you know she hasn’t paid attention to diet and exercise specifically?

 

[SouthAussie]

I haven't seen anything about how EPs grandmother died ~ she inherited from her, too.

Erin's grandmother died in a nursing home in Adelaide in 2006. She was quite elderly - some records say 102, some say 85 - the confusion may be due to her Egyptian birth records and the Great War.

Even though Erin received $2M inheritance, it came through in dribs and drabs, and most of her grandmother's money stayed in South Australia.

As per this article:
How Erin Patterson’s family money helped build a comfortable life

 

[Old Soul]

Possibly the only redeeming thing Erin has done is taking the dehydrator to the recycling Centre at the tip instead of illegally dumping it in the bush somewhere.
Ironically it is this action that seems to be the beginning of her undoing….I bet she regrets that decision.

 

[Detechtive]

RSBM
In fact, she seems very healthy, especially for someone who has apparently paid very little attention to diet and exercise.

How does she seem healthy? She is morbidly obese.

 

[Kemug]

To become a registered nurse or midwife in Australia, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia (NMBA), in conjunction with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra), requires all applicants to undergo a criminal history check. This process ensures that only individuals who are suitable and safe to practise are granted registration.

RSBM
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[CityKid]

'Not even a forensic toxicologist could do that in a lab': Crown disputes children's meals​

Dr Rogers said the “first time we see any effort made” by Erin to have her children medically assessed was hours after she’d first been warned of the danger they might have ingested toxic mushrooms.
Dr Rogers said the “perfectly reasonable explanation” for why she hadn’t rushed her children to hospital was because she knew they hadn’t eaten death cap mushrooms.
“The evidence strongly suggests that if the children had eaten leftover meat from the poisoned beef wellington, they too would have at least experienced some symptoms,” she said.
The jury heard the meat part of the leftovers retrieved from the bin at Erin’s home tested positive for death cap toxins.
Dr Rogers said this was evidence that the amatoxins had penetrated, or remained, on the cooked meat.
“The accused attempted to explain why the children weren’t sick by repeatedly saying she’d scraped the mushrooms off, however scientific evidence suggest simply scraping it away would not have been enough to remove the toxins,” she said.
Dr Rogers told the jury to reject explanations from the defence that the mushrooms paste simply “couldn’t be separated” from the meat that was tested at the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine.
“It is impossible, we suggest to you, that the accused could have served up a piece of leftover steak with all of the mushroom paste removed,” she said.
“Not even a forensic toxicologist managed to do that in a lab.”

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/the-mushroom-cook/erin-patterson-trial-live-closing-addresses-expected-in-mushroom-murder-trial/live-coverage/299fa80376bd369a989157187008c323#/entry/32248079

BBM. I'm glad she stated this directly. MOO I think many of us postulated that the toxin would have permeated the meat, but stating it to the jury makes it more impactful.

 

[MrJ]

The written statement to the cops was the beginning of the end for her chances of not getting charged imo. The media appearance was very odd though. And her testimony made things worse for her. IMO

 

[CityKid]

I dare say the day of the week strategy was intentional based on this.

1m ago
Erin's inability to recall Asian grocer's location 'beggars belief', jury told

By Joseph Dunstan and Judd Boaz

Dr Rogers tells the jury that "even if you could accept" that the precise location of an Asian grocer might not be easily remembered, you would think you'd do everything you could to try and recall it "for the sake of your very ill family members and for the sake of anyone else who might be exposed".

The prosecutor tells the jury that instead, the accused "sat on her hands while Don, Gail, Ian and Heather were all in comas".

The prosecutor tells the jury that during Ms Patterson's considerable time in the witness box, they would have observed her "remarkable memory" as she recalled dates, evidence and details with ease.

Dr Rogers notes that last week, when discussing a date in April 2023, Ms Patterson even corrected her on what day of the week it had been.

She also tells the jury that Ms Patterson had seemingly described to health officials in great detail the off-brand packaging she had allegedly bought the mushrooms in, despite disposing of it months earlier.

Dr Rogers then tells the jury "it simply beggars belief" that Ms Patterson "could not recall the shop or even the suburb" where she had purchased the mushrooms when asked in the aftermath of the lunch.

BBM. I believe a number of us here thought Rogers deliberately erred with the date to get EP to correct her and simultaneously show how good her memory was. Kudos to Rogers for this entire summation.

 

[303gmf]

I'm sure it's been mentioned here before (hope this is allowed) - the 'famous' behaviour panel did a body language analysis. It is intriguing!

There's a longer one somewhere.

Her choice of pants… oh Erin

 

[Bats]

Regarding EP’s note taking. Does this normally happen?
Perhaps she is fearing a guilty verdict and is note taking in readiness for a possible appeal?
Wonder what the jury thinks of this?

I doubt this is unusual and I think this may be recommended by her defence team.

Personally, I think the optics of someone taking notes would look a lot better than someone showing their emotions.

Also, the defence team will be listening carefully to the closing by Dr Rogers and will likely be tailoring their closing here and there. Erin would feed back some of her thoughts too, no doubt.

 

[CityKid]

Dr Rogers summing up of Erin's lies and inconsistencies is just brilliant!

If only Maggie Smith were alive to portray Rogers in the movie I'm casting in my head!

 

[Old Soul]

If only Maggie Smith were alive to portray Rogers in the movie I'm casting in my head!

Who are you casting as Erin?

 

[Deleted member 363451]

If only Maggie Smith were alive to portray Rogers in the movie I'm casting in my head!

Dear Maggie.

 

[Kemug]

The offence of perjury in Victoria is governed by both common law and legislation. The Victorian offence of perjury is a serious offence and carries a maximum penalty of 15 years imprisonment.

The Offence of Perjury (Vic) - Go To Court

The elements of the offence of perjury differ between the state and commonwealth jurisdictions. Read more to know your rights now.

www.gotocourt.com.au

So, in theory, if found guilty could she be given time for murder, plus time for perjury?

 

[Lisa4]

Possibly the only redeeming thing Erin has done is taking the dehydrator to the recycling Centre at the tip instead of illegally dumping it in the bush somewhere.
Ironically it is this action that seems to be the beginning of her undoing….I bet she regrets that decision.

Yeah nah. She was hoping to quietly get it back once all the fuss had died down. IMO

 

[CityKid]

Who are you casting as Erin?

I just saw Margo Martindale on an episode of Poker Face (Netflix; I highly recommend it) and I think she'd be fantastic. Of course, based on Misery, I think Kathy Bates would also be great.

 

[Kemug]

How do you know she hasn’t paid attention to diet and exercise specifically?

Can't remember! Anyone?

 

[Kemug]

,

How does she seem healthy? She is morbidly obese.

Sorry Detechtive, I just meant that the doctors could find nothing wrong with her. xx

 

[Spectrix]

How do you know she hasn’t paid attention to diet and exercise specifically?

Three Dim Sims, a hot dog, a coffee, a ham, cheese, and tomato sandwich, a sweet chili chicken wrap, and an entire bag of sour confectionery have entered the chat...

 

[lazymaiden07]

I was thinking, the other day, that for all the good they have done in this world their horrific, painful deaths and near-death were extremely unjust.

The prosecution's summary has brought home just how unjust this case really is. Don, Gail and the family would have suffered themselves during SP's stint in ICU, and here they are lured to their own deaths. No chance to defend or protect themselves, nothing. Just more misery inflicted upon the family. MOO

She is doing a great job. I like the comparisons between how unwell the guests were becoming and what Erin was doing - driving around, feeding the leftovers to her children

I love this approach too- I think this was a deliberate tactic on the part of Dr Rogers to drive home the point of just how detached EP was from the suffering of her lunch guests

To be an air traffic controller, a person has to go through a rigorous screening process and it takes a long time training. Also it makes a difference if she was working for commercial airlines or the military but often after the training, there's a requirement to commit for a few years.

I guess she's a free agent and if she didn't enjoy or got into some form of conflict or such then it's her right to swap careers. Maybe she just never found anything that held her attention long term but nursing of all things, I personally don't believe that - is there any proof of this story or is it something she's said to make herself appear worthy, humble and likeable?

I think @Detechtive was possibly alluding to the reason here, but not able to comment until after the trial. Yes, did they check for an enrolment? What was the name of the university/educational institute she was considering applying to? I call rubbish on the story too, would've been good to know either way.