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

[MsMarple]

If digital forensics finds evidence of searches on death caps or gps placing Erin in an area noted for discovery of death caps then it’s going to look really bad for her. JMO

 

[MsMarple]

Death cap mushroom season in Victoria​

By Judd Boaz​

The court hears about the spread and growth of death cap mushrooms across Victoria.

Dr May confirms that although more common in April and May, they can occur at other times depending on rainfall.

 

[Ellery84]

When she gave that false statement letter to the media, I saw she was trying to manipulate social perceptions of how people saw her. She was also playing the victim "being painted as an evil witch", when most people would be absolutely devastated for the people they "accidentally" killed.

I think therefore, there is a higher than normal chance she will take the stand.

I agree with you.

 

[MsMarple]

Finally!

Long period of questioning over mushroom photo​

By Judd Boaz​

The defence presents a photo of dried yellowish mushrooms on a scale, which was also shown yesterday.

After some long, convoluted questioning, Ms Stafford has Dr May confirm that — based on the photograph — he cannot rule out the possibility that the mushrooms are death cap mushrooms, nor can he rule out they are a different species.

He says the physical characteristics match up with death cap mushrooms.

The defence concludes their questioning and the prosecution is back up.

 

[Detechtive]

I want some forensics of the non mushroom variety...

 

[MsMarple]

Yum yummy.

Dried death cap mushrooms smell 'very unpleasant': mushroom expert​

By Judd Boaz​

Nanette Rogers SC is brief with her questioning.

Much of today and yesterday's discussion has centred around how death cap mushrooms look, but Dr Rogers introduces a new sense: smell.

"What can you say about the smell of death cap mushrooms as they age or dry?" Dr Rogers asks.

"When they're first collected there's no particular smell," Dr May says.

"I have dried death cap mushrooms on a number of occasions and I have found their smell to be very unpleasant."

After this statement, the prosecution finishes their examination and we bid farewell to Dr Tom May.

 

[MsMarple]

The next witness: Royal Botanic Gardens mycologist​

By Judd Boaz​

We now have another fungi expert up in the witness box, and it's a colleague of Tom May.

Dr Camille Truong is a research scientist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, and specialises in mycology.

Dr Truong explains that the Victorian Poison Informations Centre (VPIC) has an agreement with the Royal Botanic Gardens to offer support.

She says most cases are times when VPIC toxicologists call about fungi, and it is extremely rare for them to see physical specimens for analysis.

 

[Bats]

It also doesn't explain why she lured them there with a fake cancer diagnosis or wiped her phone, etc, etc.

If there is some doubt about whether she knew the mushrooms were "death caps", then the prosecution's case falls away. It won't matter why she invited them for lunch or why she wiped her phone data etc..

 

[drsleuth]

now12.42 AEST
Lawyer Sophie Stafford takes Dr Thomas May through the findings and recommendations made by the coroner about the May 2024 fatal poisoning (that is, unrelated to the Erin Patterson allegations which relate to a 2023 lunch).

May says he was contacted by the Victorian Department of Health about how the government should respond to the recommendations made by the coroner.

One finding by the coroner was for more public health messaging of dangers of consuming wild mushrooms, the court hears.

Erin Patterson murder trial day 11 – as it happened

This blog is now closed

www.theguardian.com

 

[Scooby-Doo]

I don't think anyone there would want to eat mushrooms for a while

I know I hate mushrooms..!

 

[drsleuth]

6m ago12.44 AEST
Lawyer Sophie Stafford then turns to a graph showing death cap mushrooms located and removed in the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria between 2020-2023.

The graph shows March and May is when the largest numbers are located and removed.

Stafford shows May images he was shown by the prosecution during his evidence on Wednesday. The court heard previously these were provided to May by a Victoria police detective.

One photo shows several mushroom caps on a tray.

“You can’t exclude the possibility that these are death cap mushrooms?” Stafford asks.

“I can’t say with any degree of certainty that they’re not death cap mushrooms,” May says.

May agrees he also cannot exclude that they are another mushroom species.

May has now concluded his evidence.

7m ago12.44 AEST

The prosecution has called their next witness – another mushroom expert​

Dr Camille Truong is a mycologist or scientist who studies fungi.

Truong is a research scientist at the Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria, the court hears.

The gardens has an 24-hour on-call mycologist available for the Victorian Poisons Information Centre to help identify mushrooms.

Erin Patterson murder trial day 11 – as it happened

This blog is now closed

www.theguardian.com

 

[MsMarple]

Mycologist told doctors death cap poisoning should be 'impossible'​

By Judd Boaz​

A photo is shown to the court, which is the same photo emailed to Dr Truong on July 31.

It shows a picture of the beef Wellington pastry and some of the finely-chopped brown filling.

"I told her based on this particular photograph, I would not be able to give her identification," Dr Truong says.

"She said they had been bought from a supermarket and … a Chinese shop I believe."

Dr Truong says she told Dr Muldoon it was "probably impossible" to be death cap mushrooms, due to them only growing in the wild and being unable to be cultivated.

"I also told her there were absolutely no sightings of death cap mushrooms during the last months," Dr Truong says.

"Based on the information I received, it was highly unlikely to be a case of death cap mushroom poisoning."

 

[MsMarple]

Beef Wellington leftovers had no death cap mushrooms, expert says​

By Judd Boaz​

At 5pm that afternoon, Dr Truong says she received a message informing her a package had been dropped off for her at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The package contained large resealable bags with food inside. Dr Truong organised for the leftovers to be brought to her house.

She analysed the mushroom in the leftovers under a microscope.

"Did you find any death cap mushroom pieces?" Dr Rogers asks.

"I didn't," Dr Truong says.

She then re-examined it the next day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, again using a microscope.

"Did you find any signs of death cap mushrooms?" Dr Rogers said.

"No, I didn't," Dr Truong says.

She tells the court the only mushrooms she found were field mushrooms that are commonly found at supermarkets.

 

[MsMarple]

Taking time out for late dinner…

 

[LinasK]

Beef Wellington leftovers had no death cap mushrooms, expert says​

By Judd Boaz​

At 5pm that afternoon, Dr Truong says she received a message informing her a package had been dropped off for her at the Royal Botanic Gardens.

The package contained large resealable bags with food inside. Dr Truong organised for the leftovers to be brought to her house.

She analysed the mushroom in the leftovers under a microscope.


She then re-examined it the next day at the Royal Botanic Gardens, again using a microscope.


She tells the court the only mushrooms she found were field mushrooms that are commonly found at supermarkets.

So does that mean they were in the gravy then?

 

[drsleuth]

So does that mean they were in the gravy then?

I don't think so, just that the "left over " ones had no death caps, the ones she feed to her kids the next day, the ones the cop fished out of the bin.........

 

[MsMarple]

So does that mean they were in the gravy then?

IMO it could mean several things, including Erin allegedly serving herself an untainted beef Wellington and disposing of the tainted leftovers in another fashion.

 

[drsleuth]

4m ago

Defence raises possibility of different mushroom species​

By Judd Boaz​

The defence's Colin Mandy SC is up to question Dr Truong now.

He asks about a conversation she had with Mark Douglas following her first examination of the leftovers.

She tells the court she was contacted by many people in the days after the lunch, including the police and the Department of Health, asking her opinion.

Mr Mandy recounts a conversation she had with a doctor, where Dr Truong said there was a possibility of ghost or oyster mushrooms being in the leftovers.

However, Dr Truong denies she told doctors that there were definitely samples of ghost or oyster mushrooms in the leftovers.

Expert says Erin Patterson's medical files suggest she was ill — as it happened

Erin Patterson is on trial charged with the murders of three relatives who died after eating a meal she prepared which contained poisonous mushrooms. Follow the trial in our live blog.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Twick]

She originally 'claimed' that she bought the mushroons from a Chinese grocer and Woolworths. She has since 'admitted' that these were lies and that she herself foraged for the poisonous mushrooms. Admitted was used in the right context in my original

Indeed not, if she's guilty, as I believe she is. But if one juror disagrees, I don't want her declared "Not Guilty". I'd much rather "Not Proven".

But that has exactl6 the same consequences as not guilty.

 

[drsleuth]

So does that mean they were in the gravy then?

I don't think there was any gravy IMO