'Flawed' approach to mushroom murder case: defence
Share this @internewscast.com

Prosecutors have taken a flawed and selective approach to the evidence against mushroom cook Erin Patterson, her lawyer has claimed.

Barrister Colin Mandy SC began his closing arguments in the Victorian Supreme Courton Tuesday afternoon as his client’s triple-murder trial reached its final stages.

At the start of his address, Mandy argued the prosecution had been “flawed” and “selective” in highlighting the evidence that suited their case.

Erin Patterson's defence barrister Colin Mandy SC.
Erin Patterson’s defence barrister Colin Mandy SC. (Justin McManus)
Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers is cross-examining Erin Patterson.
Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers is cross-examining Erin Patterson. (The Age)

Patterson, 50, has denied she intentionally poisoned her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather, and Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson.

Don, Gail and Heather all died after consuming the July 29, 2023 beef Wellington lunch at Patterson’s home in regional Victoria, while Ian survived.

Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one count of attempted murder.

Mandy began his address about 12.40pm on Tuesday after crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC concluded her final statements.

Rogers told the jury they should find Patterson guilty of all charges because she deliberately sourced death cap mushrooms and served them to her guests.

She pointed to Patterson’s alleged incriminating conduct after the lunch, noting her decision to dump her dehydrator and carry out factory resets on her mobile phone.

Patterson lied about giving her children leftover beef Wellington with the mushrooms scraped off, Rogers also alleged.

The prosecutor said Patterson made up the story because she knew she had included death cap mushrooms in the lunch.

Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. (Jason South)

“(She) thought if she said she also fed it to her children, it would deflect any suspicion,” Rogers told the jury.

Patterson lied about sourcing the mushrooms from an Asian grocer in Melbourne, the prosecutor also claimed.

Rogers told the jury the accused killer gave 10 different accounts about where she bought the mushrooms in the days after the lunch, with the locations changing repeatedly.

Patterson knew the mushrooms did not come from an Asian grocer and she continued to peddle the false story to deflect blame, the prosecutor alleged.

LISTEN NOW: The Mushroom Trial Say Grace is the latest podcast from Nine and The Age. Join journalists Penelope Liersch and Erin Pearson as they take listeners inside the case that’s grabbed global headlines. You can listen on Apple here and Spotify here.
Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Shocking Social Security Fraud: Man Conceals Partner’s Corpse for Years to Cash In

Inset left James Agnew (Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office). Inset right James O’Neill…

Police Report Game Night Gathering Turns Fatal in Unexpected Tragedy

Background: News footage of the scene in Las Vegas, Nev., where Victor…

Shocking Lawsuit Alleges Human Finger Found in Trader Joe’s Orange Juice

The Trader Joe’s in Portland, Ore., where Julee O’Neil says she purchased…

Attorney General Uthmeier Initiates Criminal Probe into OpenAI’s ChatGPT Operations

Photo courtesy of the Office of the Attorney General Announcement from the…

Suspect in Labor Figure’s Murder Admits to Additional Assault Charge

A man facing charges in connection with the death of Labor figure…

Shocking Home Invasion: Kidnapping Uncovered by Disturbing Blood Trail

Two men have been seriously injured in a terrifying home invasion and…

Brave Teen Intervenes to Protect Family: Mother and Daughter Stabbed in Shocking Incident, Police Report

Background: The Thunder Over Louisville show on April 18, 2026 (WLKY/YouTube). Inset…

Teenager Arrested and Charged in Widower’s Kidnapping and Murder Case

The investigation into the tragic case of Chris Baghsarian’s alleged mistaken-identity kidnapping…

Father Charged After Disturbing Threat Against Infant Sparks Concern

Inset: Marcellaus N. Malone (Clermont County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The Clermont County…

Shocking Incident: Gainesville Man Arrested After Threatening Tree Service Worker with Firearm

In Gainesville, Florida, a troubling incident from 2024 has resurfaced with the…

Tragic Drunk Driving Incident on Golf Cart: Man Learns His Fate After Wife’s Fatal Fall

Background: The neighborhood where Christina Theodosiou died after falling from a golf…

Two Arrests Made Following Police Interception of Suspected ‘Kill Car’ in Western Sydney

Two men are in custody after police in an alleged ‘kill car’…