Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #7 *Arrest*

[MsMarple]

I have seen three reporters say her jumper is three different colours. Kahki, Sage Green, and Grey. Not that it matters a lot.

Gosh I miss the laughing emoji!

 

[SouthAussie]

"The jury heard Don was tutoring Simon’s oldest child in maths and science. “He’s a smart kid. Academically capable ... but obviously, he needed help to be successful at those subjects,” Simon said.

In the lead up to July 2023, Simon’s children had individually spent time with Don and Gail over the school holidays."

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

 

[drsleuth]

10.59am

Tears and chuckles in courtroom 4 as old family footage is shown​

​

Defence lawyer Colin Mandy, SC, has just resumed his cross-examination of Simon Patterson. He has started by asking him about the relationship between one of his children and his father, mushroom lunch victim Don Patterson.

Leaning back in his office chair in the dock, Simon is shown a video recorded on July 17, 2023, of his oldest child and his father, Don, conducting a rocket experiment.

In the footage, Simon’s mother Gail Patterson, can be heard in the video saying: “Well it’s working, but why isn’t it going?″⁣

Crying, Simon looked on as the video of his late father was played, blowing his nose and wiping his eyes.

When the audio of Gail Patterson speaking off-camera was played, many in the court chuckled. Erin Patterson could be seen smiling as she watched the video on a screen in the dock.

The jury heard Don was tutoring Simon’s oldest child in maths and science. “He’s a smart kid. Academically capable ... but obviously, he needed help to be successful at those subjects,” Simon said.

In the lead up to July 2023, Simon’s children had individually spent time with Don and Gail over the school holidays.

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

 

[MsMarple]

r Mandy turns the conversation towards statements made previously by Simon Patterson.

Yesterday, Simon told the court that Erin had invited him to lunch to discuss a "serious" and "important" medical matter.

Mr Mandy produces the statement that Simon gave to police during an interview, which shows different wording.

"You did not use the words serious or important when describing the medical issues, would you agree with that?" Mr Mandy says.

"Yep, I would," Mr Patterson says.

Mr Mandy has Simon concede that his memory about the conversation would have been more accurate at the time of the police interview than yesterday.

Mr Patterson expresses to the court the difficulty he's finding in answering questions, and finding a balance between "the need to be succinct with the need to be accurate".

 

[Detechtive]

10.59am

Tears and chuckles in courtroom 4 as old family footage is shown​

​

Defence lawyer Colin Mandy, SC, has just resumed his cross-examination of Simon Patterson. He has started by asking him about the relationship between one of his children and his father, mushroom lunch victim Don Patterson.

Leaning back in his office chair in the dock, Simon is shown a video recorded on July 17, 2023, of his oldest child and his father, Don, conducting a rocket experiment.

In the footage, Simon’s mother Gail Patterson, can be heard in the video saying: “Well it’s working, but why isn’t it going?″⁣

Crying, Simon looked on as the video of his late father was played, blowing his nose and wiping his eyes.

When the audio of Gail Patterson speaking off-camera was played, many in the court chuckled. Erin Patterson could be seen smiling as she watched the video on a screen in the dock.

The jury heard Don was tutoring Simon’s oldest child in maths and science. “He’s a smart kid. Academically capable ... but obviously, he needed help to be successful at those subjects,” Simon said.

In the lead up to July 2023, Simon’s children had individually spent time with Don and Gail over the school holidays.

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

Heartbreaking.

 

[MsMarple]

Mr Mandy questions Simon Patterson over Erin Patterson's health history.

Mr Patterson says his estranged wife had reported a multitude of illnesses to him in the past, including arrhythmia of her heart, depression and concerns about multiple sclerosis.

Mr Mandy asks if it would be accurate to say that Erin often complained of health issues due to " … various reasons which in the end had no substance … or limited substance?"

Mr Patterson disagrees with this.

 

[BreakingNews]

Oh dear. I find it difficult to believe she is innocent, but I suppose it is just possible. Mostly what I feel is pity, I think (and of course
for the victims.) She had everything going for her - she was extremely pretty, and still could be. She was intelligent. She married a good man from a nice family, has 2 seemingly healthy children, plenty of material goods, a lovely home, you name it. And now her life seems ruined forever. I don't see how she can possibly be acquitted. It seems that her own character and personality has been her downfall. Is that all her fault? I would like to hear what a psychiatrist would say. Even so, everyone knows that murder is wrong, and the law is there to remind us. All I can think is that she wanted to make them suffer, but didn't think they would die.

Her character and personality does not equate to being a murderer. I keep going back to the 4 questions the Judge gave the jury. 4 questions - beyond reasonably doubt will equal murder.

 

[drsleuth]

2m ago02.08 BST
Mandy says Simon did not contact Erin after the lunch to enquire about the “medical issue” she had mentioned.

“Is it not the case over the years that Erin often complained about medical issues and thought she was unwell for various reasons?” Mandy asks.

Simon replies: “yes”.

Mandy suggests these were unsubstantial. Simon says Erin told him she struggled with a heart condition which impacted her sleeping.

“I have no reason to disbelieve that,” he says.

Simon says this required hospitalisation at times.

“She struggled a lot with mental illness, postnatal depression... I believe that was real,” he says.

Mandy says in October 2021 Erin expressed concern about having ovarian cancer.

“Erin has never told me she had ovarian cancer,” Simon says.

Erin Patterson trial live updates: mushroom cook had ‘tension’ with inlaws and struggled with mental illness, estranged husband says

Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates

www.theguardian.com

 

[SouthAussie]

Mr Mandy questions Simon Patterson over Erin Patterson's health history.

Mr Patterson says his estranged wife had reported a multitude of illnesses to him in the past, including arrhythmia of her heart, depression and concerns about multiple sclerosis.

Mr Mandy asks if it would be accurate to say that Erin often complained of health issues due to " … various reasons which in the end had no substance … or limited substance?"

Mr Patterson disagrees with this.

This does sound like a bit of attention-seeking behaviour. If she was diagnosed with none of these things.

imo

 

[BreakingNews]

rsbm.

I disagree. One of the consistent topics of discussion in this thread over the past couple of years is how could Erin have kept herself safe if she was serving tainted portions of food to her guests. The wrong person getting poisoned because they ate or drank from a dish meant for another is a standard trope of mystery fiction.

Well, now we know of a possible modus operandi. By using a different plate for herself, she would have visual certainty that there was no mix-up.

She didn't have people over often for meals. So maybe she only had 4 good plates. If that was me, I'd make sure the guests got the good plates and I had the odd one. You don't give your guests chipped or different plates. You keep that for yourself. I would, anyway.

 

[SouthAussie]

These can all be serious illnesses. Why would a person think that she had so much serious illness? I am guessing it didn't pan out, if Simon is not sure which illness it was and yet has a list of things that it could have been.


"Simon said Erin had also been told she may have suffered from another illness, but was unsure about whether it was chronic fatigue, lupus, motor neurone disease, or multiple sclerosis."

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

 

[MsMarple]

Erin Patterson's cancer diagnosis examined​

By Judd Boaz​

Mr Mandy turns to a conversation between Simon Patterson and his father Don at the hospital on the day following the lunch.

He asks whether it was possible Simon misheard his father, when learning about Erin's admission that she was diagnosed with cancer.

Mr Mandy says given Don's poor condition and the short nature of their conversation, whether it would be possible that he misremembered what had been relayed.

Mr Patterson is adamant that his father relayed Erin's diagnosis of cancer to him.

"The possibility was more about the treatment than the diagnosis," he says.

"[Her diagnosis] wasn't in doubt."

Mr Mandy again asks if it's possible that Mr Patterson misunderstood his father, which receives a sharp reply.

Simon: I reckon we’re starting to get in the realm of flying teapots territory.

Mr Mandy: I'm sorry, I missed that?

Simon: It’s possible that there’s a flying teapot going around Mars, but its pretty unlikely ... miscommunications happen. It's possible I've misunderstood everything you've said so far and you've misunderstood me. But I don't think we probably have.

 

[SouthAussie]

She didn't have people over often for meals. So maybe she only had 4 good plates. If that was me, I'd make sure the guests got the good plates and I had the odd one. You don't give your guests chipped or different plates. You keep that for yourself. I would, anyway.

Simon said she has multiple small sets. I just read it this morning. Maybe all sets of 4 ... just enough for herself, her children, and Simon. Seeing that they never invited friends to their house.

imo

 

[Detechtive]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/the-mushroom-cook/inside-the-courtroom-mushroom-cook-erin-patterson-faces-court-for-day-4-of-murder-trial/live-coverage/414947665965cf975a9016b62f1861a2#/entry/31379233

 

[MsMarple]

Erin Patterson 'didn't actually ask' how sick in-laws were, trial hears — as it happened

Accused triple-murderer Erin Patterson's estranged husband Simon Patterson appeared for the second day as a witness in her trial. Look back on how it unfolded in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

Simon Patterson says Erin hates hospitals​

By Joseph Dunstan​

Erin Patterson's behaviour at Leongatha Hospital following the lunch has come under scrutiny.

During Simon's testimony yesterday, he mentioned that Erin had seemed very keen to leave hospital as soon as possible after the poisonings, against medical advice.

Mr Mandy offers that Erin had a history of disliking hospitals due to prior bad experiences, which Simon confirms.

"On occasions she's wanted to leave for home before doctors say that she should," Mr Mandy says.

"Yes ... Erin hates hospitals," Mr Patterson says.

 

[drsleuth]

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

11.10am

‘She struggled’: Simon questioned about his estranged wife’s medical history​

By​

Erin Patterson’s defence lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, has quickly moved from the emotional footage to a line of questioning involving his client’s medical issues.

Mandy is suggesting to Simon that he did not use the words “important” or “serious” to describe those medical issues that Erin had told him she was suffering from and that were the reason for the lunch on July 29, 2023, when he gave his first statement to the police.

Simon read part of his original statement to the police in August 2023, which said: “Erin told me that the purpose of the lunch was to discuss some medical issues she had, and to get advice about how to break it to the kids.”

Simon said he did not know what the medical issue was at the time.

The jury heard that Erin had struggled with multiple health issues over the years, including an arrhythmia of the heart that required her to be hospitalised a number of times and affected her sleep. She also struggled with postnatal depression after the birth of her first child.

“She struggled a lot with mental illness, both postnatal depression, especially after [the first child] was born, and I believe that was real,” Simon said.

Simon said Erin had also been told she may have suffered from another illness, but was unsure about whether it was chronic fatigue, lupus, motor neurone disease, or multiple sclerosis.

He said Erin had never told him that she had ovarian cancer.

 

[drsleuth]

5m ago11.21 AEST
Mandy questions Simon about a conversation he had with his father, Don, on 30 July when he was hospitalised after the mushroom lunch.

Mandy says at this point Don had been “distressed, physically for a long period of time”.

“You couldn’t and didn’t ask him lots of questions about what he remembered about the lunch,” Mandy says.

“That’s correct,” Simon replies.

Mandy puts to Simon that Don told him about Erin’s potential cancer diagnosis rather than a “certainty.”

Simon says his understanding was that Don said Erin had been diagnosed with cancer.

“That wasn’t in doubt... how to treat it is where the uncertainty was.”

Mandy reiterates that Don told Simon about Erin’s “suspected diagnosis” rather than a “confirmed diagnosis”.

Simon disagrees and says this is highly unlikely.

Erin Patterson trial live updates: mushroom cook had ‘tension’ with inlaws and struggled with mental illness, estranged husband says

Australian woman has pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she served at her Leongatha home in 2023. Follow live updates

www.theguardian.com

 

[JLZ]

Indeed - when I read that, it did make me wonder if she'd been micro-dosing the children with tiny amounts of poison for some bizarre reason.

Also, in general, why was she adding dried mushrooms to the children's brownie recipe? Are mushrooms supposed to be particularly nutritious?

Was EP using various human beings as experiment guinea pigs in her mushroom experiments ?

Maybe she did intentionally add powdered mushrooms to the victims' food but with a completely different intention?

For example, if she was the sort that 'believed in unicorns', perhaps she was studying ancient lore or witchcrafts etc and believed she was performing some type of beneficial ritual, not intended to kill or harm, say something like casting a magic spell using certain ingredients. Maybe to win them over to her point of view regarding the break up and division of property or suchlike? At least that type of explanation would make some sense?

JMO MOO

Personally I think it was a power thrill. And it disturbs me that she would use her children like that. It makes me less sure she didn't put them at risk by feeding them scraped leftovers.

 

[MsMarple]

Erin ‘never actually asked’ about condition of lunch guests after meal, court hears: Trial day three, as it happened

Estranged husband Simon Patterson will continue providing evidence in the murder trial of Erin Patterson. Follow our live blog.

www.theage.com.au

11.10am

‘She struggled’: Simon questioned about his estranged wife’s medical history​

By​

Erin Patterson’s defence lawyer, Colin Mandy SC, has quickly moved from the emotional footage to a line of questioning involving his client’s medical issues.

Mandy is suggesting to Simon that he did not use the words “important” or “serious” to describe those medical issues that Erin had told him she was suffering from and that were the reason for the lunch on July 29, 2023, when he gave his first statement to the police.

Simon read part of his original statement to the police in August 2023, which said: “Erin told me that the purpose of the lunch was to discuss some medical issues she had, and to get advice about how to break it to the kids.”

Simon said he did not know what the medical issue was at the time.

The jury heard that Erin had struggled with multiple health issues over the years, including an arrhythmia of the heart that required her to be hospitalised a number of times and affected her sleep. She also struggled with postnatal depression after the birth of her first child.

“She struggled a lot with mental illness, both postnatal depression, especially after [the first child] was born, and I believe that was real,” Simon said.

Simon said Erin had also been told she may have suffered from another illness, but was unsure about whether it was chronic fatigue, lupus, motor neurone disease, or multiple sclerosis.

He said Erin had never told him that she had ovarian cancer.

Sorry, what exactly did Simon think about Erin’s text regarding serious medical stuff that needed his presence at the lunch? I get that Simon is religious and may not want to believe Erin could have done something wrong but really, what exactly went through his mind?

 

[SouthAussie]

Erin Patterson's cancer diagnosis examined​

By Judd Boaz​

Mr Mandy turns to a conversation between Simon Patterson and his father Don at the hospital on the day following the lunch.

He asks whether it was possible Simon misheard his father, when learning about Erin's admission that she was diagnosed with cancer.

Mr Mandy says given Don's poor condition and the short nature of their conversation, whether it would be possible that he misremembered what had been relayed.

Mr Patterson is adamant that his father relayed Erin's diagnosis of cancer to him.

"The possibility was more about the treatment than the diagnosis," he says.

"[Her diagnosis] wasn't in doubt."

Mr Mandy again asks if it's possible that Mr Patterson misunderstood his father, which receives a sharp reply.

I am not sure why this matters. Either Erin did/does have cancer or she doesn't. Whether the family believed her or not seems insignificant to me.

The family all seemed like compassionate individuals who wanted to help others. Remembering that SP's parents were international missionaries when he and his brother were growing up.

The defence seem to be just butting heads about an insignificant thing.