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

[Kemug]

When the trial began, I remember (but of course my memory probably isn't as good as Erin's) being surprised that it was expected to last for about 6 weeks. But what do I know.

 

[Montrealaise]

When the trial began, I remember (but of course my memory probably isn't as good as Erin's) being surprised that it was expected to last for about 6 weeks. But what do I know.

Your memory is correct - it was supposed to be for two weeks, but the judge noted that there was so much evidence still to be presented it would have to last for an additional two weeks. I'm wondering how long the jury will take to deliberate.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

At the end of weeks of evidence, 12 jury members will deliver the verdicts on the charges of murder and attempted murder.

The jury were told they would be sequestered — or kept isolated from others — while conducting their final jury deliberations.

Justice Beale told the jury their verdicts would need to be unanimous.

"Ms Patterson does not have to prove anything. That never changes from start to finish," he said.

"The prosecution must prove beyond reasonable doubt the elements of murder or attempted murder."

 

[Scuffy35]

That's why I'm concerned about a hung jury. I don't know if I can stomach hearing about all of her bodily functions for 7 weeks, again.

Seriously though, If there was to be a second trial due to a mistrial, she would have learned from all her mistakes, craft a new set of lies to better fit, and most importantly, she wouldn't be giving evidence in the witness box next time.

I am guessing that all witness testimony evidence, including hers from the first trial, would be wiped clean and could not be used against her if it went to a second trial?

The prosecution, unless they find the elusive smoking gun type of evidence, might decide not to go to another trial.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I wonder if this will be investigated after the trial?

Because the legal teams figured those charges would potentially interfere with the current proceedings. It's very odd..!


In 2022, Simon suffered a mystery illness and nearly died after being served a meal by Patterson, from whom he had split ‘amicably’ several years earlier.

In a Facebook post seen by The Herald Sun, he wrote: ‘I collapsed at home, then was in an induced coma for 16 days through which I had three emergency operations, mainly on my small intestine, plus an additional planned operation.

‘My family were asked to come and say goodbye to me twice, as I was not expected to live.’

Ms Patterson's ex-partner Simon Patterson has now claimed through a family source that his former wife also tried to poison him when the couple were together.

"Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin," a source told The Herald Sun.

That source also suggested the attempted poisoning was through nightshade plants, which includes vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants.


Nightshade plants contain a small amount of poisonous alkaloids and may be fatal to humans if congested in high concentrations.


It comes after the publication reported one day earlier that Mr Patterson had almost died more than one year ago from a mysterious stomach illness.

A source close to the family said that Simon believed he had ingested the poison through nightshade plants — a family of herbs, shrubs and trees that include tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers.

“Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin,” the source told the Herald Sun. “There were times he had felt … a bit off and it often coincided when he spent time with her.”



Eating nightshade plants containing poisonous alkaloids can be fatal.


Simon’s medical records are expected to be examined by detectives.

Fresh twist in mushroom lunch deaths as woman's ex speaks out

The former husband of the woman who cooked a lunch with deadly mushrooms which killed three people has claimed his once lover tried to poison him.

www.skynews.com.au

'Mushroom killer’ accused of poisoning guests ‘ate from different plate’

Erin Patterson has been accused of killing her ex-husband's family by cooking a beef wellington with poisonous mushrooms.

metro.co.uk

 

[lazymaiden07]

If I had innocently caused the deaths of 3 people, and I was an international news story I would inevitably be getting bombarded with messages from friends and relatives. I can imagine thinking that it would be a good idea to address questions to everyone all at once, in the hope that it would allay their fears and stop rumours being spread.

Actions don't exist in a vacuum. Had she alerted medical staff to the contents of the lunch, rushed her children to hospital, followed medical advice, enquired about the status of Simon's family, admitted to foraging and was co-operative with health officials than sure, a zoom session to discuss what's happened might be appropriate. It might be a nice way to bring friends together for support too, in what would be a trying time for the family.

This is the person who thought, just for funnsies, let's toy with the police and see if i can reset my phone after three people have died, and another has been seriously harmed. Hey, why don't I even replace sim cards while the police are literally in my home...that'll show 'em. Her blatant disregard for so much of the legal process is really something else.

I don't think you can give someone the benefit of the doubt about a QandA, AMA, however you want to phrase it, when so much of what they have done has caused harm. Innocent or not.
IMO

 

[Scooby-Doo]

That's why I'm concerned about a hung jury. I don't know if I can stomach hearing about all of her bodily functions for 7 weeks, again.

And poor Dr Rogers. ! She'll go ballistic

 

[Eloise]

I wonder if this will be investigated after the trial?

Because the legal teams figured those charges would potentially interfere with the current proceedings. It's very odd..!


In 2022, Simon suffered a mystery illness and nearly died after being served a meal by Patterson, from whom he had split ‘amicably’ several years earlier.

In a Facebook post seen by The Herald Sun, he wrote: ‘I collapsed at home, then was in an induced coma for 16 days through which I had three emergency operations, mainly on my small intestine, plus an additional planned operation.

‘My family were asked to come and say goodbye to me twice, as I was not expected to live.’

Ms Patterson's ex-partner Simon Patterson has now claimed through a family source that his former wife also tried to poison him when the couple were together.

"Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin," a source told The Herald Sun.

That source also suggested the attempted poisoning was through nightshade plants, which includes vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants.


Nightshade plants contain a small amount of poisonous alkaloids and may be fatal to humans if congested in high concentrations.


It comes after the publication reported one day earlier that Mr Patterson had almost died more than one year ago from a mysterious stomach illness.

A source close to the family said that Simon believed he had ingested the poison through nightshade plants — a family of herbs, shrubs and trees that include tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers.

“Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin,” the source told the Herald Sun. “There were times he had felt … a bit off and it often coincided when he spent time with her.”



Eating nightshade plants containing poisonous alkaloids can be fatal.


Simon’s medical records are expected to be examined by detectives.

Fresh twist in mushroom lunch deaths as woman's ex speaks out

The former husband of the woman who cooked a lunch with deadly mushrooms which killed three people has claimed his once lover tried to poison him.

www.skynews.com.au

'Mushroom killer’ accused of poisoning guests ‘ate from different plate’

Erin Patterson has been accused of killing her ex-husband's family by cooking a beef wellington with poisonous mushrooms.

metro.co.uk

my thoughts are that they were probably dropped more because there might be scant evidence that will lead to a charge being proven beyond reasonable doubt. The medical evidence might not be enough, there might not be the computer forensics of the death cap searches etc. 'Simon believed' and 'Simon's symptoms match nightshade poisoning' aren't enough, sadly

Better not to water it down with charges that aren't going to be proven. I'm sure the police wanted to, and if they could have, they would. JMO. It would be good for Simon if there was that evidence, though, and he could get justice. Sounds like he was gravely ill indeed.

 

[Montrealaise]

I wonder if this will be investigated after the trial?

Because the legal teams figured those charges would potentially interfere with the current proceedings. It's very odd..!


In 2022, Simon suffered a mystery illness and nearly died after being served a meal by Patterson, from whom he had split ‘amicably’ several years earlier.

In a Facebook post seen by The Herald Sun, he wrote: ‘I collapsed at home, then was in an induced coma for 16 days through which I had three emergency operations, mainly on my small intestine, plus an additional planned operation.

‘My family were asked to come and say goodbye to me twice, as I was not expected to live.’

Ms Patterson's ex-partner Simon Patterson has now claimed through a family source that his former wife also tried to poison him when the couple were together.

"Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin," a source told The Herald Sun.

That source also suggested the attempted poisoning was through nightshade plants, which includes vegetables such as tomatoes, capsicums and eggplants.


Nightshade plants contain a small amount of poisonous alkaloids and may be fatal to humans if congested in high concentrations.


It comes after the publication reported one day earlier that Mr Patterson had almost died more than one year ago from a mysterious stomach illness.

A source close to the family said that Simon believed he had ingested the poison through nightshade plants — a family of herbs, shrubs and trees that include tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes and peppers.

“Simon suspected he had been poisoned by Erin,” the source told the Herald Sun. “There were times he had felt … a bit off and it often coincided when he spent time with her.”



Eating nightshade plants containing poisonous alkaloids can be fatal.


Simon’s medical records are expected to be examined by detectives.

Fresh twist in mushroom lunch deaths as woman's ex speaks out

The former husband of the woman who cooked a lunch with deadly mushrooms which killed three people has claimed his once lover tried to poison him.

www.skynews.com.au

'Mushroom killer’ accused of poisoning guests ‘ate from different plate’

Erin Patterson has been accused of killing her ex-husband's family by cooking a beef wellington with poisonous mushrooms.

metro.co.uk

She allegedly poisoned him more than once. I don't understand why he kept eating food she had prepared after the first incident.

 

[Spectrix]

I noticed in her media interview before she was charged that she said "I am so sorry... that they lost their lives" - as though it was their fault for dying. Odd wording which distances her from actual remorse. IMO

I noticed that too.
Admittedly I have trouble attempting to imagine Erin's point of view because it seems so far detached from reality, but it makes me wonder if she sees her in-laws deaths as being their own faults because they were stupid enough to side with Simon, stupid enough to turn up to the lunch, or stupid enough to eat the poison Beef Wellingtons.

.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

She allegedly poisoned him more than once. I don't understand why he kept eating food she had prepared after the first incident.

It's all strange, especially after what has happened to his relatives. She's got food scales handy

 

[MrJ]

The lack of remorse, even if this was an accident, is genuinely shocking to me. OK let's say you accidentally caused three deaths of people through your cooking. Most would be beside themselves in grief and wondering how this could have possibly happened. The fact EP doesn't appear to have done that is... scary IMO

 

[browneyes]

Does anyone know if there is a media thread for this case? I can't find it anywhere. I suppose the live threads are sufficient?

I couldn’t find one.

 

[Cliff Hardy]

I'm wondering how long the jury will take to deliberate.

I'm thinking that if they haven't made up their minds by now they never will.

For that reason, l'm expecting a quick turnaround with a guilty verdict.

 

[Montrealaise]

The lack of remorse, even if this was an accident, is genuinely shocking to me. OK let's say you accidentally caused three deaths of people through your cooking. Most would be beside themselves in grief and wondering how this could have possibly happened. The fact EP doesn't appear to have done that is... scary IMO

The most benign explanation would be that she is a cold, callous, unfeeling person. And that's the best-case scenario.

 

[JBowie]

I'm thinking that if they haven't made up their minds by now they never will.

For that reason, l'm expecting a quick turnaround with a guilty verdict.

Jury research (in the USA) has shown that many jurors make up their minds very early in a trial, for example [bbm]:

Most juror consultants have found from their research in interviewing jurors after trial, that about 80-90 percent of jurors make up their minds about how they are going to vote at the conclusion of opening statements. Although jurors will not often admit this (because they were told by the defense and the judge not to make up their minds until after they have deliberated) jurors will regularly tell that they were leaning in a particular direction by the end of openings; and the research shows that almost always, their leaning predicts their vote. That is because once jurors lean towards siding with a particular party, they will see the rest of the trial through a lens that favors that party and reinforces their original inclination.

Opening statement: Setting the tone for trial

www.advocatemagazine.com

 

[CityKid]

The police took photos of the fridge, and they tested the gravy that they found in the fridge. I can't imagine they didn't look for all of the ingredients or anything related.



As she explained the layout, the jury was shown images of Patterson’s kitchen. The images include a photograph of a silver fridge with double doors, another of the RecipeTin Eats cookbook atop the counter by the stove, and a photo of a black shelf containing what appears to be scales and a white ceramic jug.

“I had two gravy pitchers, that was the second one,” Patterson said.

Snipped and BBM for emphasis. Imagine having 2 gravy pitchers, 2 or more scales, 5 tablets, 3 phones, and only 4 matching dinner plates.

 

[Sarahlou]

I bet she loved the attention IMO

I think this too. All the focus on her. A post lunch AMA is wild.

 

[tillytatler]

Was friends for a few years. I don't know if any of her current friends are on this forum, and I doubt it. They are too busy at court each day. The majority of her friends pulled the plug on the friendship in the lead up to the charges when they questioned her about the lunch incident - these are all crime sleuth types like us here on this forum, so she was quizzed, hard by (some) of them. She did a post lunch "AMA" (ask me anything) with the friends group. That is where as we know, some of the cruicial evidence for the prosecution case came from as we know from the trial. The rest pretty much backed away after the charges were laid.

Prior to the charges they were out in force on social media attacking anyone who thought she was guilty. It was quite bizarre to witness.

Most were scared to cooperate with police, but four eventually did.

I have daily contact with a bunch of people from our previous joint friend circle. We are all watching the case and discussing it in shock and awe, one of us is a crime journalist so we get to updated about the events he witnesses in front of the jury, which has been really interesting! None of us can stop watching - it's so bizarre to have known someone accused of such things.

Cannot BELIEVE she did an online AMA with her true crime friend group... absolutely off the chain behaviour!!

 

[Montrealaise]

Snipped and BBM for emphasis. Imagine having 2 gravy pitchers, 2 or more scales, 5 tablets, 3 phones, and only 4 matching dinner plates.

Four plates means she bought just enough plates for herself, her husband and her two kids. Many (most?) people have everyday dishes and special occasion dishes, and it seems logical that she would serve her guests at the "special" luncheon on the good dishes. So why only four of them? Did she never plan on having guests over for special occasions?