The mushroom poisoning in Vic.... I am gripped - Part 2

[ImustLearn2Cook]

Hi everyone, Aussie Mumsnetter here. As some have requested a new thread be started by an Aussie I decided to do it.

I am still gripped by this case and like many, I am awaiting updates of new information.

Will a matching donor for a liver for Ian be found soon? I hope he makes a full recovery.

Will he be able to shed new light on the lunch they all shared?

And of course is she guilty of deliberately poisoning them or was it an innocent mistake?

Erin Patterson's estranged husband has told her triple-murder trial she "never actually asked" how sick her in-laws were in the aftermath of a contaminated lunch at her home.

God almight, that's damning.

Under cross examination, Simon Patterson said his estranged wife did not ask about the guests' welfare in the days after the lunch.

"It intrigued me that she never actually asked," Mr Patterson said on Friday.

"We didn't have that conversation, I don't think, at any time."

Erin Patterson's mushroom murder trial hears 'extremely aggressive' texts sent to estranged husband - ABC News

That's just bizarre. Either way you'd think she'd want to know if they were at death's door or not.

God her poor kids having to testify, even by pre-recorded statement. Great way to fuck up your children.

If it was an accidental poisoning, she'd be terrible anxious, hoping they'd survive, and wracked with guilt. If it was a deliberate poisoning, I expect she knew they'd die - imagine her surprise/horror when Ian managed to pull through, poor fellow.

I have a friend who did air traffic control training (he dropped out just before finishing because he found the work culture incredibly toxic). It is extremely intensive and demanding and the recruitment and training process takes about two years, from memory. It’s not a qualification you can get easily.

Jeez, can you imagine how you'd feel if you'd served a meal to people who became so sick they were calling for ambulance help and were admitted to local hospital...then sent to major metropolitan hospitals? I'd be freaking out hard-core and offering the authorities anything they needed to figure out what the hell had happened.

Hell yes I'd be panicking! But hiding stuff and trying to wipe my phone wouldn't occur to me.

Even though Ian survived, he needed a liver transplant. That's a terrible medical event at any age and it means he'll be on much anti-rejection medication for the rest of his life. Which will be vastly shortened thanks to eating this BW.

I hope he gets his day in court.

That's very interesting. It was reported many times that she worked in that field, and there was an interview with an ex colleague back when this 1st blew up. Will see if I can find it.

So I'm not doubting she did that job. Perhaps the psychometric testing for air traffic controllers has some mild overlap with sociopathatic personality? At a wild guess?

Meant to say... I used to work in psych testing for recruitment purposes. These tests are only a vague indicator. Still, interesting to consider in this context.

Note- this article is from 2023 and speaks only to Erin's job as an Air Traffic Controller

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.news.com.au/national/victoria/news/former-colleague-of-erin-patterson-says-she-was-abrasive-and-eccentric-while-working-as-air-traffic-controller/news-story/c46976b1c97487d18bbe32f521f54f25%3famp

Actually, I think it is more like 11 and 16 now.

Does anyone think she'll take the stand? Seems like a drama queen so my money is on yes.

9 and 14 at the time (The Guardian). so yeah, about 11 and 16 now. Edited due to a brain fart.

Oooh good question! Lets try to think like an arrogant defence barrister. Truly, some of them think they can walk on water.

a) The media interview outside her house was a disaster, but it was unscripted, she was blindsided & in a panic. Panic is at the core of our defence.

b) We can coach her. She's smart enough to memorise a script. She's a mother who cares deeply about her children, so much so that she didn't want them traumatised by a hospital visit after they'd both had bad hospital experiences in the past.

c) The loss to her children who are now bereft of their grandparents is unfathomable. Despite this being A TRAGIC ACCIDENT she will carry a misplaced but human sense of guilt with her forever.

My money also on yes!

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-05/erin-patterson-mushroom-murder-trial-monday-may-5/105252264?utm_source=abc_news_web&utm_medium=content_shared&utm_campaign=abc_news_web

Shit, your online friends aren't really friends. Who knew?

Hiding mushrooms in everything hey? Good grief.

Lets try to think like an arrogant defence barrister.

I reckon Mandy is thinking, my client is cooked. However, this trial will last 5-6 weeks, and my fees are considerable.

Innit though?
👍

Perhaps she was sowing the seeds of her defence by letting people know she put dried mushrooms in everything for nutritional reasons. Then she would say it was a terrible accident as she unknowingly added poisonous mushrooms to the lunch food.

She has tripped herself up by claiming an Asian grocer she can’t remember the location of when the police have forensic evidence from the dehydrator she dumped. If internet chats and phone location data show she knowingly went to a location where death caps had been found then she surely has to be found guilty.

Colin Mandy has defended some right bastards, a quick google shows that, but none as notorious and internationally known.

I agree everyone is entitled to a good defence. Just a shame it rests on how much money is available. A legal aid lawyer would've shat themselves a year ago!

Please come back @Yazzi we need your learned input 🙏

Feeling both flattered and also assaulted as a legal aid lawyer 😂😂😂. I do find it necessary to point out (in case anyone here needs to rely on legal aid one day) that legal aid does defend incredibly complex murder trials on the daily haha, and a lot of brilliant lawyers take the short term financial hit to work in the legal aid system because it's extremely well respected in the criminal law sector and can turbo charge your career towards the bar (barrister) or the bench (judge). Ok done with THAT defending now!

I'm just continuing to find it fascinating, I'm enjoying how the husband is by no means the "perfect victim". Not to say he deserved what happened to his family by any measure, of course.

I went into this like most people feeling for sure it was murder and I think the defence have done a very good job building the weaknesses in the prosecution case- a much harder job to do through evidence than it seems (because you can't narrate or point to the conclusions you want the jury to make at every turn).

I think if the evidence is clear that she searched specifically for death cap mushrooms, and went foraging in those spots, this will be very very hard for the defence to overcome though.

"Their chats evolved to politics, current affairs, their personal lives and cooking, with Ms Barkley saying a number of the friends owned a RecipeTin Eats cookbook."

How's this collision of the two biggest Australian news stories of the moment 😂

I'm enjoying how the husband is by no means the "perfect victim".

I thought he came across very well. The child support payment amount was surprising. The only time I've encountered such an amount was when a deadbeat I used to know was unemployed. But SP was paying the school fees and so on until things deteriorated with EP, and having the children to stay on weekends and presumably providing for them in other ways.

I thought he managed to speak very respectfully of EP for the very most part, especially considering she murdered his parents, and aunt and uncle, and had hoped to murder him.

Thank you very much @Yazzi I meant no disrespect, promise!

Will reply properly tomorrow, am in the throes of kiddo bedtime. Cheers for being a legal aid lawyer, bloody hell we need people like you 😍

I hadn't heard about Kelli Lane before, that was a interesting rabbit hole.

Feeling both flattered and also assaulted as a legal aid lawyer 😂😂😂

That did make me laugh.

Thanks for the updates, it is really interesting to read, but just awful for the four victims and their families.

‘She seemed to really like mushrooms’ 😂