Listen to The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace
A family lunch in country Victoria ended in tragedy. Three guests died. A fourth just survived.
As Erin Patterson faced court charged with their murders, our reporters were in court for every word of this months-long case that has captivated the world.
Co-hosted by Nine reporter Penelope Liersch and The Age crime and justice reporter Erin Pearson, The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace takes listeners into the courtroom in real time – unpacking the evidence, analysing the testimony, and offering exclusive insights from inside the Latrobe Valley courtroom.
You can listen to every episode right here.
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Sydney Morning Herald
2 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘We've let the wolf into the den': Fresh allegations against Merivale raise further concerns
Reece said the City of Melbourne welcomed investment from Shanghai to Singapore and should also welcome investment from Sydney. 'Justin has served his apprenticeship in Sydney, where he has been very successful,' he said. 'He's now ready for the big time and taking on Australia's cultural and hospitality capital, Melbourne. He's ready to move from second division to the Premier League, and we welcome it.' After Monday's explosive revelations, The Age asked Reece whether he stood by his earlier comments. 'The allegations against Merivale should be properly investigated and responded to,' he said. However, council insiders have questioned whether the council should have embraced Merivale with such open arms in the first place. 'We've let the wolf into the den,' said one council insider, who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters. They said Melbourne's hospitality operators were furious that Merivale was able to amass cash in Sydney while Melbourne was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and then swoop in and buy such a prized asset at a cut price. Councillor Owen Guest raised concerns about the car park sale in February and said he was ropeable about the council's closed-door decision to sell the car park 'for a song'. Guest was one of three councillors to vote against the deal and said he had pushed for questions to be asked of Merivale. 'The investigation [published in this masthead] does concern me,' he said. 'Especially when it comes to what due diligence was done here at the Melbourne City Council because I did ask questions.' When asked last week whether the allegations against Merivale of sexual harassment, exploitation, drug use and the underpayment of staff concerned him, Reece defended the deal. Loading 'Justin Hemmes and Merivale stridently deny the allegations made in those reports,' he said. 'I have been advised that Merivale have in place very comprehensive workplace procedures that prioritise the safety and happiness of their workforce.' Reece flew to Sydney two weeks ago and met Hemmes for a tour of the Ivy, posting a photograph of the pair of them with arms around each other on his LinkedIn page. Last week Reece praised Hemmes' 'amazing hospitality and entertainment empire' while spruiking 'Merivale's biggest project ever, Parkade in Melbourne', raising eyebrows among some council insiders. 'I took the opportunity to tour the Ivy entertainment complex on George Street, I was mightily impressed by what I saw,' Reece said. 'It's an entire village of restaurants, bars, hospitality venues of different sizes and themes, and it all comes together brilliantly.' Reece said key politicians and staff at the City of Sydney had vouched for Merivale and Hemmes. 'When I met leading people in Sydney, whether that was the head of the business association, or Clover Moore, the lord mayor, or Chris Minns, the premier, they all spoke very positively of Justin Hemmes' impact on Sydney,' he said last week. On Monday, following further revelations regarding alleged underpayments of migrant workers, Reece clarified his position: 'The conversations I had with Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore about Merivale were high level and extended only to matters relating to local government, such as planning and development applications.' Merivale has also faced opposition to the Parkade deal from the Melbourne Club, with the proposed development set to overlook the exclusive private garden of Melbourne's oldest men-only club. The Parkade plans include a Melbourne version of Coogee's Mimi's restaurant on its top floor – where patrons dine on caviar bumps – and another branch of Merivale's Italian restaurant, Totti's, which is in Bondi, Rozelle and Lorne. Melbourne Club has used a long-held option – a legally enforceable right – to acquire a 50 per cent stake in an existing lease of the car park from property giant Dexus. The lease has another 12 years to run, at a cost of $5.5 million. A source at Melbourne Club, which has observed a long-held convention of not discussing its affairs with the media, said it was unlikely to negotiate with Merivale to end the lease earlier than its 12-year term. Reece said he had not been party to any discussions between Melbourne Club, Merivale and Hemmes. 'I have spoken to people at the Melbourne Club who have told me that they are supportive of what Hemmes is proposing,' Reece said. 'I'm also aware that there are others at the club who have concerns.' Loading Reece said his understanding was Melbourne Club's committee of management overall had a 'positive disposition' towards Merivale's plans to develop the car park. 'I understand that there is an ongoing dialogue between Merivale, the Melbourne Club and Justin Hemmes, and that's a good thing,' he said. 'That's how it should be with a major project like this one.' Merivale's only operational outpost in Victoria is the Lorne Hotel, which houses the hospitality group's Italian trattoria, Totti's, in its lower level. Merivale bought the Lorne Hotel for $38 million in 2021, but plans to renovate the pub entirely have not progressed beyond the ground floor. In 2021, Merivale also purchased Flinders Street's Tomasetti House for $40 million, but the opening, originally slated for 2023, is three years behind schedule. In 2023, Merivale spent $15 million buying Kantay House at the top end of the CBD and next to the Parkade carpark, which houses independently owned Argentinian steak restaurant San Telmo and pizza restaurant and hidden bar Pizza Pizza Pizza. The purchase of the Parkade car park for $55 million brings Merivale's total investment in Melbourne to $110 million over five years, without opening a venue. In an interview with this masthead in 2023, Hemmes said he had a special affinity with Melbourne.
The Age
2 hours ago
- The Age
‘We've let the wolf into the den': Fresh allegations against Merivale raise further concerns
Reece said the City of Melbourne welcomed investment from Shanghai to Singapore and should also welcome investment from Sydney. 'Justin has served his apprenticeship in Sydney, where he has been very successful,' he said. 'He's now ready for the big time and taking on Australia's cultural and hospitality capital, Melbourne. He's ready to move from second division to the Premier League, and we welcome it.' After Monday's explosive revelations, The Age asked Reece whether he stood by his earlier comments. 'The allegations against Merivale should be properly investigated and responded to,' he said. However, council insiders have questioned whether the council should have embraced Merivale with such open arms in the first place. 'We've let the wolf into the den,' said one council insider, who requested anonymity to discuss internal matters. They said Melbourne's hospitality operators were furious that Merivale was able to amass cash in Sydney while Melbourne was in lockdown during the COVID-19 pandemic and then swoop in and buy such a prized asset at a cut price. Councillor Owen Guest raised concerns about the car park sale in February and said he was ropeable about the council's closed-door decision to sell the car park 'for a song'. Guest was one of three councillors to vote against the deal and said he had pushed for questions to be asked of Merivale. 'The investigation [published in this masthead] does concern me,' he said. 'Especially when it comes to what due diligence was done here at the Melbourne City Council because I did ask questions.' When asked last week whether the allegations against Merivale of sexual harassment, exploitation, drug use and the underpayment of staff concerned him, Reece defended the deal. Loading 'Justin Hemmes and Merivale stridently deny the allegations made in those reports,' he said. 'I have been advised that Merivale have in place very comprehensive workplace procedures that prioritise the safety and happiness of their workforce.' Reece flew to Sydney two weeks ago and met Hemmes for a tour of the Ivy, posting a photograph of the pair of them with arms around each other on his LinkedIn page. Last week Reece praised Hemmes' 'amazing hospitality and entertainment empire' while spruiking 'Merivale's biggest project ever, Parkade in Melbourne', raising eyebrows among some council insiders. 'I took the opportunity to tour the Ivy entertainment complex on George Street, I was mightily impressed by what I saw,' Reece said. 'It's an entire village of restaurants, bars, hospitality venues of different sizes and themes, and it all comes together brilliantly.' Reece said key politicians and staff at the City of Sydney had vouched for Merivale and Hemmes. 'When I met leading people in Sydney, whether that was the head of the business association, or Clover Moore, the lord mayor, or Chris Minns, the premier, they all spoke very positively of Justin Hemmes' impact on Sydney,' he said last week. On Monday, following further revelations regarding alleged underpayments of migrant workers, Reece clarified his position: 'The conversations I had with Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore about Merivale were high level and extended only to matters relating to local government, such as planning and development applications.' Merivale has also faced opposition to the Parkade deal from the Melbourne Club, with the proposed development set to overlook the exclusive private garden of Melbourne's oldest men-only club. The Parkade plans include a Melbourne version of Coogee's Mimi's restaurant on its top floor – where patrons dine on caviar bumps – and another branch of Merivale's Italian restaurant, Totti's, which is in Bondi, Rozelle and Lorne. Melbourne Club has used a long-held option – a legally enforceable right – to acquire a 50 per cent stake in an existing lease of the car park from property giant Dexus. The lease has another 12 years to run, at a cost of $5.5 million. A source at Melbourne Club, which has observed a long-held convention of not discussing its affairs with the media, said it was unlikely to negotiate with Merivale to end the lease earlier than its 12-year term. Reece said he had not been party to any discussions between Melbourne Club, Merivale and Hemmes. 'I have spoken to people at the Melbourne Club who have told me that they are supportive of what Hemmes is proposing,' Reece said. 'I'm also aware that there are others at the club who have concerns.' Loading Reece said his understanding was Melbourne Club's committee of management overall had a 'positive disposition' towards Merivale's plans to develop the car park. 'I understand that there is an ongoing dialogue between Merivale, the Melbourne Club and Justin Hemmes, and that's a good thing,' he said. 'That's how it should be with a major project like this one.' Merivale's only operational outpost in Victoria is the Lorne Hotel, which houses the hospitality group's Italian trattoria, Totti's, in its lower level. Merivale bought the Lorne Hotel for $38 million in 2021, but plans to renovate the pub entirely have not progressed beyond the ground floor. In 2021, Merivale also purchased Flinders Street's Tomasetti House for $40 million, but the opening, originally slated for 2023, is three years behind schedule. In 2023, Merivale spent $15 million buying Kantay House at the top end of the CBD and next to the Parkade carpark, which houses independently owned Argentinian steak restaurant San Telmo and pizza restaurant and hidden bar Pizza Pizza Pizza. The purchase of the Parkade car park for $55 million brings Merivale's total investment in Melbourne to $110 million over five years, without opening a venue. In an interview with this masthead in 2023, Hemmes said he had a special affinity with Melbourne.
ABC News
8 hours ago
- ABC News
How jurors will decide the outcome of Erin Patterson's mushroom triple-murder trial
More than nine weeks of legal proceedings have unfolded in Erin Patterson's murder trial, with the jury now set to deliberate on its verdict. Ms Patterson is accused of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth at a lunch at her home in Leongatha, south-east of Melbourne, on July 29, 2023. She has pleaded not guilty to all charges, with her lawyers arguing the incident was a tragic accident. A panel of jurors, who have watched the proceedings take place in the town of Morwell from start to finish, will now decide whether or not the alleged crimes have been proven beyond reasonable doubt. Here's what we know about how juries deliberate in Victoria. How many jurors are there? What has the jury heard in the trial? What questions will the jury consider? What has the jury been warned about? What happens in the jury deliberation room? How long will the jury deliberate? What if the jury cannot decide? Those who travelled to Morwell to watch the trial in person may have initially seen 15 potential jurors empanelled. This is because the Supreme Court empanelled an extra three people in case a potential juror fell sick or was discharged. We saw the importance of this measure first-hand on May 15, when Justice Christopher Beale opened court proceedings on what he described as "an unhappy note". Justice Beale told the panel that one of their fellow jurors had been removed based on "credible" information given to the court. "I received information that he had been discussing the case with family and friends, contrary to my instructions," the judge said. "I was of the view that it was at least a reasonable possibility that the information I'd received was credible." He ordered the jury not to contact the discharged juror. The two reserve jurors were balloted off after the judge gave his final directions to the jury, leaving 12 people to determine whether to acquit or convict Ms Patterson of the four charges. The jury has now attended the court almost every weekday for nearly two months. More than 50 prosecution witnesses were called to give evidence, from fungi experts who logged the location of deadly death cap mushrooms in Gippsland, to the nurses and doctors who treated all five attendees of the lunch for poisoning symptoms. Photos of a dehydrator that Ms Patterson admitted to throwing away in panic and detailed phone and hospital records were among the dozens of pieces of evidence shown to the jury across several weeks. For a recap on the major evidence in the Erin Patterson trial, head to our explainer here. When it came time for Ms Patterson's legal team to call a witness, defence barrister Colin Mandy SC put Ms Patterson herself in the witness box. After several days of emotional testimony where Ms Patterson shed tears watching footage of police interviewing her children, the prosecution began its cross-examination. Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC engaged in several days of at-times tense questioning, regularly putting suggestions of guilt to Ms Patterson, which she strongly denied. Following Ms Patterson's testimony, both Mr Mandy and Dr Rogers made their closing addresses to the jury, recapping their cases to the jury over the course of several days. Finally, Justice Beale presented his final instructions to the jury over several days, telling the panel it must limit its deliberations to evidence presented before the court. "You are the only ones in this court who can make a decision about these facts," he said. "No one in the media, in public, in your workplace or in your homes have sat in that jury box throughout [this trial] … you and you alone are best placed to decide whether the prosecution has proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt." When it comes to deciding whether Ms Patterson is guilty of murder or not, the jury must be satisfied beyond reasonable doubt that the four legal elements of that charge have been met. Those are: Justice Beale told the jury on Monday that what was in dispute was whether the serving of the poisonous meal was deliberate and whether it was done with murderous intent. The judge explained that for the charge of attempted murder, the jury needed to be satisfied Ms Patterson had intended to kill Ian Wilkinson, and that an intention to cause really serious injury was not applicable. As the defence reminded the jury in both its opening and closing arguments, the onus is on the prosecution to prove Ms Patterson intentionally poisoned her relatives — in other words, the accused is innocent until proven guilty. On the opening day of the trial, Mr Mandy urged the jury to consider this as a scale. "Remember that scale: innocent down here," he said. "That's your starting point: open mind. "Guilt is all the way up there," he said as he gestured higher. Jurors have also been warned about the risk widespread media coverage poses to the high-profile case. Global media attention has shrouded the case for weeks. Justice Beale has explicitly warned jurors to reject any approaches from friends and family keen to discuss the case. He also warned them against undertaking their own investigations, such as visiting websites named in the trial or searching relevant locations online. Jurors who carry out their own research don't only risk an unfair trial; they also risk committing contempt, which can be a criminal offence. We will never know. Deliberations are kept strictly confidential. Jurors must not share what took place to anyone — even after a verdict has been reached. The secrecy of deliberations is a key part of the justice system, and what determines a jury's decision is never publicly revealed. "It's difficult to get access to jurors, but there's good reason for it," Professor Horan said. However, jurors are not completely left to their own devices. They may ask questions of the judge or request to see certain evidence again, but that doesn't always happen. On Monday the jury was told they would deliberate from Monday to Saturday. They will be sequestered, meaning they will not go home during the week and on Sundays. That's one question we can't really answer. Remember, the jury's verdicts must be unanimous, meaning all 12 panel members have to agree. Suffice it to say that deliberations will take as long as they need to. Given the requirement for a unanimous verdict, even one dissenting member can cause a "hung jury", meaning no unanimous verdict can be reached. Without trying to influence jurors' verdicts, the judge may offer assistance to prevent that outcome. But in the event that the jury remains unable to reach a consensus and a hung jury is declared, they will be discharged, and a new trial eventually held. On Monday, Justice Beale told the jury their verdict must be unanimous on each charge, but that that did not mean they must all reach their decisions the same way. "No matter how you reach your verdict, you must all agree," he said.
