Jury told to be careful assessing mushroom cook's lies
Jurors cannot find mushroom cook Erin Patterson guilty of murdering her lunch guests simply because she admitted telling lies, a judge has warned.
Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale provided the caution during the fourth day of his directions to the jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial.
He noted the lies the 50-year-old has admitted, which include claims she never foraged for wild mushrooms and that she never had a dehydrator.
Jurors could use those lies to assess Patterson's credibility on other statements she made to witnesses or during her evidence, Justice Beale said.
But just because Patterson lied about one thing does not mean she lied about everything, and jurors would need to consider all of the prosecution's evidence, the judge warned.
"Do not reason that just because she has told a lie about something then she is guilty," Justice Beale said.
The warning came after he outlined the evidence around Patterson's alleged fake illness after the death cap mushroom-laced lunch.
Patterson's former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after eating the beef Wellingtons prepared by Patterson on July 29, 2023.
Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson became unwell but was the only lunch guest to survive.
Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one charge of attempted murder, claims she was also unwell after the meal.
Justice Beale outlined the evidence from Patterson herself, where she reported having nausea and explosive diarrhoea for more than a day after the lunch.
The judge also reflected on the evidence from Patterson's children, ex-husband Simon, doctors and nurses, who at times stated how well she appeared.
Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC claimed Patterson was pretending to be sick because she knew she had not eaten the deadly death cap mushrooms.
Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC argued she was unwell but not as sick as her lunch guests due to the amount of beef Wellington she ate, her age, size and general physical health.
Justice Beale said the evidence around Patterson's condition after the lunch should be considered in the context of alleged incriminating conduct.
Patterson has admitted some of the conduct, including disposing of the dehydrator at a tip and lying about foraging for wild mushrooms.
Justice Beale said jurors have to consider whether Patterson told the lies because she panicked in fear of being wrongly accused and losing custody of her children.
Patterson has denied lying about feeling unwell and feeding her children leftovers from the beef Wellington lunch.
If the jury found she did engage in the alleged conduct, they must consider whether she did so because she feared being wrongly blamed, the judge said.
"Even if you think that conduct makes her look guilty, that doesn't mean she is guilty," Justice Beale said.
He sent the jurors home for the week shortly before 1pm on Friday, advising them his directions should finish before lunch on Monday.
The jury of 14 will then be balloted down to 12, who will be tasked with deciding whether Patterson is guilty or not guilty of each of the charges.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
a day ago
- Perth Now
Jury told to be careful assessing mushroom cook's lies
Jurors cannot find mushroom cook Erin Patterson guilty of murdering her lunch guests simply because she admitted telling lies, a judge has warned. Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale provided the caution during the fourth day of his directions to the jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial. He noted the lies the 50-year-old has admitted, which include claims she never foraged for wild mushrooms and that she never had a dehydrator. Jurors could use those lies to assess Patterson's credibility on other statements she made to witnesses or during her evidence, Justice Beale said. But just because Patterson lied about one thing does not mean she lied about everything, and jurors would need to consider all of the prosecution's evidence, the judge warned. "Do not reason that just because she has told a lie about something then she is guilty," Justice Beale said. The warning came after he outlined the evidence around Patterson's alleged fake illness after the death cap mushroom-laced lunch. Patterson's former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after eating the beef Wellingtons prepared by Patterson on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson became unwell but was the only lunch guest to survive. Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one charge of attempted murder, claims she was also unwell after the meal. Justice Beale outlined the evidence from Patterson herself, where she reported having nausea and explosive diarrhoea for more than a day after the lunch. The judge also reflected on the evidence from Patterson's children, ex-husband Simon, doctors and nurses, who at times stated how well she appeared. Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC claimed Patterson was pretending to be sick because she knew she had not eaten the deadly death cap mushrooms. Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC argued she was unwell but not as sick as her lunch guests due to the amount of beef Wellington she ate, her age, size and general physical health. Justice Beale said the evidence around Patterson's condition after the lunch should be considered in the context of alleged incriminating conduct. Patterson has admitted some of the conduct, including disposing of the dehydrator at a tip and lying about foraging for wild mushrooms. Justice Beale said jurors have to consider whether Patterson told the lies because she panicked in fear of being wrongly accused and losing custody of her children. Patterson has denied lying about feeling unwell and feeding her children leftovers from the beef Wellington lunch. If the jury found she did engage in the alleged conduct, they must consider whether she did so because she feared being wrongly blamed, the judge said. "Even if you think that conduct makes her look guilty, that doesn't mean she is guilty," Justice Beale said. He sent the jurors home for the week shortly before 1pm on Friday, advising them his directions should finish before lunch on Monday. The jury of 14 will then be balloted down to 12, who will be tasked with deciding whether Patterson is guilty or not guilty of each of the charges.
West Australian
a day ago
- West Australian
Jury told to be careful assessing mushroom cook's lies
Jurors cannot find mushroom cook Erin Patterson guilty of murdering her lunch guests simply because she admitted telling lies, a judge has warned. Victorian Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale provided the caution during the fourth day of his directions to the jury in Patterson's triple-murder trial. He noted the lies the 50-year-old has admitted, which include claims she never foraged for wild mushrooms and that she never had a dehydrator. Jurors could use those lies to assess Patterson's credibility on other statements she made to witnesses or during her evidence, Justice Beale said. But just because Patterson lied about one thing does not mean she lied about everything, and jurors would need to consider all of the prosecution's evidence, the judge warned. "Do not reason that just because she has told a lie about something then she is guilty," Justice Beale said. The warning came after he outlined the evidence around Patterson's alleged fake illness after the death cap mushroom-laced lunch. Patterson's former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after eating the beef Wellingtons prepared by Patterson on July 29, 2023. Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson became unwell but was the only lunch guest to survive. Patterson, who has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one charge of attempted murder, claims she was also unwell after the meal. Justice Beale outlined the evidence from Patterson herself, where she reported having nausea and explosive diarrhoea for more than a day after the lunch. The judge also reflected on the evidence from Patterson's children, ex-husband Simon, doctors and nurses, who at times stated how well she appeared. Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC claimed Patterson was pretending to be sick because she knew she had not eaten the deadly death cap mushrooms. Patterson's barrister Colin Mandy SC argued she was unwell but not as sick as her lunch guests due to the amount of beef Wellington she ate, her age, size and general physical health. Justice Beale said the evidence around Patterson's condition after the lunch should be considered in the context of alleged incriminating conduct. Patterson has admitted some of the conduct, including disposing of the dehydrator at a tip and lying about foraging for wild mushrooms. Justice Beale said jurors have to consider whether Patterson told the lies because she panicked in fear of being wrongly accused and losing custody of her children. Patterson has denied lying about feeling unwell and feeding her children leftovers from the beef Wellington lunch. If the jury found she did engage in the alleged conduct, they must consider whether she did so because she feared being wrongly blamed, the judge said. "Even if you think that conduct makes her look guilty, that doesn't mean she is guilty," Justice Beale said. He sent the jurors home for the week shortly before 1pm on Friday, advising them his directions should finish before lunch on Monday. The jury of 14 will then be balloted down to 12, who will be tasked with deciding whether Patterson is guilty or not guilty of each of the charges.
News.com.au
a day ago
- News.com.au
Erin Patterson trial: Judge tells jury alleged mushroom poisoner admitted lies
Prosecutors allege Erin Patterson faked being sick in an effort to avoid suspicion after the illnesses of her husband's family members, the judge overseeing her triple murder trial has told the jury. Continuing his summing up of the arguments and evidence in the case, Justice Christopher Beale turned to the final piece of alleged incriminating conduct prosecutors argue can only be reasonably explained by Ms Patterson holding the belief she was guilty of the charged offences. This was Ms Patterson allegedly lying about being unwell and faking death cap mushroom poisoning. Justice Beale said Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC had argued not a single medical witness observed her to be unwell and asked them to compare that to the experience of the lunch guests. Dr Rogers, he said, argued when Ms Patterson was discharged with no evidence of death cap poisoning on August 1 each of the guests were on life support in an advanced state of organ failure. The judge said prosecutors argue there was no medical evidence to support vomiting that would prevent serious illness and she had not told a single doctor about this claim. 'She was not sick with death cap mushroom poisoning, she was lying about it,' he summarised. Defence, Justice Beale said, had questioned if it was possible for people to share the same meal and have different outcomes. Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC, he told the jury, had argued there was no evidence to answer that question. 'The accused account is consistent in every meaningful way,' the judge said Mr Mandy argued. Justice Beale said defence argued she was not faking illness and pointed to her low potassium, elevated haemoglobin and elevated fibrinogen. 'You can't fake that,' he said Mr Mandy argued. Justice Beale said jurors could use alleged incriminating conduct to assess Ms Patterson's credibility or as an implied admission of guilt. But he directed the jury they could only use the alleged conduct in that way if it was the only reasonable explanation. 'Even if you think the conduct makes the accused look guilty, that does not mean the accused is guilty,' Justice Beale said. Jurors were sent home shortly before 1pm after Justice Beale reaffirmed he would complete his final address on Monday before lunchtime. 'Ladies and gentlemen don't let anybody get in your ear over this weekend, only discuss this case with your fellow jurors in the jury room,' he said. 'You've been doing a great job, see you on Monday.' Ms Patterson, 50, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder relating to a beef wellington lunch she hosted on July 29, 2023, with members of her estranged husband's family. Simon Patterson's parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson, died from death cap mushroom poisoning in the week following the lunch. Ms Wilkinson's husband, Ian Wilkinson, also fell critically ill but recovered after about a month and a half in hospital. Prosecutors allege Ms Patterson intentionally sourced and included death cap mushrooms in the lunch intending to kill or seriously injure her guests. Her defence argues that she did not intend to harm anyone, and the case is a tragic accident. Mushroom cook admitted to lies: court Alleged mushroom poisoner Erin Patterson has admitted she told a series of lies to police, the judge overseeing the trial has told the jury. Continuing his summing up of the arguments and evidence in the case, Justice Christopher Beale turned to Ms Patterson's lies during her record of interview with police on August 5, 2023. These were; she lied about never foraging for mushrooms, she lied about not owning a dehydrator, she lied about never dehydrating foods and lied by saying she may have owned a dehydrator years ago. In the witness box, the judge said Ms Patterson had admitted these lies but explained that she 'probably knew' police would immediately suspect her in the poisoning event. 'She said it was a stupid knee-jerk reaction to dig deeper and she was scared,' Justice Beale said. Justice Beale told jurors that prosecutors had argued these could be used as incriminating conduct or implied admissions of guilt. The judge said Ms Patterson's defence had referenced an alleged conversation with her husband on August 1 where he accused her of poisoning his parents. Simon Patterson denies this occurred. Justice Beale said defence barrister Colin Mandy SC argued this alleged conversation was a 'turning point' where Ms Patterson began panicking, fearing she would be wrongly blamed. 'Its not incrimination conduct, she starts panicking, she starts lying,' he said Mr Mandy argued. On Thursday, Justice Beale advised jurors they would be sent out to deliberate a verdict following the conclusion of his address on Monday next week. The trial continues.
