Did Erin Patterson Really Poison the Beef Wellington? The Defence Says No

We've nearly made it to the final day of Erin Patterson's triple murder and attempted murder trial, where the defence barrister Colin Mandy SC delivered his closing arguments challenging the prosecution's case. The jury will soon commence deliberations after Justice Christopher Beale gives his final directions on Tuesday.

• The Crown described prosecution arguments as "convoluted and absurd"
• Defence suggested Ms Patterson only began fabricating parts of her account after her estranged husband allegedly accused her of poisoning his parents
• Medical evidence showed Ms Patterson herself became sick from the beef Wellington with symptoms that "could have been in no way faked"
• Defence argued Ms Patterson's testimony remained coherent and consistent throughout extensive cross-examination
• Jury was reminded they must acquit if they find it reasonably possible the poisoning was an accident

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hello and welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial
podcast.
My name is Lisa and guess what?
We have made it to the finalday of Erin Trudy Patterson's
triple murder and attemptedmurder trial.
So what happened and what'snext?
Let me take you through all thenews and the updates.

(00:22):
Let me take you through all thenews and the updates, but
before we launch into whathappened today, head to my
website, mushroommurdachildcomto subscribe to the free
newsletter.
It's the place to be.
It's got free stuff.
It's very exciting.
And if you haven't yet, pleasesubscribe to this podcast on

(00:45):
your preferred platform so younever miss an episode.
And I love the odd, theoccasional review.
Please subscribe to thispodcast on your preferred
platform so you never miss anepisode, and I love the odd, the
occasional review.
That would be fabulous as well.
It's all feedback.
So thank you.
Now let's get into it.
Ms Patterson, age 50, ispleading not guilty to murdering
three relatives and theattempted murder of a fourth by
serving them a beef Wellingtonmeal that contained poisonous

(01:07):
death cat mushrooms.
Her defence is arguing this wasa tragic mistake.
So yesterday, defence barristerColin Mandy SC was challenging
the prosecution's centralarguments against the accused,
describing them as quoteconvoluted and absurd.

(01:28):
He noted four key claims madeby the prosecution that Erin
Patterson committed murderwithout a clear motive,
fabricated a cancer diagnosis tolure her lunch guests to the
fatal lunch, assumed thoseguests would never disclose her
supposed medical condition andbelieved she could disguise a

(01:51):
fatal poisoning as an ordinarycase of gastro.
Mr Mandy said a pivotal momentfor Miss Patterson came on
August 1, 2023, august 1, 2023,three days after the lunch where
her estranged husband, simonPatterson, allegedly accused her

(02:11):
of using a food dehydrator topoison his parents.
According to the defense, itwas then that Ms Patterson began
to panic and to fabricate partsof her account.
In response to theprosecution's mobile
phone-related evidence, mr Mandyargued that it was implausible

(02:33):
that Ms Patterson, if guilty ofquote cold calculated murders,
would have kept using heroriginal phone phone A rather
than discard or reset it.
He said she continued using thesame device after the incident.
I've got a whole episode onthat a few days ago, so if you
just flip back you'll be able tofind it.

(02:54):
The defense also pointed to MsPatterson's pathology results
from two days after the meal.
As evidenced, she too becamesick from the beef wellington.
Mr Mandy highlighted objectedfindings low potassium, raised
hemoglobin and elevated fibrinlevels, which he said could have

(03:19):
been in no way faked or basedon self-reporting Quote if you
think at the end of yourdeliberations that it's possible
this was an accident, areasonable possibility, you must
find her knocked guilty.
Our submission to you is theprosecution can't get over that
high bar of beyond reasonabledoubt.

(03:40):
Bar of beyond reasonable doubt.
When you consider the actualevidence and consider it
properly, methodically andanalytically, your verdicts on
these charges should be notguilty as well.
No-transcript.

(04:02):
Mr Mandy said the way sheanswered questions was quote
careful, even pedantic.
But Mr Mandy added MissPatterson had subjected herself
to an incredible amount ofscrutiny when she chose to
testify.
She was not trying to quote,charm or persuade the jury but
just to answer questionstruthfully.

(04:24):
The court heard Quote even whenthe truth was deeply
embarrassing or involvingadmitting she told lies.
What more could she do?
She exposed herself and heraccount to close examination.
But Mr Mandy says MsPatterson's evidence in the
witness box remained consistentthroughout her testimony.

(04:47):
He told the court that let'ssee.
You're saying this is accurateor is unreliable or is dishonest
.
And she was questionedextensively about that.
And what we can say to you,what our submission is to you,
is that she came through allthat unscathed.
Her account remained coherentand consistent day after day,

(05:12):
even when challenged rapid firefrom multiple angles repeatedly.
Furthermore, if the jury foundMs Patterson's evidence true,
they must acquit her of allcharges.
If they reject Ms Patterson'stestimony, they still need to
consider if the prosecution hasproved the case beyond
reasonable doubt based on theirevidence.

(05:34):
Furthermore, he said if youthink that maybe Erin
deliberately poisoned the meal,you must find her not guilty.
If you think she probablydeliberately poisoned the meal,
you must find her not guilty.
If you think she probablydeliberately poisoned the meal,
you must find her not guilty.
If you think it's possible thatshe intended to kill or cause
really serious injury to Don orGail or Heather, you must find

(05:57):
her not guilty.
If you think maybe she intendedthose things, then you must
find her not guilty.
If you think probably sheintended those things, you must
find her not guilty.
You have to find her not guilty.
Now, that's from the transcript, by the way, from the Supreme
Court of Victoria.
At the end of Mr Mandy's address, justice Christopher Beale

(06:21):
informed the jury that he wouldbegin his final directions to
them on Tuesday before theycommence their deliberations.
So they've only partway throughthe jury.
So, okay, legends, we did it,we went hard and we didn't go
home at any point and wefollowed this trial to the end.
So what is going to happen now?

(06:43):
Well, I owe it to be a fly onthe wall of the coffee catch-ups
as the defence and theprosecution return to their
offices, and we'll be waitingwith bated breath to hear what
the judge says in hisinstructions to the jury.
Next week I will be reportingthat.
I'll also come back with somemore reads from the transcript.
I'll see if my friend Louisecan join me again.

(07:07):
So thank you so much forlistening to the Mushroom Murder
Trial podcast today.
For more information, visit mywebsite.
Make sure you subscribe to thenewsletter on
mushroommurdertrialcom and it'sjam-packed with all the news
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My social media that is in theshow notes as well, if you'd

(07:28):
like those links, and I willalso make sure you're up to date
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Thanks, and if you were feelinglike rewarding me for the
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(07:50):
get a coffee, and it pays forall those wonderful
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Now I want you to all have agood weekend, chill out, come
back on Tuesday with lots of ofenergy, with your best
observation skills out and readyto go.
But thank you so much foreverything.

(08:13):
Have a great weekend and guesswhat?
I'm going to be talking to youvery, very soon.
Thanks, bye.