June 5, 2025

Under Oath: Erin Patterson Faces Cross-Examination In Mushroom Trial

Under Oath: Erin Patterson Faces Cross-Examination In Mushroom Trial
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Under Oath: Erin Patterson Faces Cross-Examination In Mushroom Trial

This bonus episode is a narration the transcript from Erin Trudi Patterson's cross-examination yesterday in the Supreme Court of Victoria, where she faces charges for the alleged mushroom poisoning deaths of three people and attempted murder of another.

• Erin Patterson, aged 50,  has pleaded not guilty to all charges
• Prosecutor Dr. Nanette Rogers questioned Ms Patterson about alleged death cap mushrooms
• Ms Patterson, of Leongatha, denies the mushrooms in evidence photos are death caps
• Evidence presented includes photos of Ms Patterson's kitchen scales with mushrooms and her dehydrator
• Ms Patterson admitted to lying to police about dehydrating food because she was "afraid of being held responsible"
• Prosecution alleged Ms Patterson intended to poison guests at lunch, including her estranged husband
• Ms Patterson denied intentionally poisoning anyone
• Trial is expected to continue for approximately two more weeks

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Erin Patterson Mushrooms

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Erin Patterson Mushrooms

Here it is in summary.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

00:00 - Introduction to Mushroom Murder Trial

01:04 - Prosecution Questions Death Cap Evidence

03:27 - The Dehydrator and Kitchen Photos

07:11 - Caught in a Web of Lies

10:05 - Discussing Facebook Conversations and Trial Updates

WEBVTT

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.190
Hello, welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial Podcast.

00:00:04.190 --> 00:00:06.197
My name is Lisa.

00:00:06.197 --> 00:00:19.871
Today I'm going to read through to you in this bonus episode the transcript, part of the transcript from yesterday Erin Trudy Patterson's cross-examination in the Supreme Court of Victoria.

00:00:19.871 --> 00:00:36.075
Now Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all three charges of murder and one of attempted murder, and in this part of the transcript she's been cross-examined by Dr Nanette Rogers, who is one of the prosecutors.

00:00:36.075 --> 00:00:42.085
Now, just quickly, are you there for my newsletter yet, mushroommurdertrialcom?

00:00:42.085 --> 00:00:44.469
It's free and informative.

00:00:44.469 --> 00:00:49.683
Now, the other thing is it may go for another two weeks, this trial.

00:00:49.683 --> 00:01:01.484
So you know, keep your hat on, because we still have a lot to go, and I now feel like Tom Hanks in Castaway, if any of you are old enough to remember that movie.

00:01:01.484 --> 00:01:03.186
So let's move on.

00:01:03.186 --> 00:01:04.168
Enough about that.

00:01:04.168 --> 00:01:10.153
At 12.27pm the jury entered the court.

00:01:10.153 --> 00:01:14.216
Erin Trudy Patterson recalled Dr Rogers.

00:01:20.659 --> 00:01:27.081
I'm still on the topic of Exhibit 18 in Images 1 and 2 from Dr May's evidence and I want to suggest a couple of things to you Now, as I understand your evidence before the break.

00:01:27.081 --> 00:01:30.688
You deny that these are death cap mushrooms.

00:01:30.688 --> 00:01:32.753
That's your evidence, erin.

00:01:32.753 --> 00:01:33.581
That's correct.

00:01:33.581 --> 00:01:34.944
I don't think they are.

00:01:34.944 --> 00:01:37.412
You don't think they are Correct.

00:01:38.375 --> 00:01:49.480
I suggest you saw Christine McKenzie's post that she posted on iNaturalist on the 18th of April 2023 about death cat mushrooms at lock.

00:01:49.480 --> 00:01:51.846
You agree or disagree?

00:01:51.846 --> 00:01:52.826
I disagree.

00:01:52.826 --> 00:01:58.442
I suggest that you then went to lock on the 28th of April 2023.

00:01:58.442 --> 00:02:00.006
Do you agree or disagree?

00:02:00.006 --> 00:02:03.593
I don't know if I did go to lock that day or not.

00:02:03.593 --> 00:02:08.563
I'm going to suggest that you went to lock on that day to find death cap mushrooms.

00:02:08.563 --> 00:02:10.026
Agree or disagree?

00:02:10.026 --> 00:02:10.788
Disagree?

00:02:10.788 --> 00:02:21.253
And that these mushrooms in image one of exhibit 18 are the death cap mushrooms that you found at lock on the 28th of April 2023.

00:02:21.253 --> 00:02:22.823
Agree or disagree?

00:02:22.823 --> 00:02:23.805
Disagree?

00:02:23.805 --> 00:02:36.844
I suggest that you were weighing these mushrooms, these death cap mushrooms, so that you could calculate the weight required for the administration of a fatal dose for one person Agree or disagree?

00:02:36.844 --> 00:02:43.084
Disagree, says Erin and the weight required for five fatal doses for five people.

00:02:43.084 --> 00:02:44.467
Agree or disagree?

00:02:44.467 --> 00:02:45.669
Erin, disagree.

00:02:45.669 --> 00:02:48.764
Can we go back to exhibit 55, please?

00:02:48.764 --> 00:02:51.990
Image six You've got that on the screen.

00:02:51.990 --> 00:02:52.670
Yes, I do.

00:02:52.991 --> 00:02:55.462
You took this photo, almost certainly.

00:02:55.462 --> 00:02:57.349
Yes, with your mobile phone.

00:02:57.349 --> 00:02:59.015
I don't know what device.

00:02:59.015 --> 00:03:00.480
Is that your kitchen bench?

00:03:00.480 --> 00:03:01.282
Correct?

00:03:01.282 --> 00:03:02.905
It looks to be.

00:03:02.905 --> 00:03:08.215
Yes, they look to be shelves in the background, correct?

00:03:08.215 --> 00:03:17.542
Correct, it's your dehydrator, correct and if you could just be slightly thank you with these.

00:03:17.542 --> 00:03:26.308
Sometimes, because people are speaking with these transcripts, things sort of sound clunky or out of order, but I am reading the actual transcript.

00:03:27.411 --> 00:03:31.679
It was last modified on this device of the 30th of April 2023.

00:03:31.679 --> 00:03:32.942
I can see that.

00:03:32.942 --> 00:03:33.864
You see that?

00:03:33.864 --> 00:03:34.951
Yeah, image eight.

00:03:34.951 --> 00:03:36.777
You took this photo Probably.

00:03:36.777 --> 00:03:38.805
Why do you say probably?

00:03:38.805 --> 00:03:43.717
Because I don't have a specific memory of taking this photo, but it was likely me.

00:03:43.717 --> 00:03:47.933
Are you suggesting that it was one of your children who took this photograph?

00:03:47.933 --> 00:03:50.579
Erin, I'm not suggesting anything.

00:03:50.579 --> 00:03:52.262
It's your kitchen bench.

00:03:52.262 --> 00:03:52.864
It is.

00:03:52.864 --> 00:03:55.657
The plastic tray is from your dehydrator.

00:03:55.657 --> 00:03:56.099
It is.

00:03:56.830 --> 00:04:02.298
These are your electronic scales yes, found in the pantry that I referred to earlier.

00:04:02.298 --> 00:04:09.223
Correct and last, this image was last modified on the 4th of May 2023 on this device.

00:04:09.223 --> 00:04:09.623
Correct?

00:04:09.623 --> 00:04:11.354
That's what it says.

00:04:11.354 --> 00:04:15.651
Yes, can you go, please, to image 12?

00:04:15.651 --> 00:04:16.973
This is your house inside your house.

00:04:16.973 --> 00:04:20.279
Yes, is it the photo we just looked at?

00:04:20.279 --> 00:04:21.101
Is it?

00:04:21.101 --> 00:04:22.603
Let me check, I'm sorry.

00:04:22.603 --> 00:04:24.151
I'm sorry, you're right.

00:04:24.612 --> 00:04:25.295
Image 9.

00:04:25.295 --> 00:04:28.661
You took this photo, probably with your mobile phone.

00:04:28.661 --> 00:04:31.295
I don't know what I used to take it.

00:04:31.295 --> 00:04:33.060
It's your kitchen bench.

00:04:33.060 --> 00:04:34.031
It looks to be.

00:04:34.031 --> 00:04:36.576
Yes, these are your electronic scales.

00:04:36.576 --> 00:04:42.973
Yes, the weight on there is recorded at 490.5 grams.

00:04:42.973 --> 00:04:48.720
Correct, and last modified on the 4th of May 2023, correct.

00:04:49.300 --> 00:04:52.803
Now I want to please take you to Exhibit 78.

00:04:52.803 --> 00:05:00.237
This is a still of when you were at Leangatha Hospital on the 31st of July 2023.

00:05:00.237 --> 00:05:12.487
Okay, that's you depicted in this still, correct, correct, and that is your pink phone case depicted at the bottom of the still, correct, correct?

00:05:12.487 --> 00:05:16.774
Can I go back to exhibit 55, please, image 13.

00:05:16.774 --> 00:05:21.442
This is a partial image of a dehydrator tray on kitchen scales.

00:05:21.442 --> 00:05:27.862
Agreed, yes, and you took the photo, probably with your mobile phone, I don't know what I used.

00:05:27.862 --> 00:05:35.593
They're your kitchen scales, yes, your kitchen bench, yes, and the tray appears to be sitting on those kitchen scales, correct?

00:05:35.593 --> 00:05:41.122
It does, and the weight appears to be 158.9 grams.

00:05:41.122 --> 00:05:45.136
It does, although it could be a seven, I'm not sure.

00:05:45.136 --> 00:05:50.194
The pink object on the left of the shot is your pink phone case, I suggest.

00:05:50.194 --> 00:05:51.997
I don't know what it is.

00:05:51.997 --> 00:06:01.531
I suggest it's the same pink phone as shown in Exhibit 78 from the still of you at Leangatha Hospital I showed you a moment ago.

00:06:01.531 --> 00:06:03.437
It could be, I don't know.

00:06:03.999 --> 00:06:11.297
Do you agree that all of these photos that I've shown you were taken on or after the 28th of April 2023?

00:06:11.297 --> 00:06:12.839
I would.

00:06:12.839 --> 00:06:45.166
I would agree with that, except I don't remember if a photograph of the very big mushrooms with the dark gills have a dehydrator in the background or not, but if, okay, if we set aside that particular image, yep, the other photos that I've shown this, dr Rogers, you were taken on or 28th of April 2023, you agree, I would agree with that because it's the date you purchased the dehydrator, correct?

00:06:45.166 --> 00:06:53.401
Yes, I suggest that you viewed these photos on your Samsung tablet using the Google Photos app, correct or incorrect?

00:06:53.401 --> 00:06:56.336
I don't know if I did that In what way.

00:06:56.336 --> 00:06:56.958
You don't know.

00:06:56.958 --> 00:07:01.456
I don't know if I viewed those photos on my Google Photos app on the tablet.

00:07:01.456 --> 00:07:03.180
I suggest you did.

00:07:03.180 --> 00:07:05.024
Okay, I don't know if I did it.

00:07:05.024 --> 00:07:08.959
I suggest that you did and I think that you've already agreed with this.

00:07:09.259 --> 00:07:15.735
You told a lie to police on the 5th of August 2023 when you told them that you'd never dehydrated food.

00:07:15.735 --> 00:07:17.358
That was a lie.

00:07:17.358 --> 00:07:22.935
And you told this lie because you knew you had been dehydrating mushrooms correct.

00:07:22.935 --> 00:07:26.843
Yes, to preserve them to be used later.

00:07:26.843 --> 00:07:27.303
Correct.

00:07:27.303 --> 00:07:28.004
Correct.

00:07:28.004 --> 00:07:32.139
Including mushrooms which you knew to behead death cap mushrooms, correct.

00:07:32.139 --> 00:07:43.762
No, that is not correct and you lied about dehydrating food and mushrooms because you knew if you told the police the truth then that would implicate you in the poison lunch.

00:07:43.882 --> 00:07:44.906
Agree or disagree?

00:07:44.906 --> 00:07:49.096
I agree that I lied because I was afraid I would be held responsible.

00:07:49.096 --> 00:07:51.721
I'll ask the question again.

00:07:51.721 --> 00:07:57.249
You knew that if you told the truth then that would implicate you in the poison lunch.

00:07:57.249 --> 00:07:58.531
Agree or disagree?

00:07:58.531 --> 00:08:00.358
Mr Mandy?

00:08:00.358 --> 00:08:04.665
Your Honour, oh, mr Mandy, by the way, is Colin Mandy SC.

00:08:04.665 --> 00:08:06.281
He is Erin's barrister.

00:08:06.281 --> 00:08:10.605
Your Honour, I've got an issue with the word implicate.

00:08:10.605 --> 00:08:16.757
I think the witness's answer responded to the proposition within the question.

00:08:16.757 --> 00:08:17.639
His Honour.

00:08:17.639 --> 00:08:22.488
Yes, mr Mandy, implicate needs to be more carefully delineated.

00:08:22.488 --> 00:08:26.062
His Honour, can you use another word or phrase?

00:08:26.062 --> 00:08:27.747
Dr Rogers, what about this?

00:08:27.747 --> 00:08:37.690
You knew if you told police the truth then you would be immediately suspected by police of being involved in a poisoning event.

00:08:37.690 --> 00:08:39.700
That's probably true.

00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:51.947
Yes, I suggest that you'd been dehydrating death cat mushrooms on or after the date of the purchase of the dehydrator to put into the Beef Wellingtons you served your four guests at the lunch.

00:08:51.947 --> 00:08:53.115
Agree or disagree?

00:08:53.115 --> 00:08:55.342
Can you ask that again, please?

00:08:55.342 --> 00:09:05.701
But before you do, I'm sorry to interrupt, but the microphone immediately in front of Bill, it covers your face and it makes it hard for me to fully.

00:09:05.701 --> 00:09:07.325
I lip read a little bit.

00:09:07.325 --> 00:09:08.206
Yeah, thank you.

00:09:08.206 --> 00:09:09.048
Is that better?

00:09:09.048 --> 00:09:10.470
It is better, thank you.

00:09:10.470 --> 00:09:12.477
All right, I'll ask the question again.

00:09:12.477 --> 00:09:26.256
I suggest that you've been dehydrating death cap mushrooms on or after the date of the purchase of the dehydrator for the purpose of putting into the beef wellingtons that you served up to your four guests at the lunch.

00:09:26.256 --> 00:09:29.062
That's not correct, sorry.

00:09:29.062 --> 00:09:35.202
And further, that you intended to serve one of those beef wellingtons to Simon Patterson.

00:09:35.202 --> 00:09:44.123
Had he turned up at the lunch, simon's her estranged husband, if he'd come, I would have given him a beef wellington too.

00:09:44.123 --> 00:09:50.106
Yes, but not one with death cat match shmirms, intentionally, if that was your question.

00:09:50.514 --> 00:09:51.778
I want to go now to the lie.

00:09:51.778 --> 00:09:56.662
You told police that you never forage for mushrooms, exhibit 63.

00:09:56.662 --> 00:10:01.268
I think, for the transcript of the record of interview, page 8,.

00:10:01.268 --> 00:10:01.889
Thank you.

00:10:01.889 --> 00:10:03.254
Question 159.

00:10:03.254 --> 00:10:05.863
Okay, is that something you had done in the past?

00:10:05.863 --> 00:10:06.946
Foraging mushrooms?

00:10:06.946 --> 00:10:09.138
Answer never.

00:10:09.138 --> 00:10:13.206
Question 160 or anything else like that.

00:10:13.206 --> 00:10:13.647
Never.

00:10:13.647 --> 00:10:14.970
Answer, never.

00:10:14.970 --> 00:10:16.634
So that's what you told police.

00:10:16.634 --> 00:10:20.167
In the record of interview I did on August 5.

00:10:20.167 --> 00:10:23.634
I suggest that this was a deliberate lie by you.

00:10:23.634 --> 00:10:30.826
Sorry was that.

00:10:30.826 --> 00:10:32.349
It wasn't a mistaken lie.

00:10:32.349 --> 00:10:34.270
It was a lie.

00:10:34.270 --> 00:10:38.414
Yes, things about your personal life, correct?

00:10:38.414 --> 00:10:41.581
Yeah, we did share personal things.

00:10:41.581 --> 00:10:41.982
Okay.

00:10:42.003 --> 00:10:44.929
So now this has jumped to her Facebook friends.

00:10:44.929 --> 00:10:46.960
Your children, yes.

00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:51.549
How you felt about Simon Patterson yes, you told them you were an atheist.

00:10:51.549 --> 00:10:56.823
No, you felt unhappy about Simon and his family wanting their children to go to a religious school.

00:10:56.823 --> 00:11:02.403
No, you told your Facebook friends about things you cooked yes, including mushrooms yes.

00:11:02.403 --> 00:11:06.592
And that one of your children didn't like mushrooms, correct.

00:11:06.592 --> 00:11:09.808
And that you'd bought a dehydrator Correct.

00:11:09.808 --> 00:11:11.234
Do you agree?

00:11:11.234 --> 00:11:15.248
You never told any of these Facebook friends that you had forage for mushrooms.

00:11:16.301 --> 00:11:18.184
I don't know if I did or I didn't.

00:11:18.745 --> 00:11:20.028
I'm suggesting that you did.

00:11:20.570 --> 00:11:22.822
You're saying you might have or you might not have.

00:11:22.822 --> 00:11:24.846
Yeah, that's what I'm saying.

00:11:24.846 --> 00:11:27.331
Yes, his Honour.

00:11:27.331 --> 00:11:28.974
And by forage, what do you mean?

00:11:28.974 --> 00:11:31.024
Pick mushrooms, wild mushrooms?

00:11:31.024 --> 00:11:34.774
I don't know if I told them or not.

00:11:34.774 --> 00:11:38.062
I don't think it needs any further clarification.

00:11:38.081 --> 00:11:42.552
Your Honour, did you discuss your Facebook friends cooking any wild mushrooms?

00:11:42.552 --> 00:11:47.210
I don't know Might you have, because you discuss food with them.

00:11:47.210 --> 00:11:48.592
I might have, I don't know.

00:11:48.592 --> 00:11:51.544
It was a group chat for four years.

00:11:51.544 --> 00:11:54.130
I can't remember everything we talked about.

00:11:54.130 --> 00:11:56.196
A group chat for four years.

00:11:56.196 --> 00:11:57.899
I can't remember everything we talked about.

00:11:57.899 --> 00:12:02.102
Okay, that's all for this morning.

00:12:02.102 --> 00:12:04.091
I'm going to be following the trial all day and I'll update you in the evening.

00:12:04.091 --> 00:12:04.754
Thank you so much for your time.

00:12:04.754 --> 00:12:05.417
I appreciate it.

00:12:05.417 --> 00:12:12.653
Make sure you get to the newsletter mushroommurdertrialcom and follow this podcast, please on your preferred platform.

00:12:12.653 --> 00:12:17.302
Podcast please on your preferred platform.

00:12:17.302 --> 00:12:23.461
And this weekend I'm going to be recording more content because we do have another two weeks to go, so I might as well get as much as I can out for you.

00:12:23.461 --> 00:12:30.893
Thank you again, I appreciate your time and I will speak to you very, very soon.

00:12:30.893 --> 00:12:31.975
Thanks, Bye.