VERDICT WATCH Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #16 *Arrest*

[BreakingNews]

The only contribution I can make is that for me, it was a lot harder in real life than it is to decide on a forum discussing a case without that responsibility for someone else's fate. I was on the jury in a six-week murder trial and even though I was sure one of the two accused was guilty I still went home at the end of the second day of deliberations, when we had reached agreement on it, and stayed awake most of the night with the weight of the responsibility, before we rang the jury bell the next day. Taking away someone's freedom and years with family is not an enjoyable or easy task and it takes an emotional toll even though emotions don't come into the decision making process.

Exactly. And there never used to be any duty of care afterwards for the jury. We finished a murder trial on a Friday and we're back in the jury pool on the Monday. I was selected for a drug trial on the Tuesday. The emotional toll on jury members is indescribable.

 

[TootsieFootsie]

In this case for many members of the public she's damned whether she did it or not.

 

[Sarahlou]

You should know that not guilty doesn't necessarily mean she didn't intentionally do it.

Exactly. We all know OJ Simpson was guilty as sin, no matter what the jury said.

Occasionally the jury get it wrong.

But I feel in this case it will either be guilty or a hung jury.

 

[Eloise]

I wonder if this is also just anticipating the open season on reporting that will happen in the event of a verdict either way, as press restrictions lift.

Ghoulish photos through windows of where the victims lost their life, of private family possessions, etc, stuff that wouldn’t be allowed sub judice. It’s still the children’s old home, and even convicted offenders have some right to privacy, and we all know the press will be battling it out to get the most clicks and headlines for this story whatever the verdict.

Has the house been kept locked down as a crime scene, or have the family been able to access possessions there already?

IIRC press were kept to the gate but I’m sure with a telephoto lens they could capture a lot.

that's what I think. It'll be the end of sub judice, so open season for the media. There could be any number of relatives, including the children, having cause to visit the home who deserve privacy. Having the media invade your space, even if you no longer live there, isn't warranted and isn't okay IMO.

It seems it's not such a slam dunk quick guilty verdict.
Who would have thought it.

I think, given the preponderance of instructions given by the judge, that the jury are giving it the weight it deserves and taking it seriously. A quick verdict in a trial that took that long would be making a mockery of the gravity of the situation for all involved IMO. And that is regardless of what the verdict is.

 

[HoneyBunOne]

Almost 5pm, no verdict.
Maybe tomorrow

Jurors are only deliberating between 10.30am and 4.15pm Mon-Sat, so come 4.15pm, it's all over for the day.

Google Search

www.google.com

 

[Yh5r]

Why would it be dangerous for her own children if she is found not guilty?

Well she clearly was extremely careless in her kitchen! Who's to say she wouldn't poison her children?

 

[TootsieFootsie]

Yes what would we do during the long nights til the jury started deliberating again if we were on the jury.
Ages ago it seems most people would take a book to read.

Many people would be lost without their devices these days.

 

[Deleted member 363451]

Exactly. We all know OJ Simpson was guilty as sin, no matter what the jury said.

Occasionally the jury get it wrong.

But I feel in this case it will either be guilty or a hung jury.

I think it could be a hung jury, or not guilty.

 

[Bats]

Exactly. And there never used to be any duty of care afterwards for the jury. We finished a murder trial on a Friday and we're back in the jury pool on the Monday. I was selected for a drug trial on the Tuesday. The emotional toll on jury members is indescribable.

Gosh, I can't fathom finishing a murder trial then going back for another round the following week!

 

[TootsieFootsie]

At the end of the trial I was on they said we would be off the jury roll for three years.

And it was well over that when I got called again. But a jury ended up not being needed that time.

 

[Bats]

At the end of the trial I was on they said we would be off the jury roll for three years.

And it was well over that when I got called again. But a jury ended up not being needed that time.

We were given 10 years reprieve. It was a fairly gory and long trial.

 

[Cartie]

This waiting makes me nervous, can't imagine how Ian and the rest of the family are feeling.

 

[Ellery84]

Well she clearly was extremely careless in her kitchen! Who's to say she wouldn't poison her children?

We don’t know yet legally if she was careless or careful in the kitchen, and we are awaiting the verdict.

 

[Yh5r]

We don’t know yet legally if she was careless or careful in the kitchen, and we are awaiting the verdict.

The lunch guests died as a direct result of the lunch she prepared. This is not disputed. I would 100% call it careless regardless of the verdict.

 

[Ellery84]

The lunch guests died as a direct result of the lunch she prepared. This is not disputed. I would 100% call it careless regardless of the verdict.

If she murdered them, wouldn’t you call it careful?

 

[Deleted member 363451]

We don’t know yet legally if she was careless or careful in the kitchen, and we are awaiting the verdict.

How on earth was she careful in the kitchen?? Three probably died after eating her lunch and a fourth person almost died.

 

[Salah11]

We don’t know yet legally if she was careless or careful in the kitchen, and we are awaiting the verdict.

She admits she poisoned her guests so how exactly was that careful?

Even if you believe she is innocent it’s still sheer incompetence and 3 people are dead because she played Miss Congeniality.

 

[Ellery84]

She admits she poisoned her guests so how exactly was that careful?

Even if you believe she is innocent it’s still sheer incompetence and 3 people are dead because she played Miss Congeniality.

Careful = they were murdered
Careless = it was all an accident/tragedy

This is how I am giving meaning to those words in this context of Erin being in a kitchen, cooking.

 

[Ellery84]

How on earth was she careful in the kitchen?? Three probably died after eating her lunch and a fourth person almost died.

Well that is why we are waiting on a verdict, isn’t it? If it was all a careless mistake, she’s innocent of murder - right?

But let’s say she planned and executed every step from the planning to the execution of the meal in the way she intended to do so, using Death Caps as somewhat of a poison, then she is a murderer.

Are you catching my drift at all here?

If she’s innocent, she’s careless in the kitchen and imo probably shouldn’t be allowed to prepare meals for her children, moving forward, in case they get accidentally killed by her cooking also.

If she’s guilty she won’t be preparing meals for anyone because she will be in jail for a long time and I highly doubt they’ll put her on kitchen duty at the women’s prison, ever. IMO

IMO

 

[303gmf]

Well she clearly was extremely careless in her kitchen! Who's to say she wouldn't poison her children?

I doubt any of the offspring’s friends parents allow them near EP!