GUILTY Australia - 3 dead after eating wild mushrooms, Leongatha, Victoria, Aug 2023 *Arrest* #20

[Detechtive]

Erin Patterson: Compensation for victims ‘likely’ to be sought from mushroom killer estate​

“Condemned to spend at least the next three decades behind bars, Erin Patterson will “likely” next face a court battle over the home she once hoped to grow old in.

An order, made by Justice Michelle Quigley on July 23, states that “no person shall dispose of or otherwise deal with the property” at 84 Gibson Street, Leongatha.

It further states it is “likely” that an application for restitution or compensation would be made against Patterson.

The restraining order was sought by the Director of Public Prosecutions, who argued the property was considered “tainted” by Patterson’s crimes.

Under Victoria’s Sentencing Act 1991, victims of a crime can apply for restitution or compensation.

Orders for compensation, of an amount a court sees fit, can be made for pain and suffering experienced, for medical and counselling expenses, or for any other expense incurred as a direct result of the offending.

An application for a compensation order must be made within 12 months of a guilty verdict or conviction by a victim or on a victim’s behalf.

Proceedings related to the restraining order over the property are listed to return to the Supreme Court in November for a directions hearing.”

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/courts-law/erin-patterson-compensation-for-victims-likely-to-be-sought-from-mushroom-killer-estate/news-story/2236f2b766afae426c1bd4c23d4d71f2

Who would even buy the house? It’s so infamaous I can’t imagine it’s worth what it would have been?
There’s so many people driving past it for crime tourism - I’d hate to live there. IMO

 

[IBR]

An article in The Conversation that explains how long a standard minimum non-parole period takes in Victoria for murder.
I assume, if the standard non-parole period for one murder usually is 20 years and for more than one murder 25 years, JB could have roughly calculated 20 years non-parole for the first murder, an extra 10 years non-parole for the second and third murder victim, maybe another 4 years for the attempted murder, the particularly callous and cruel approach and total lack of remorse, minus a discount of 1 year for the harsh conditions in prison.
Personally, I think that it’s a fairly lenient verdict in general (especially compared with US standards - but we’re in Australia), but according to the standard sentencing for murder in Victoria, JB just couldn’t have implied a longer sentence and/or non-parole period. I believe he did everything he could, to hand down the harshest sentence while keeping the appeal door as firmly shut as possible. EP might still lodge an appeal, but I doubt it will be granted. JB was very conscious of this. An excellent judge, IMO.

Four victims, no remorse: Erin Patterson given a life sentence for mushroom murders

One of the most high-profile court cases in Australian history has ended in the maximum sentence. Two legal experts explain the process.

theconversation.com

 

[ch_13]

So, I don't get why the prison says that Erin has to be in solitary for the foreseeable future. Not because of what she's done, but to ensure her safety.

I'd understand it if she were male, as men's prisons are inherently violent places. But women's prisons are nowhere near as dangerous. In fact, I remember reading a study some time back that the biggest physical danger to female inmates was from male prison guards. (This was a U.S. study, but I think a similar principle would apply in Australia.)

In the U.S. there have been a ton of very (in)famous women prisoners: Jodi Arias, Susan Smith, Elizabeth Holmes, Jen Shah, even Martha Stewart, and I believed they all are/were in the general population for at least a part of their term. Some of those were in minimum security facilities, but not all of them. If their safety can be maintained, why not EP?

Surely, the prison knows who the violent inmates are and can deal with them appropriately, like putting those prisoners in restricted environments.

Is it possible the prison is just trying to cover their butt by refusing to allow EP the freedoms other inmates have? If so, it backfired, because now EP could serve a much shorter sentence than she would have been otherwise given.

 

[LinasK]

So, I don't get why the prison says that Erin has to be in solitary for the foreseeable future. Not because of what she's done, but to ensure her safety.

I'd understand it if she were male, as men's prisons are inherently violent places. But women's prisons are nowhere near as dangerous. In fact, I remember reading a study some time back that the biggest physical danger to female inmates was from male prison guards. (This was a U.S. study, but I think a similar principle would apply in Australia.)

In the U.S. there have been a ton of very (in)famous women prisoners: Jodi Arias, Susan Smith, Elizabeth Holmes, Jen Shah, even Martha Stewart, and I believed they all are/were in the general population for at least a part of their term. Some of those were in minimum security facilities, but not all of them. If their safety can be maintained, why not EP?

Surely, the prison knows who the violent inmates are and can deal with them appropriately, like putting those prisoners in restricted environments.

Is it possible the prison is just trying to cover their butt by refusing to allow EP the freedoms other inmates have? If so, it backfired, because now EP could serve a much shorter sentence than she would have been otherwise given.

Holmes and Shah are both at Club Fed, otherwise known as FCI Bryan, in Bryan Texas, where they just moved Ghislane Maxwell to. It is a minimum security prison- so they have to hire extra security for Maxwell, who should never have been moved there.

 

[Detechtive]

So, I don't get why the prison says that Erin has to be in solitary for the foreseeable future. Not because of what she's done, but to ensure her safety.

I'd understand it if she were male, as men's prisons are inherently violent places. But women's prisons are nowhere near as dangerous. In fact, I remember reading a study some time back that the biggest physical danger to female inmates was from male prison guards. (This was a U.S. study, but I think a similar principle would apply in Australia.)

In the U.S. there have been a ton of very (in)famous women prisoners: Jodi Arias, Susan Smith, Elizabeth Holmes, Jen Shah, even Martha Stewart, and I believed they all are/were in the general population for at least a part of their term. Some of those were in minimum security facilities, but not all of them. If their safety can be maintained, why not EP?

Surely, the prison knows who the violent inmates are and can deal with them appropriately, like putting those prisoners in restricted environments.

Is it possible the prison is just trying to cover their butt by refusing to allow EP the freedoms other inmates have? If so, it backfired, because now EP could serve a much shorter sentence than she would have been otherwise given.

I believe the intense media interest is another reason. Media have hidden in bushes etc and it affects the privacy of other prisoners too, IMO.

 

[Ellery84]

She is appealing anyway. She has nothing more to lose. She still maintains it was a terrible accident.

If she needs to use legal aide, the State of Victoria will need to agree to run an appeal, correct?

 

[drsleuth]

https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/erin-pattersons-estranged-husband-simon-reveals-next-move/news-story/2f3927614fc77f383ca8814913f75db5

Simon has started a media company and plans to launch a podcast which will begin with 10 episodes.

From your link

Triple murderer Erin Patterson’s estranged husband Simon Patterson has established a media company to produce a podcast telling his side of the mushroom murders story.

The engineer is also in talks with a publishing company to write a memoir and produce an e-book which will feature transcripts from the podcast.

“He wants to be in control of the message, to have complete agency over it and make the edits himself,” a source with knowledge of the talks told news.com.au.

snip

There are also plans Mr Patterson’s new media company will become a platform that specialises in podcasts for victims of crime.

I wish Simon nothing but the best

 

[Corina]

What was the point she tried to make by tapping twice on the table on her way out?
Keeping her eyes closed was her way of showing contempt but I have no idea why she chose to tap on tables on her way out.
Such a strange and sinister person.
Fifty year old Erin is a danger to everyone who comes in contact with her, 83 year old Erin will still be just as dangerous.
No remorse, no redemption.

[bbm]

I thought, double tap...

 

[Susjay]

Ah, lighten up! This is a celebration of justice.

Yes, totally, justice is the focus. Closing her eyes to block it out so to speak, and then touching and knocking is so childish. More evidence of her lack of remorse and lack of recognition of the gravity of what she did. Still playing futile games!

 

[packetgravy]

Shouldn't psych reports have been mandatory?

Yes.

 

[Susjay]

What was the point she tried to make by tapping twice on the table on her way out?
Keeping her eyes closed was her way of showing contempt but I have no idea why she chose to tap on tables on her way out.
Such a strange and sinister person.
Fifty year old Erin is a danger to everyone who comes in contact with her, 83 year old Erin will still be just as dangerous.
No remorse, no redemption.

The closed eyes were - say what you like I’m not participating in this. A way of showing contempt as you say.
The touching & tapping was about moving into the physical space of the media. Crossing into their physical space - I’m the one being sentenced but I’m here in your space - remember I’m the main event here. An attempt to threaten or show dominance. It’s her MO. Rather juvenile in this context. She’s a nasty piece of work.

 

[Susjay]

Yes.

Not really, if the defence doesn’t present them and person doesn’t agree to submit to analysis. So psych reports didn’t come up at sentencing hearing. Just suggestion of a diagnosis but not legit reports. Beale also did seem to want to mention that the defence was being very much directed by their client.

 

[Susjay]

[bbm]

I thought, double tap...

Sometimes teachers will do a little tap on a student’s desk to bring the attention back to them. This is the message I think - focus on me.

 

[drsleuth]

She really i

The closed eyes were - say what you like I’m not participating in this. A way of showing contempt as you say.
The touching & tapping was about moving into the physical space of the media. Crossing into their physical space - I’m the one being sentenced but I’m here in your space - remember I’m the main event here. An attempt to threaten or show dominance. It’s her MO. Rather juvenile in this context. She’s a nasty piece of work.

She really is pathetic

 

[drsleuth]

[bbm]

I thought, double tap...

Me too.

 

[Detechtive]

From your link

Triple murderer Erin Patterson’s estranged husband Simon Patterson has established a media company to produce a podcast telling his side of the mushroom murders story.

The engineer is also in talks with a publishing company to write a memoir and produce an e-book which will feature transcripts from the podcast.

“He wants to be in control of the message, to have complete agency over it and make the edits himself,” a source with knowledge of the talks told news.com.au.

snip

There are also plans Mr Patterson’s new media company will become a platform that specialises in podcasts for victims of crime.

I wish Simon nothing but the best

What an amazing man! I can’t wait to read and listen!

 

[Detechtive]

The closed eyes were - say what you like I’m not participating in this. A way of showing contempt as you say.
The touching & tapping was about moving into the physical space of the media. Crossing into their physical space - I’m the one being sentenced but I’m here in your space - remember I’m the main event here. An attempt to threaten or show dominance. It’s her MO. Rather juvenile in this context. She’s a nasty piece of work.

To tag onto this, I also think it’s grandiosity like “oh hurry up, I’m appealing anyway and will win - I’m tired of these futile procedures” 🫩

IMO

 

[Detechtive]

Not really, if the defence doesn’t present them and person doesn’t agree to submit to analysis. So psych reports didn’t come up at sentencing hearing. Just suggestion of a diagnosis but not legit reports. Beale also did seem to want to mention that the defence was being very much directed by their client.

AFAIK, psych evaluations are mandatory for anyone taken into custody, due to prison risk assessment, etc.

If I was to speculate, I would imagine the psych reports may not have been favourable to sentence mitigation, IMO

Hypothetically imagine if they said “shows no remorse, shows flat affect, was aggressive and wasn’t cooperative, displays symptoms of ASPD” etc…

 

[SouthAussie]

AFAIK, psych evaluations are mandatory for anyone taken into custody, due to prison risk assessment, etc.

If I was to speculate, I would imagine the psych reports may not have been favourable to sentence mitigation, IMO

Hypothetically imagine if they said “shows no remorse, shows flat affect, was aggressive and wasn’t cooperative, displays symptoms of ASPD” etc…

It is possible that the Dept of Corrections submitted a psych evaluation with their pre-sentencing report. But we will never know what it contained.

imo

 

[BreakingNews]

So, I don't get why the prison says that Erin has to be in solitary for the foreseeable future. Not because of what she's done, but to ensure her safety.

I'd understand it if she were male, as men's prisons are inherently violent places. But women's prisons are nowhere near as dangerous. In fact, I remember reading a study some time back that the biggest physical danger to female inmates was from male prison guards. (This was a U.S. study, but I think a similar principle would apply in Australia.)

In the U.S. there have been a ton of very (in)famous women prisoners: Jodi Arias, Susan Smith, Elizabeth Holmes, Jen Shah, even Martha Stewart, and I believed they all are/were in the general population for at least a part of their term. Some of those were in minimum security facilities, but not all of them. If their safety can be maintained, why not EP?

Surely, the prison knows who the violent inmates are and can deal with them appropriately, like putting those prisoners in restricted environments.

Is it possible the prison is just trying to cover their butt by refusing to allow EP the freedoms other inmates have? If so, it backfired, because now EP could serve a much shorter sentence than she would have been otherwise given.

I don't understand. Australia is very different from the USA. Erin needs to be protected for her own safety. Women can be equally cruel as men.