GUILTY Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 *Arrest* #17

[JennieM]

Police ask for privacy of victims' families to be respected​

Tiffanie Turnbull
Reporting from Morwell

00:26
Media caption, 'I ask that we acknowledge those people and not forget them'

Speaking briefly to media outside the courtroom, Detective Inspector Dean Thomas, from Victoria Police Homicide Squad, thanked the officers and prosecutors who had worked on the case.

"It's very important that we remember that three people have died, and we've had a person that nearly died and was seriously injured as a result.

"I ask that we acknowledge those people and not forget them."

He added that the Patterson and Wilkinson families - who were not in court to hear the verdict - have asked for privacy and that their wishes be respected.

Erin Patterson found guilty of all charges in Australia mushroom trial

Patterson's in-laws died in 2023 after eating death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons she had prepared.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Kemug]

Erin could have been beautiful both inside and out. Why Erin, why?!

 

[JBowie]

I can't imagine that Judy Moran will bow down to Erin!

Imagining:

"G'day, Erin. Fancy a beef Wellington?"

 

[Cliff Hardy]

Bit of a walk down memory lane.

Mr Mandy reminds the jury that Erin Patterson did not have to take the stand as a witness, but chose to expose herself.

He says she did this as an innocent person.

"It's difficult to imagine where you're putting yourself under an incredible amount of scrutiny. But she made that decision," he says.

Mr Mandy tells the jury that Ms Patterson merely told the truth in the witness box, and was not trying to convince them of her case.

"You would not have had the impression that she was trying to charm you, or persuade you," he says.

Mr Mandy says his client came through the cross-examination of the prosecution "unscathed" and that her testimony was consistent.

Erin Patterson was 'unscathed' by cross-examination, jury told — as it happened

Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC is continuing to deliver his closing address to the jury in Ms Patterson's triple-murder trial. Follow the trial as it happened

www.abc.net.au

Bbm

Fanciful stuff from Mandy but few spin reality like defence lawyers. If he ever gets sick of law he has a bright future ahead of him as a fiction author.

 

[JennieM]

'What is the motive?'
​

While Patterson has been found guilty of cooking the deadly mushroom lunch that killed three of her relatives and left another seriously ill, the motive is still unclear. There may simply be none.

"You might be wondering, 'What is the motive?'" said prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC when she spoke to the jury in the trial back in April.

"You might still be wondering this at the end of this trial," she added.

The prosecution did not suggest a specific motive, with Rogers telling the jury "You do not have to be satisfied what the motive was, or even that there was one".

Despite this, Rogers said the jury should have "no difficulty" in rejecting the argument that "this was all a horrible foraging accident".

The defence had argued the lack of motive was key, claiming Patterson had no reason to kill her guests.

Erin Patterson found guilty of all charges in Australia mushroom trial

Patterson's in-laws died in 2023 after eating death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons she had prepared.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[JennieM]

Locals hope verdict will give sense of closure
​

Tiffanie Turnbull
Reporting from Morwell

This crime left the local Gippsland region reeling.

The victims have been characterised as pillars of their communities, loved by many.

David Peters didn’t know them, but was so touched by their case he travelled to Morwell to sit in court many times over the past 10 weeks.

He says the local community - particularly those personally touched by the crime - would be relieved by today's verdicts.

“Overall, I think that most people in the community would agree with the result today,” he said.

Mr Peters added that his thoughts were with the families of those who died, who were not in court today.

“I hope they will have a sense of closure and a sense of justice.”

Erin Patterson found guilty of all charges in Australia mushroom trial

Patterson's in-laws died in 2023 after eating death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons she had prepared.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[iamshadow21]

She is lucky if they still love her.

I wouldn't be surprised if they do. They're kids, and she was their primary guardian. Children can still love the most abusive parents even while they hate the abuse. It's a tough dynamic coloured by the bond of dependence a child has for the person they rely on for care. As far as we know, Erin wasn't physically abusive to her kids. The emotional stuff may take them years to realise and work through, and still, they may never accept that she's guilty.

MOO

 

[Scuffy35]

cult followers??

The context of my comment is in this thread. Also related to "flying monkeys" as Monstradamus just mentioned.

 

[Deleted member 363451]

I didn't realise that the jury didn't know that Erin had been in prison since 2023.

 

[JennieM]

Victoria Police responds to guilty verdict​

State police have issued a statement in the wake of the trial verdict.

"Our thoughts are with the respective families at this time and we acknowledge how difficult these past two years have been for them," a spokesperson from Victoria Police said in the statement, ABC News reports.

"We will continue to support them in every way possible following this decision."

The Patterson and Wilkinson families have asked for privacy, the statement added.

Erin Patterson found guilty of all charges in Australia mushroom trial

Patterson's in-laws died in 2023 after eating death cap mushroom-laced beef Wellingtons she had prepared.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[Moll]

DBM

I'm really bad at emojis - I think it's my age, though I recall Erin Patterson had some problems with them too. The little descriptions given are 'roll eyes', 'frown' and 'disappointed', but are those your feelings about the article you posted and then deleted, or the verdict, or what?

 

[Tweet57]

I believe it was someone's opinion that Erin and her friends were "cult-like".

The word cult has come up in several previous posts. What were this group’s interests or beliefs? Although it has been stated Erin is highly intelligent, I find it difficult to believe she has the social skills to endear herself to others and have a following of sorts. Can someone fill in the gaps I am obviously missing for it to make more sense please.

 

[katydid23]

The Australian has a couple more photos that I don't think we have seen yet.

The mushrooms on the dehydrator rack, and the manual for the dehydrator.

View attachment 600331

View attachment 600332

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/erin-pattersons-mushroom-meal-photos-released-alongside-damning-court-evidence/news-story/da52ef98f099fbf6c3516cf26adaf53e?amp

The mushrooms look YELLOW. How did she not know they were Death Caps? Obviously they were.

 

[JennieM]

I wouldn't be surprised if they do. They're kids, and she was their primary guardian. Children can still love the most abusive parents even while they hate the abuse. It's a tough dynamic coloured by the bond of dependence a child has for the person they rely on for care. As far as we know, Erin wasn't physically abusive to her kids. The emotional stuff may take them years to realise and work through, and still, they may never accept that she's guilty.

MOO

Agree, but if anyone should use “still” it’s them and not her.

 

[JBowie]

I didn't realise that the jury didn't know that Erin had been in prison since 2023.

I think it was public knowledge that she was not granted bail after being charged.

Fri 3 Nov 2023 No application for bail was made and Patterson remains remanded in custody.

Suspected mushroom poisoning: Erin Patterson fronts court on murder charges over deaths in Victoria, Australia

Patterson, 49, was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder after family lunch in rural Australian town of Leongatha

www.theguardian.com

 

[katydid23]

Unbelievable is right! I don't believe that Patterson would be so stupid as to pull such a stunt.

IMO, it's a fellow prisoner making up a story for whatever reason.

I think she'd mess with another prisoner's food if she was angry enough. She has no self control.

 

[CityKid]

I’d love to know:

- what she actually thew away in the servo toilet
- what happened in that 11min window between dropping her son at subway and picking him up on evening of the dinner
- what was on phone A, and what she deleted from phone B
- what she did when she came home from hospital that morning when she said she fed the dog, packed a ballet bag and lay on the floor

Anything else?

All of the plates and "Tupperware" and cutlery. I can only hope she disposed of them and didn't donate them to a charity shop.

 

[JennieM]

Erin Patterson’s hospital visit – and what the beef wellingtons really looked like: mushroom murder exhibits revealed​

The evidence also showed warm messages between Patterson and her lunch guests and former parents-in-law, Gail and Don Patterson. They appeared sympathetic about her back problems, continually offering “thoughts and prayers” and shared concerns about Covid-19 cases rising in their community.

Exhibit CC showed Signal messages between Don Patterson and Erin Patterson between 1 January and 15 January 2022. Photograph: Supreme court of Victoria

Erin Patterson’s hospital visit – and what the beef wellingtons really looked like: mushroom murder exhibits revealed

Evidence presented in the mushroom murder trial shows the dining table used in the fateful lunch and social media chats

www.theguardian.com

 

[CityKid]

Yes, but also a woman who is facing trial for murder by poisoning food.

IMO, only a complete moron would tamper with the food of another prisoner under those circumstances.

IMO either the story is utter BS, or perhaps maybe another prisoner did tamper with someone's food and then conveniently pointed the finger at Patterson.

"I said I did it, and it's been shown in court that I always lie, so that proves I didn't do it!"

 

[Salah11]

I just saw the photos from the left over beef wellington.

Her cooking skills seem to match her personality. Her guests were unfortunately way too polite as I couldn’t eat it. That mushroom paste looks likes rats took a poo all over it.

It looks all mushrooms and not much else.

Moo