Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 #9 *Arrest*

[TootsieFootsie]

While one juror was told to collect his things and leave the courtroom this morning, the trial will continue.

The reason for the delay in starting this morning is now made clear.

 

[Kemug]

So, how is the marriage doing these days?

 

[SouthAussie]

The worker: “She did. She said she had custody during the week and the kids went to their father’s house on the weekends. She said the kids had started talking to her about staying with her (on weekends).”

“She said he (Simon) was sleeping more on the weekends so they didn’t want to go anymore.

I wonder if Simon was sleeping more as he was recovering from near-death when "someone" might have tried to poison him?

 

[Detechtive]

I wonder if Simon was sleeping more as he was recovering from near-death when "someone" might have tried to poison him?

Or just exhaustion from working a full time job and volunteering at church on Sundays... I know I like my weekends to rest after the work week.

 

[Jess D]

And the children have not a single grandparent left.

It's awful. She's robbed so many people of their family members.

 

[Jess D]

I think that the botanist from the botanic gardens didn't "see" Death Caps in the leftovers.

The toxicologist from today found the unseeable toxins in the leftovers.

I hope that the news services retract was they reported last might.

 

[Jess D]

I don't think he financially abused her at all. She spins a good story. She is a proficient liar.

Why doesn't she say what Simon did with his civil engineer's salary, or his annual monetary gift from his grandmother?

Why didn't she go to Family Court and stop the financial "abuse"? Apply for what she thought she should rightfully get from Simon, and see if the court agreed?

Yes, you're right. I take back what i said earlier.

 

[brisbanemum]

I disagree. It is Erin who sounds financially abusive, to me. She left him in 2015 when she got her money from her grandmother, and bought a house in her name only while stringing him along for many years later.

She was an accountant. She knows about money. She handled the finances, it appears.

Yes, she lent money to his siblings, but that doesn't make her a saint. Perhaps she liked having that over them for control reasons, too. Yes they were interest free, but they were indexed. Not exactly "free loans". Besides, having lent money offers tax relief for Erin.

In 2022, the fact that Simon was paying for Medical bills, School fees (expensive Anglican private school) etc and did the unthinkable and put "separated" on his tax return because he was literally separated her for 7 years prior, seems to have been the event that triggered her resentment.

She threatened him that she would lodge for child support and family tax benefit, which he said sure, go ahead, but I am not going to keep paying everything else AND ALSO child support.

Add to that, his parents wouldn't get on her side to control him financially.....

I also think she was afraid that a government declaration of separation in 2022 could point to him divorcing her in 12 months in 2023. Given her inheritances would have been divided equally among the parties, she stood to lose a lot of money and control.

Then, we have the fact that the Child Support Agency assessed him at only needing to pay her $48 per month which sounds like nothing, but they would ONLY make that assessment if her income was higher than his, because they take into consideration income but also care percentage. This shows that even though she did the majority of caretaking of the children, that her income must have been quite significantly higher than his.

In 2019 (after her mothers death and her large inheritance from that) when she wanted to reconcile, she put his name on the title of her new house which in my opinion, was a way to financially lure him back to the relationship because he was unhappy about being excluded from her 'wealth' which was supposed to be equally shared in a marriage.

Then if you add to that, that each of the siblings of Simons stood to inherit approximately $700k each upon his parents death, it would mean that the two siblings who owed "her" money could have paid it out in a lumpsum, while also getting rid of Simon and his support system (his parents), who would have arguably become custodians of his share of assets on behalf of the children because they are not 18.

They lived separately, it's not exactly like he had much influence in her life from afar - how could he be that controlling? He didn't even go to her house, and they had a cold text relationship.

I think the motive is clear - and it is financial, just like the vast majority of poisonings are.

All alleged, all my opinion only.

I think you are bang on with this MOO

 

[LordCyrus]

“I received information that he had been discussing the case with family and friends contrary to my instructions.”

Justice Christopher Beale emphasised that he had not made a positive finding that the juror had discussed the case with his family and friends, but he had no information before him to rule it out.

So all is takes is an allegation of misconduct and that juror is gone. The onus is on the juror to prove that it didn't happen, which is usually impossible.

Three more of these and we have a mistrial.

 

[Detechtive]

So all is takes is an allegation of misconduct and that juror is gone. The onus is on the juror to prove that it didn't happen, which is usually impossible.

Three more of these and we have a mistrial.

Hopefully this works as a strong deterrent.

It must be very hard for non sequestered jurors. I would imagine wanting to debrief with your spouse and finding it very difficult not to.

But I do wonder who reported it...

 

[Bats]

So all is takes is an allegation of misconduct and that juror is gone. The onus is on the juror to prove that it didn't happen, which is usually impossible.

Hehe... ironic isn't it

 

[Spectrix]

So Death Cap was found in the "left overs" !

Would have loved to have seen Erin’s reaction to this bombshell!!

She knew. It clearly wasn't her leftovers.

My theory (had been) that she'd staged the untainted leftovers, but now it seems that she'd staged the tainted ones instead.

This suggests she knew the game was up with the mushrooms in the dish, and (given that the other guests had reported eating all of their serves) she most probably had made a spare poison Wellington for Simon, hoping that he'd attend.

And remember her story that she had fed the kids the leftovers with the mushrooms scraped off? She'd cooked steak/potatoes and beans for them and then she'd left the tainted mushrooms and pastry staged to back up that story.

Really interesting seeing how this unfolds.
-

 

[Reneemaree88]

States the leftovers underwent a toxicology analysis (As opposed to the visual analysis we have heard already was conducted)and the report confirmed both the left overs and the dehydrator contained death cap mushrooms.

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I agree, how dumb of her

Did she not think the hospital would find out what had caused the poisoning?

And then it becomes a full-on investigation

Simon's lucky she didn't send his meal by DoorDash or Uber to him, as she did say she had spent a 'small fortune' making it and was not happy he was not attending.

 

[Yh5r]

I agree, how dumb of her

Did she not think the hospital would find out what had caused the poisoning?

And then it becomes a full-on investigation

Simon's lucky she didn't send his meal by DoorDash or Uber to him, as she did say she had spent a 'small fortune' making it and was not happy he was not attending.

Even if they hadn't made it to hospital and died at home a lot quicker (maybe that's what she was expecting?!), didn't she foresee that there would be a major inquiry and a clear link to these 4 people from different households attending the same lunch and then dying a short time after??
I really do wonder if she is on the spectrum, highly intelligent with certain subject matters but not able to see the big picture?

 

[Montrealaise]

Not really, only in theory. It would likely mean that for the rest of your life most people will shun you, and believe you are a murderer. It wasn't quite the same for Lizzie Borden of course, being in America, but after being acquitted of the axe murder of her father and stepmother, she kept on living in her home town, but then, and to this day, she is generally believed to be guilty. It would be quite a burden.

She certainly wouldn't have anyone accepting her dinner invitations!

 

[Jess D]

I agree, how dumb of her

Did she not think the hospital would find out what had caused the poisoning?

And then it becomes a full-on investigation

Simon's lucky she didn't send his meal by DoorDash or Uber to him, as she did say she had spent a 'small fortune' making it and was not happy he was not attending.

Yes, that meal has cost her a lot...

 

[Jess D]

Even if they hadn't made it to hospital and died at home a lot quicker (maybe that's what she was expecting?!), didn't she foresee that there would be a major inquiry and a clear link to these 4 people from different households attending the same lunch and then dying a short time after??
I really do wonder if she is on the spectrum, highly intelligent with certain subject matters but not able to see the big picture?

I suspect that she might be on the spectrum.

 

[Ellery84]

Betting Erin will go down for attempted murder on Ian and murder on Don. IMO.

 

[Little Jack]

Erin put leftovers aside while plating up: Witness​

The court also heard Ms Cripps recalled Erin telling her that she put “two plates aside” when plating up, adding that she mentioned they were for leftovers.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/the-mushroom-cook/erin-patterson-trial-live-updates-from-morwell-court/live-coverage/6b4cf21616470f7bfc285cdb671b62b6#/entry/31624691

Turns out she wasn't too short on crockery afterall, given that there at least 4 large grey dinner plates, 1 small tan/orange plate, 2 "other" plates (for leftovers), and the 4 or so other smaller white desert plates.

This would only make sense if youd made a casserole or something similar that could be separated into portions.how does one "plate up leftovers" of individually crafted pastries? If shed made two extra pastries for the kids youd cook them later because they are individual serves you wouldnt cook them with everyone else's when the kids werent even home then put them in the fridge then reheat. Its asinine to suggest.

Of course we know it's a lie anyway because the kids said they just ate plain steak.