Disagree. Disagree. Disagree.
Those were Erin Patterson’s responses to the prosecution’s final three questions in her murder trial.
Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC concluded her extensive cross-examination on Thursday with three assertions: that Patterson intentionally obtained death cap mushrooms in 2023, intentionally added them to the beef Wellington she served her former in-laws, and did so with the intent to kill them.
One of Patterson’s children said she “ate the same as us”, but Patterson told the court they were incorrect and denied eating the leftover food.
She also denied that she “deliberately concealed” one of her phones, referred to at the trial as phone A, from police when they searched her house.
Patterson said she switched from phone A to another, referred to as phone B, because the former was “not cutting it anymore”.
But the prosecution pointed to records that showed regular use from a SIM card in phone A until days after the mushroom lunch.
Patterson said she conducted a factory reset of phone B because she wanted to use it and that was the phone she gave police.
“I suggest to you that there was nothing wrong with phone A and this is another lie,” Dr Rogers said.
“Disagree,” Patterson responded.
During the re-examination by defence barrister Colin Mandy SC, Patterson became emotional as she spoke about her daughter’s ballet classes and her son’s flying lessons.
With the trial’s evidence now complete, Justice Christopher Beale informed jurors about the discussions they could anticipate before dismissing them for the day.
