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

[katydid23]

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.

"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."

Wow. Dr R did play a trick on her. lol

 

[Detechtive]

I'm late to the party, but just wow.

When you see it laid out so clearly and methodically, it really paints a picture. They've done a fantastic job and I look forward to hearing the rest tomorrow.

Obviously, we need to listen to the defence but it'd hard to imagine what they can really do. They're lucky they get the final say, but they've got an absolute mountain to climb.

Finally, Max sees it like we do!

Welcome to the dark side Max

 

[Detechtive]

Did Don and Gail share this information to their community?

No it was mentioned at their memorial

 

[BreakingNews]

Catching up, thank you to all posters!

If the prosecution completes their closing early tomorrow, the jury might start deliberating on Wednesday, is that correct? If so, we might have a decision before the weekend?

Then the judge does the final directions to the jury. S/he give them 101 in the law and what they have to discuss. It's been my experience that this can as long, or longer than the summing up of both the prosecution and the defence.

 

[Eloise]

Then the judge does the final directions to the jury. S/he give them 101 in the law and what they have to discuss. It's been my experience that this can as long, or longer than the summing up of both the prosecution and the defence.

will the press be there for this and report on it? Or is it too procedural/boring/dry? Is this when they'll say if manslaughter is on/off the table?

 

[jesse]

I don't think it was a deliberate ploy, however it did give Dr Rogers a free kick.

I honestly don't make that much of it. If had been just a random day two years ago, sure, but that was a day significant to the case. I'm sure Erin's been over with her attorneys and even thinking about it when she's alone. That she knew the day of the week doesn't mean much to me.

 

[Megnut]

If a person is unsuccessful in previous attempts to poison, that person might be inspired to up the poison ante, to one that comes with greater odds, practically guaranteed to work if the person works it out mathematically.

In U.S. terms, think of say 6 ounces of mushrooms. Dehydrated, without water weight, you're down below an ounce. You need to add a lot more mushrooms to bring the weight back to 6 ounces. Dehydrated, pulverized, hardly any weight at all. I personally gave up math a long time ago, but to ensure a sufficient weight of mushrooms, a person would be dehydrating a lot of mushrooms. That powder would be sooooooo concentrated, I would think.

Sorry, my metric friends, grams and kilograms are lost on me, and I had to go with ounces in order to try to conceptualize it for my American self.

IMO anyone handling DC mushrooms that have made their way onto a dinner table has probably handled less dangerous ones before. Whether in an Agatha Christie novel or out of one.

JMO

 

[MsMarple]

Hey my friends!

Thank you all for covering the first part of the prosecution’s closing arguments! We’re planning to move 3200 miles across the country this weekend and it’s been crazy! Being able to keep up here has been wonderful.

And wow, Dr. Rogers is doing a bang up job! I don’t know if her associates have been reading here or if we’re all just sharp enough to know what should be emphasized in closing but either way I love that she’s making all our points.

I’m sure Mr. Mandy will present a clear, intelligent closing too as he’s no slacker. But IMO he’s working with a mountain of poo so we’ll just have to see how well the cork works…

 

[MrJ]

I'll be posting updates today with the ABC live blog as soon as it comes online!

 

[Detechtive]

Hey my friends!

Thank you all for covering the first part of the prosecution’s closing arguments! We’re planning to move 3200 miles across the country this weekend and it’s been crazy! Being able to keep up here has been wonderful.

And wow, Dr. Rogers is doing a bang up job! I don’t know if her associates have been reading here or if we’re all just sharp enough to know what should be emphasized in closing but either way I love that she’s making all our points.

I’m sure Mr. Mandy will present a clear, intelligent closing too as he’s no slacker. But IMO he’s working with a mountain of poo so we’ll just have to see how well the cork works…

We may have a verdict during your move!
You’ll need to take regular breaks and check in! Bon voyage!

 

[MrJ]

ABC blog is slow to go online today!

 

[MrJ]

It is up!

Live: Defence argues lack of motive weakens case against Erin Patterson

The accused murderer's legal team has begun delivering its closing address to the jury. Follow our live blog as it happens.

www.abc.net.au

 

[drsleuth]

Erin Patterson murder trial LIVE updates: Accused lied to authorities and in witness box, prosecutor says; defence counsel begins addressing jury

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, says the Crown has proven its case against accused killer Erin Patterson beyond reasonable doubt. Now, the defence barrister is addressing the jury.

www.theage.com.au

10.27am

Prosecution to continue delivering closing address​

By​

Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers, SC, was among the first to arrive at the Latrobe Valley law courts this morning.

Rogers, who is expected to continue delivering her closing address to the jury today, arrived at the legal precinct about 8.09am alongside fellow prosecutor Jane Warren and Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall, the lead investigator in the case.

Prosecutors Nanette Rogers, SC (left), and Jane Warren arrive at court on Tuesday with Detective Leading Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall.Credit: Jason South

After Rogers concludes her address, it will be the defence’s turn to deliver their closing arguments before Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale gives his final directions to the jury and they are sent out to deliberate.

 

[MrJ]

10m ago

Prosecution's closing address continues​

By Melissa Brown​

Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC began summing up her case to the jury yesterday.

She's scheduled to resume her closing address today.

The defence, led by Colin Mandy SC, will have its turn afterwards.

Nanette Rogers SC (ABC News)

Colin Mandy SC (ABC News)

 

[drsleuth]

Australia mushroom trial live: closing arguments in Erin Patterson’s triple murder trial to continue

Victorian woman, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder following a fatal beef wellington lunch in Leongatha in 2023. Follow live

www.theguardian.com

1m ago10.35 AEST
The jurors have returned to the court room in Morwell.

 

[MrJ]

1m ago
Accused dumped dehydrator to 'hide the evidence', jury told

By Joseph Dunstan

The hearing's resumed and crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC is on her feet to finish delivering her closing address to the jury.

She picks up where she left off yesterday, outlining the alleged fourth substantial deception Erin Patterson engaged in after the lunch: the cover-up.

Dr Rogers recaps to the jury they've heard and seen evidence of Ms Patterson dumping her food dehydrator at the local tip on the Wednesday after the lunch.

She says the only explanation for dumping it was that Ms Patterson wanted to "hide the evidence" of a dehydrator that she had "deliberately" used to dehydrate death cap mushrooms used in the meal.

She says the defence may argue it was part of a "wild panic", but she says the jury should disregard that and disregard her evidence that her estranged husband had confronted her about the dehydrator on the Tuesday.

"If there was nothing incriminating about the dehydrator, why hide it?" Dr Rogers asks.

“She knew that keeping it was going to be far too risky.”

 

[MrJ]

1m ago
Dumping of dehydrator constitutes incriminating conduct, prosecutor says

By Joseph Dunstan

Dr Rogers tells the jury that if it were not for careful police scrutiny of Ms Patterson's bank records, it may never have been known the dehydrator existed.

"Erin Patterson certainly wasn't telling anyone about it," Dr Rogers says, recounting to the jury that the accused told police she did not own a dehydrator a week after the lunch.

She tells the jury it was incriminating conduct for Ms Patterson to "race out to the tip and dump [the dehydrator in a bid to] try to make it disappear".

 

[Kemug]

Although she was excellent in To Die For, playing a woman who used a smitten teen, not powdered death caps, to do her murderous bidding!

And also in "Lion", playing an ordinary Australian woman.

 

[drsleuth]

now10.45 AEST

'She wanted to hide the evidence,' prosecutor says​

Prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC is continuing to deliver her closing address.

She says the day after Patterson was discharged from Monash hospital in August 2023 she drove to a local tip, Koonwarra Transfer Station And Landfill, and dumped the food dehydrator because she “knew it would incriminate her”.

She says the only reason Patterson did this was to cover up the deadly meal.

“She wanted to hide the evidence,” Rogers says.

“This is another example of incriminating conduct.

“She knew that keeping it would be far too risky.”

Rogers says that if police had not discovered the transaction from the tip then Patterson’s disposal of the dehydrator would not have come to light.

“Erin Patterson certainly wasn’t telling anybody about it,” she says.

Rogers says Patterson lied to police when asked if she owned a dehydrator in the formal interview.

Australia mushroom trial live: defence outlines two issues jury must consider to determine Erin Patterson’s fate

Victorian woman, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder following a fatal beef wellington lunch in Leongatha in 2023. Follow live

www.theguardian.com

 

[Kemug]

Sorry if this has been discussed before but I understand EP was interested in Crime novels.

There are a number that involve mushroom poisoning including at least 3 by Agatha Christie.

Were any of these books in her collection that Police took or in the unpacked lot she used as an excuse for them having found no books on mushroom foraging?

I wouldn’t be surprised if one is lurking in her collection.

I once had her entire collection, until I decided to move them along, as I wanted more room. Quite suspicious, eh?