1 00:00:02,200 --> 00:00:06,920 Speaker 1: From the newsroom at News Still Come today, Good day there, 2 00:00:06,960 --> 00:00:09,399 Speaker 1: I'm Andrew Bucklo. Let me ask you a question. Lately, 3 00:00:09,680 --> 00:00:11,720 Speaker 1: have you found yourself waking up in the middle of 4 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 1: the night. I know this sounds like an infomercial, but 5 00:00:14,120 --> 00:00:16,560 Speaker 1: I promise it's not. If you have, you're not alone. 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:19,640 Speaker 1: So there's been this crazy uptick in everyone googling like 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,239 Speaker 1: I'm awake at three am, Like what's going on? That 8 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:24,599 Speaker 1: was my colleague in our editorial meeting just a few 9 00:00:24,600 --> 00:00:27,240 Speaker 1: moments ago. She has actually spoken to a sleep expert 10 00:00:27,280 --> 00:00:30,280 Speaker 1: about why so many people are experiencing this. You can 11 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,479 Speaker 1: get the answer right now at news dot com at 12 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:35,280 Speaker 1: dot AU. That is also where you'll find rolling coverage 13 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,559 Speaker 1: of the mushroom murder trial that has gripped Australia. It 14 00:00:38,600 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: won't be long now until accused killer Aaron Patterson learns 15 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:43,680 Speaker 1: her fate. So what we're going to do in this 16 00:00:43,760 --> 00:00:45,879 Speaker 1: episode is take a look at the biggest moments of 17 00:00:45,920 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: the trial so far with a man who's been right 18 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: there in the courtroom. 19 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,760 Speaker 2: The woman at the center of Victoria's deadly mushroom mystery 20 00:01:00,200 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 2: is been questioned by homicide detectives. 21 00:01:02,760 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: As we go to air tonight. 22 00:01:04,480 --> 00:01:07,199 Speaker 3: She invited four guests around for lunch in the small 23 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:11,360 Speaker 3: Victorian town of Lee and Gather in July, and not 24 00:01:11,440 --> 00:01:13,480 Speaker 3: long afterwards three of them die. 25 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: I cannot think of another investigation that has generated this 26 00:01:17,440 --> 00:01:23,240 Speaker 2: level of media and public interest, not only here in Victoria, 27 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:26,839 Speaker 2: but also nationally and internationally. 28 00:01:29,280 --> 00:01:32,160 Speaker 1: Yeah. Aaron Patterson's trial has been running since late April, 29 00:01:32,200 --> 00:01:34,160 Speaker 1: and one man who's been there for it all is 30 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:37,360 Speaker 1: newswire reporter Liam Beattie, who joins me. Now, gooday, Liam, 31 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:40,200 Speaker 1: glad to be with you Andrew to begin with, can 32 00:01:40,240 --> 00:01:42,360 Speaker 1: you just run us through what Aaron Patterson is actually 33 00:01:42,360 --> 00:01:44,480 Speaker 1: accused of and what she's been charged with. 34 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,760 Speaker 3: Yeah? Sure. So. Aaron Patterson is a fifty year old 35 00:01:48,840 --> 00:01:52,000 Speaker 3: mother of two from Country Victoria, and she's accused of 36 00:01:52,080 --> 00:01:55,520 Speaker 3: murdering three of her husband's relatives, his mum, his dad, 37 00:01:55,600 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 3: his aunt, and the attempted murder of his uncle. The 38 00:01:59,040 --> 00:02:01,600 Speaker 3: case centers around and a lunch erin hosted at a 39 00:02:01,680 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 3: home in lee and Gather two years ago on the 40 00:02:04,000 --> 00:02:06,920 Speaker 3: twenty ninth of July, where she served up Beef Wellington's 41 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:11,119 Speaker 3: containing death cap mushrooms. Three of her guests, Donningale Patterson 42 00:02:11,200 --> 00:02:14,400 Speaker 3: and Gail's sister, Heather Wilkinson, died in the week after 43 00:02:14,440 --> 00:02:19,520 Speaker 3: the lunch, while Gail's husband, the local Baptist pastor, Ian Wilkinson, survived. 44 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:23,600 Speaker 3: So prosecutors alleged she deliberately sought out included the deadly 45 00:02:23,639 --> 00:02:25,960 Speaker 3: fungi in the lunch, while a defense say it's an 46 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,680 Speaker 3: accident and miss Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all 47 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:29,240 Speaker 3: the charges. 48 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,240 Speaker 1: Yeah, we should stress that she has pleaded not guilty. 49 00:02:32,240 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: You've obviously been in the court room. What arguments and 50 00:02:34,600 --> 00:02:37,200 Speaker 1: evidence has the prosecution put forward over the past six 51 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,120 Speaker 1: or so weeks, Well, it's. 52 00:02:38,960 --> 00:02:41,920 Speaker 3: Actually been two months, So over the last two months 53 00:02:41,919 --> 00:02:46,200 Speaker 3: the jury have heard from about fifty witnesses, including Erin's husband, 54 00:02:46,400 --> 00:02:50,959 Speaker 3: his family, medical professionals, police experts, and the woman herself. 55 00:02:51,400 --> 00:02:54,519 Speaker 3: Prosecutors say each piece of evidence fits together like a 56 00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,000 Speaker 3: jigsaw puzzle to prove she intended to kill or seriously 57 00:02:58,040 --> 00:03:01,320 Speaker 3: injure her guests. They've pointed out to evidence Aaron had 58 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,680 Speaker 3: previously used the website I Naturalist, where two people posted 59 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 3: signings of death cups in the Gippsland region in the 60 00:03:08,639 --> 00:03:12,680 Speaker 3: months before the lunch, and expert analysis of her phone records, 61 00:03:12,680 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 3: which captures possible visits to those areas. They've also pointed 62 00:03:17,360 --> 00:03:19,960 Speaker 3: to evidence that Aaron told a series of liars and 63 00:03:20,000 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 3: took steps to hide things from the police. These include 64 00:03:23,360 --> 00:03:26,080 Speaker 3: her dumping a dehydrator at the tip that was later 65 00:03:26,120 --> 00:03:30,600 Speaker 3: found to contain remnants of death cup mushrooms, handing over 66 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:33,280 Speaker 3: to police what they alleged was a decoy phone, and 67 00:03:33,320 --> 00:03:36,360 Speaker 3: claiming in her police interview she'd never owned a dehydrator 68 00:03:36,440 --> 00:03:39,760 Speaker 3: and had never been interested in foraging from mushrooms. They 69 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,760 Speaker 3: alleged Aaron Patterson used a fake cancer diagnosis as a 70 00:03:42,840 --> 00:03:44,920 Speaker 3: ruse for the lunch, which was out of the ordinary 71 00:03:44,960 --> 00:03:47,800 Speaker 3: for her, and alleged she pretended to be sick afterwards. 72 00:03:48,640 --> 00:03:51,280 Speaker 1: Far out, So much has happened in this trial? What 73 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:54,080 Speaker 1: about the defense? What have they argued in response? 74 00:03:54,880 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 3: Well, first of all, say her defense say, on the evidence, 75 00:03:59,440 --> 00:04:02,040 Speaker 3: it's clear there were death caps in the lunch. But 76 00:04:02,120 --> 00:04:04,920 Speaker 3: if I argued the case comes down to intention, can 77 00:04:04,960 --> 00:04:09,400 Speaker 3: the prosecution prove beyond reasonable doubt that Aaron Patterson intentionally 78 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,280 Speaker 3: included the mushrooms and the lunch and that she intended 79 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 3: to kill her? Barrister Colin Mandy says that's not possible 80 00:04:16,560 --> 00:04:19,720 Speaker 3: for a number of reasons. He argues, there's no evidence 81 00:04:19,760 --> 00:04:23,000 Speaker 3: she ever saw the unnaturalist posts, and the evidence shows 82 00:04:23,040 --> 00:04:25,720 Speaker 3: she was also sick, just not as sick as her guests. 83 00:04:26,080 --> 00:04:28,520 Speaker 3: He says, all the evidence in the trial points to 84 00:04:28,560 --> 00:04:32,120 Speaker 3: Aaron having great relationships with her husband's family. He says, 85 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:35,479 Speaker 3: Donningale her in laws were incredibly supportive and caring of 86 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 3: Erin and their grandchildren, and question what possible reason she 87 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:40,280 Speaker 3: would have to want them dead? 88 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,400 Speaker 1: You mentioned just before that Aaron Patterson herself did take 89 00:04:44,440 --> 00:04:46,560 Speaker 1: to the stand during the trial. What did she have 90 00:04:46,640 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: to say? 91 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:51,479 Speaker 3: Well, she did. Aaron spent about twenty hours over eight 92 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,640 Speaker 3: days in the witness box, first answering questions from her 93 00:04:54,720 --> 00:04:58,279 Speaker 3: lawyer and then later from the prosecution. Now, Aaron told 94 00:04:58,279 --> 00:05:00,839 Speaker 3: the court the lunch was organized she wanted to be 95 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:04,440 Speaker 3: proactive in maintaining a relationship with her in laws and 96 00:05:04,520 --> 00:05:07,640 Speaker 3: acknowledged she misled them by making it seem like she 97 00:05:07,720 --> 00:05:10,880 Speaker 3: was going to receive treatment for cancer. Erin agreed she'd 98 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,000 Speaker 3: never had cancer and said she was not proud of that, 99 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,799 Speaker 3: but explained that she'd always had problems with her weight 100 00:05:17,279 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 3: and as she had decided she wanted to get gastric 101 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,120 Speaker 3: sleeve surgery to avoid embarrassment. She said she was going 102 00:05:23,120 --> 00:05:26,560 Speaker 3: to use the cancer as cover for her weight loss surgery. 103 00:05:27,440 --> 00:05:30,360 Speaker 3: Erin also told the court she'd always loved mushrooms and 104 00:05:30,400 --> 00:05:34,080 Speaker 3: begun foraging for wild mushrooms during the early cover lockdowns 105 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 3: of twenty twenty. While she maintains she added dried mushrooms 106 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 3: from an Asian grosser to the dish, he says she 107 00:05:41,440 --> 00:05:44,719 Speaker 3: now accepts there may have been foraged mushrooms in the 108 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:48,040 Speaker 3: same container she used. Aaron told the court after the 109 00:05:48,160 --> 00:05:52,359 Speaker 3: lunch she binge ate an orange cake and made herself sick. 110 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:56,359 Speaker 3: Explaining her actions after the lunch, which a prosecution alleges 111 00:05:56,480 --> 00:06:00,520 Speaker 3: is incriminating, Erin says she panicked after realizing her actions 112 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 3: had led her loved ones to fall sick. Now in 113 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:06,680 Speaker 3: his closing remarks, her barrister pointed out if Aaron did 114 00:06:06,720 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 3: not have to give evidence, saying she had a right 115 00:06:08,800 --> 00:06:11,240 Speaker 3: to silence, but chose to face a grilling by an 116 00:06:11,240 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 3: experienced prosecutor to share her side of the story to 117 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:16,159 Speaker 3: the jury and to the world. 118 00:06:17,360 --> 00:06:20,760 Speaker 1: You've been up close and personal with Aaron inside that courtroom. 119 00:06:20,839 --> 00:06:22,799 Speaker 1: What's her demeanor been like Liam. 120 00:06:23,200 --> 00:06:25,120 Speaker 3: From what I've seen, and I've been in the courtroom 121 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 3: a lot, Erin has remained calm and attentive during much 122 00:06:28,360 --> 00:06:31,080 Speaker 3: of the trial. I've seen her taking detailed notes as 123 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:34,880 Speaker 3: witnesses were giving evidence. He got emotional at times, particularly 124 00:06:34,880 --> 00:06:39,159 Speaker 3: when video recordings of her two children's police interviews were played, 125 00:06:39,440 --> 00:06:41,279 Speaker 3: and then when she was in the stand herself and 126 00:06:41,320 --> 00:06:43,560 Speaker 3: she spoke about her relationship with her parents in law. 127 00:06:44,080 --> 00:06:45,800 Speaker 1: All right, we'll stay on the line, Liam, in just 128 00:06:45,839 --> 00:06:47,200 Speaker 1: a moment, I want to ask you what kind of 129 00:06:47,279 --> 00:06:49,919 Speaker 1: jail time Aaron could be looking at it found guilty, 130 00:06:49,960 --> 00:06:59,599 Speaker 1: we'll be back in the sex Welcome back on Chattington News. 131 00:06:59,640 --> 00:07:02,359 Speaker 1: Why unlest Liam Beattie, who's been covering the trial of 132 00:07:02,400 --> 00:07:06,440 Speaker 1: Aaron Patterson who has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Liam, 133 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:09,359 Speaker 1: if the jury rules against her, what kind of jail 134 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 1: time could she be looking at? 135 00:07:11,360 --> 00:07:14,480 Speaker 3: Well, I'm not one to speculate, mate, but she's charged 136 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:17,400 Speaker 3: with three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Now, 137 00:07:17,480 --> 00:07:20,480 Speaker 3: under Victorian law, the maximum penalty for murder is a 138 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:24,160 Speaker 3: life imprisonment, and for attempted murder that is twenty five years. 139 00:07:24,720 --> 00:07:26,400 Speaker 1: Now, I know that we're getting to the pointy end 140 00:07:26,440 --> 00:07:28,360 Speaker 1: of this trial. When do we think it's going to 141 00:07:28,360 --> 00:07:28,840 Speaker 1: wrap up? 142 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:33,160 Speaker 3: And I think the judge himself said it best last 143 00:07:33,200 --> 00:07:35,120 Speaker 3: week when he used the idiom how long is a 144 00:07:35,120 --> 00:07:38,320 Speaker 3: piece of string? So we've finished hearing from the witnesses 145 00:07:38,600 --> 00:07:41,080 Speaker 3: and we've finished hearing from the lawyers. The trial itself 146 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:43,960 Speaker 3: will return to court next Tuesday for a long address 147 00:07:44,000 --> 00:07:48,040 Speaker 3: from Justice Christopher Biale over a couple of days. He said, 148 00:07:48,080 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 3: he'll tell a jury about the law they need, will play, 149 00:07:50,720 --> 00:07:53,560 Speaker 3: pointing out the key issues. It's their job to decide 150 00:07:53,760 --> 00:07:57,280 Speaker 3: and then sum up the key arguments and evidence. Then 151 00:07:57,320 --> 00:07:59,400 Speaker 3: he said, the shoes on the other foot and the 152 00:07:59,480 --> 00:08:01,960 Speaker 3: jury was to deliberate and they can take as long 153 00:08:02,000 --> 00:08:02,600 Speaker 3: as they need. 154 00:08:03,040 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 1: This trial has obviously attracted so much attention, not just 155 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: from Australia but also overseas lam. I imagine there is 156 00:08:09,680 --> 00:08:13,120 Speaker 1: a real media circus down there in more Well, Victoria. 157 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 1: Can you paint a little bit of a picture for. 158 00:08:14,720 --> 00:08:17,880 Speaker 3: Us, Yeah, you're not wrong then, mate. It could be 159 00:08:17,920 --> 00:08:19,960 Speaker 3: a bit of a minefield for me or any of 160 00:08:19,960 --> 00:08:23,200 Speaker 3: the other court users just to even get into the courts, 161 00:08:23,320 --> 00:08:26,280 Speaker 3: having to navigate through the photographers, the journalists and the 162 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:27,600 Speaker 3: broadcast camera crews. 163 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 2: So, as you. 164 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,280 Speaker 3: Said, the trial is being held in the country Victorian 165 00:08:31,320 --> 00:08:35,040 Speaker 3: town of Morewell, which is the closest appropriate courthouse to 166 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:37,800 Speaker 3: where the events of the case actually unfolded. There's been 167 00:08:37,960 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 3: enormous attention in this case, both in Australia and internationally, 168 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 3: with podcasters, journalists and documentary crews here. Now. The korum 169 00:08:46,880 --> 00:08:49,679 Speaker 3: itself is fairly small, with only about forty seats in 170 00:08:49,720 --> 00:08:52,960 Speaker 3: the public gallery to court. Staff have assigned six seats 171 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 3: for media, about ten seats to the family, and the 172 00:08:56,480 --> 00:08:58,360 Speaker 3: rest is for anyone else who wants to come in 173 00:08:58,400 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 3: and watch media. This means we're running a weekly ballot 174 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:05,319 Speaker 3: to fill those seats while the rest are watching online 175 00:09:05,320 --> 00:09:08,959 Speaker 3: from a room down the hall. I've seen lines members 176 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 3: of the public get in forming three hours before the 177 00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 3: court and in close to zero bibbery temperatures because once 178 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:19,640 Speaker 3: those seats are filled, people are getting turned away. And 179 00:09:19,640 --> 00:09:22,880 Speaker 3: from what I've been told, the local cafes, hotels and 180 00:09:22,920 --> 00:09:24,640 Speaker 3: restaurants are loving the extra business. 181 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:28,840 Speaker 1: I can imagine they are. They've probably never been so popular. Well, Liam, 182 00:09:28,920 --> 00:09:30,839 Speaker 1: I have loved all your articles that have been popping 183 00:09:30,920 --> 00:09:32,360 Speaker 1: up on news dot com dot are you and other 184 00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 1: news corp sites keep reporting and we can't wait to 185 00:09:35,240 --> 00:09:37,520 Speaker 1: see what happens over the next week or so. Thanks 186 00:09:37,520 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: for the chat. 187 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 3: Thank you, Andrew. 188 00:09:40,120 --> 00:09:42,079 Speaker 1: It's a fascinating trial, isn't it. Thank you so much 189 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:44,920 Speaker 1: for listening to today's episode. I will be back on Monday, 190 00:09:44,960 --> 00:09:48,320 Speaker 1: so in the meantime, have a wonderful weekend. Follow us, 191 00:09:48,320 --> 00:09:53,160 Speaker 1: subscribe to from the Newsroom, wherever you get your podcasts.