Latest news with #Mandy
1News
a day ago
- 1News
Puzzles and jumps: End game in Erin Patterson mushroom murder trial
Erin Patterson is innocent of triple murder and jurors should not force "puzzle pieces" of evidence together just to find her guilty, her barrister says. Colin Mandy SC reminded the Victorian Supreme Court jury that prosecutors had to prove the mushroom cook's guilt as he finished his closing address on Thursday. "The prosecution can't get over that high bar of beyond reasonable doubt," Mandy said in his last remarks in the marathon trial in regional Victoria. "When you consider the actual evidence and consider it properly... your verdicts on these charges should be not guilty." Prosecutors allege Patterson, 50, intentionally poisoned her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, Gail's sister Heather and Heather's husband Ian Wilkinson with meals laced with death cap mushrooms. ADVERTISEMENT Don, Gail and Heather died after consuming the beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023, served by Patterson at her home in regional Victoria, while Ian survived. Mandy told jurors Patterson did not have a motive to kill her lunch guests and prosecutors had been selective with evidence to try to fit their story. He referred to the jigsaw-puzzle analogy used by crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC, who suggested the individual pieces of evidence could be put together to find Patterson guilty. Mandy cautioned against that approach. "You can't force puzzle pieces together — when puzzle pieces don't fit naturally, you know you have the wrong piece in the wrong spot," he said. "But prosecutors can... force the evidence to fit their theory." Mandy argued a more appropriate analogy was high jump, adding prosecutors needed to "jump over the high bar" of proving beyond reasonable doubt that Patterson was guilty. ADVERTISEMENT "Erin doesn't have to jump any bar at all," he said. The barrister urged jurors to find that standard had not been met, saying if they believed it was merely possible Patterson intentionally poisoned the beef Wellingtons to kill her guests they should find her not guilty. If the jurors believed there was a reasonable possibility it was all an accident, Mandy said they would also have to find her not guilty. Patterson needed to be judged on her intention at the time of the meal, not her actions and lies afterwards, he said. The defence barrister referred to her false claims of having a cancerous lump on her elbow, as well as lies about having and discarding a dehydrator. "She did those things because she panicked when confronted by the terrible realisation that her actions had caused the illnesses of the people that she loved," he said. Mandy also criticised elements of the prosecution case. ADVERTISEMENT He maintained Patterson was unwell after the lunch despite allegations she was faking an illness to try to divert blame. The barrister pointed to her hospital blood test results which showed she had low potassium, elevated haemoglobin and elevated fibrinogen. Intensive care specialist Andrew Bersten's evidence was those results were consistent with stress in the body relating to a diarrhoeal illness, the court heard. Mandy rejected the prosecutor's suggestion Patterson had those levels because of psychological stress. He also claimed prosecutors inaccurately portrayed phone-tower data from when Patterson discharged herself from Leongatha Hospital. She left the emergency department shortly after 8am on July 31, two days after the lunch, and did not return to the hospital for more than an hour. Prosecutors alleged her phone connected to the Outtrim base station in that time period, which was consistent with Patterson driving along the Bass Highway. ADVERTISEMENT That indicated she did not go home after leaving the hospital, as she had claimed, the crown said. Mandy urged the jury to reject that suggesting, saying the evidence showed Patterson's phone connected to the Outtrim base station for less than three minutes. The jury was sent home after he finished his closing address. They will return to court on Tuesday to hear Justice Christopher Beale's final directions before beginning deliberations.
NDTV
a day ago
- NDTV
Mushroom Murder Suspect Fell Sick From Same Meal: Defence
An Australian woman accused of killing three lunch guests with toxic mushrooms fell sick from the same meal, her defence said Thursday, rejecting claims she faked her symptoms. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder a fourth guest -- her husband's uncle -- who survived the lunch after a long stay in hospital. Patterson has steadfastly maintained her innocence during a seven-week-long trial that has made headlines from New York to New Delhi. As the trial came to its closing stages, defence lawyer Colin Mandy poked holes in the prosecutor's case, saying his client, too, fell ill after consuming the beef-and-pastry dish. Patterson's medical tests at the hospital revealed symptoms "that can't be faked", including low potassium and elevated haemoglobin, he said. "She was not as sick as the other lunch guests, nor did she represent she was," Mandy said. The prosecution maintains Patterson did not consume the fatal fungi and faked her symptoms. She panicked Mandy said his client lied in panic in the days after the lunch, trying to "conceal the fact that foraged mushrooms went into the meal". "If that was found out, she feared she would be held responsible," her defence said. "She panicked when confronted with the terrible possibility, the terrible realisation, that her actions had caused the illness of people she liked." Mandy said he was not "making an excuse" for Patterson's behaviour after the lunch, but that it did not mean she meant to harm or kill her guests. Patterson originally invited her estranged husband Simon to join the family lunch at her secluded home in the farming village of Leongatha in Victoria state. But he turned down the invitation on the eve of the meal, saying he felt uncomfortable going, the court heard earlier. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. Simon Patterson's parents Don and Gail, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, attended the lunch. All three were dead within days. Heather Wilkinson's husband Ian fell gravely ill but eventually recovered. The trial in Morwell, southeast of Melbourne, is in its final stages.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Australian mushroom murder suspect fell sick from same meal, defence lawyer says
Erin Patterson is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023. PHOTO: AFP Australian mushroom murder suspect fell sick from same meal, defence lawyer says Sydney - An Australian woman accused of killing three lunch guests with toxic mushrooms fell sick from the same meal, her defence said on June 19, rejecting claims she faked her symptoms. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder a fourth guest – her husband's uncle – who survived the lunch after a long stay in hospital. Patterson has steadfastly maintained her innocence during a seven-week-long trial that has made headlines from New York to New Delhi. As the trial came to its closing stages, defence lawyer Colin Mandy poked holes in the prosecutor's case, saying his client, too, fell ill after consuming the beef-and-pastry dish. Patterson's medical tests at the hospital revealed symptoms 'that can't be faked', including low potassium and elevated haemoglobin, he said. 'She was not as sick as the other lunch guests, nor did she represent she was,' Mr Mandy said. The prosecution maintains Patterson did not consume the fatal fungi and faked her symptoms. 'She panicked' Mr Mandy said his client lied in panic in the days after the lunch, trying to 'conceal the fact that foraged mushrooms went into the meal'. 'If that was found out, she feared she would be held responsible,' her defence said. 'She panicked when confronted with the terrible possibility, the terrible realisation, that her actions had caused the illness of people she liked.' Mr Mandy said he was not 'making an excuse' for Patterson's behaviour after the lunch, but that it did not mean she meant to harm or kill her guests. Patterson originally invited her estranged husband Simon to join the family lunch at her secluded home in the farming village of Leongatha in Victoria state. But he turned down the invitation on the eve of the meal, saying he felt uncomfortable going, the court heard earlier. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. Mr Simon Patterson's parents Don and Gail, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, attended the lunch. All three were dead within days. Mrs Wilkinson's husband Ian fell gravely ill but eventually recovered. The trial in Morwell, south-east of Melbourne, is in its final stages. AFP Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
South China Morning Post
a day ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
‘Betrayal': why Hong Kong students remain cautious as US resumes visa processing
The United States has resumed processing student visas after a month-long halt, with applicants now required to make their social media profiles public for review, a move that has left many Hong Kong hopefuls feeling uncertain and betrayed. Advertisement The country's State Department said on Wednesday (US time) that it was once again processing visas for academic, vocational and exchange students. Appointment slots at the US consulate in Hong Kong for such visas quickly became available following the announcement. Washington's back-and-forth stance on foreign students has left Hong Kong hopefuls stuck in limbo. One such hopeful, Mandy*, said the recent shifts in the country's policy were a 'betrayal' of America's long-standing image as a beacon of education and opportunity. Advertisement 'For many, this delay … [meant] putting their dreams on pause or even changing course entirely,' the local secondary school student said.
The Star
2 days ago
- The Star
Mushroom murder suspect fell sick from same meal: Defence
Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with death cap mushrooms. - Reuters SYDNEY: An Australian woman accused of killing three lunch guests with toxic mushrooms fell sick from the same meal, her defence said Thursday (June 19), rejecting claims she faked her symptoms. Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with murdering her estranged husband's parents and aunt in July 2023 by spiking their beef Wellington lunch with death cap mushrooms. She is also accused of attempting to murder a fourth guest -- her husband's uncle -- who survived the lunch after a long stay in hospital. Patterson has steadfastly maintained her innocence during a seven-week-long trial that has made headlines from New York to New Delhi. As the trial came to its closing stages, defence lawyer Colin Mandy poked holes in the prosecutor's case, saying his client, too, fell ill after consuming the beef-and-pastry dish. Patterson's medical tests at the hospital revealed symptoms "that can't be faked", including low potassium and elevated haemoglobin, he said. "She was not as sick as the other lunch guests, nor did she represent she was," Mandy said. The prosecution maintains Patterson did not consume the fatal fungi and faked her symptoms. Mandy said his client lied in panic in the days after the lunch, trying to "conceal the fact that foraged mushrooms went into the meal". "If that was found out, she feared she would be held responsible," her defence said. "She panicked when confronted with the terrible possibility, the terrible realisation, that her actions had caused the illness of people she liked." Mandy said he was not "making an excuse" for Patterson's behaviour after the lunch, but that it did not mean she meant to harm or kill her guests. Patterson originally invited her estranged husband Simon to join the family lunch at her secluded home in the farming village of Leongatha in Victoria state. But he turned down the invitation on the eve of the meal, saying he felt uncomfortable going, the court heard earlier. The pair were long estranged but still legally married. Simon Patterson's parents Don and Gail, and his aunt Heather Wilkinson, attended the lunch. All three were dead within days. Heather Wilkinson's husband Ian fell gravely ill but eventually recovered. The trial in Morwell, southeast of Melbourne, is in its final stages. - AFP
