The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace
by Tapt Podcasts
The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace follows the case of Erin Patterson as she stands accused of murdering three guests who attended a lunch at her property in the Latrobe Valley in 2023. She denies all charges.Co-hosted by Nine reporter Penelope Liersch and The Age Crime & Justice Reporter Erin Pearson, this podcast brings to life a trial that has grabbed global headlines.
Episodes
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The criminal crossover
Former NSW Police Detective and Criminologist Vincent Hurley spent three decades listening to secret conversations of the state’s most dangerous criminals. He joins us to discuss ‘guns for hire’ carrying out organised crime across state lines.
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Threats on Australian MP’s
In this episode we’re joined by John Silvester, legendary crime reporter with The Age. Today, we're venturing into the world of politics to look closely at the political climate in Australia, and the growing number of threats on politicians and public figures.
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Erin Patterson loses appeal
Erin Patterson has lost the appeal she launched against her triple murder conviction in the Court of Appeal after arguing there were seven reasons why she was wrongly convicted. Patterson will now likely die in jail after her possibility of parole was abolished. Patterson's life sentence, now…
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Gregory Lynn’s bail denied
Accused high country killer Gregory Lynn has lost his second bid for freedom and will remain behind bars as he awaits a retrial for the alleged murder of missing camper Carol Clay.
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Accused killer Gregory Lynn claims: ‘I am the victim here’
Former Jetstar pilot Gregory Lynn says he is ‘the victim’ - as he makes a bid for bail ahead of a retrial next year over the alleged murder of retiree Carol Clay, who vanished while camping in Victoria's Wonnangatta Valley in 2020.
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Victoria: The Suppression State
Accused and convicted criminals are using the legal system to hide their identities. Justin Quill, top media lawyer at Thomsons, takes us inside the world of suppression orders and how Victoria became the 'suppression state'.
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On Trial Australia - The Patterson Court Watchers
The mushroom murder trial captured attention all over the world, but unlike most cases, people began travelling to court to see it for themselves. In this episode we’re joined by Tammy Egglestone, who’d never attended court and then spent months in Morwell watching this case unfold. Erin…
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On Trial Australia - The Hotel Bungle
From The On Trial Australia Podast - As the jury deliberated in Erin Patterson’s mushroom murder trial, they were staying in the same hotel as police and the media. So what actually happened during the accommodation cross over? Senior reporter at The Age, Chris Vedelago, joins Penny and Erin to...
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Erin Patterson's lies
Erin Patterson's interest in foraging for wild mushrooms was at the centre of the second day of her appeal against her convictions for murder and attempted murder, which she has always denied, as prosecutors zeroed in on the lies she told police. The DPP also put forward its case for why she…
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Killer’s appeal
Lawyers for mushroom murderer Erin Patterson claim the jury could have been contaminated by a hotel blunder and that the killer was forced to take the stand. Her legal team have argued seven key issues in an attempt to have her convictions thrown out.
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More revealed in ‘Death Cap Murders’
Two more episodes of Revealed - Death Cap Murders are about to be released on Stan, with interviews from witnesses and friends of Erin Patterson that have never been heard before. Join Penny and Erin as they sit down with series producer Dan O’Sullivan, director of photography Carl Allison ACS…
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Why Erin Patterson is fighting her convictions
In this episode we bring you the court documents filed by the mushroom killer’s defence and the seven reasons why they are seeking an appeal.
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Erin Patterson’s ‘last ditch attempt’
Erin Patterson’s new barrister tells the court his team needs more time to prepare an appeal case against the triple murderer’s conviction.
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Sneak peek into ‘Death Cap Murders’
Even if you think you know this case, you’re about to find out more. Join Penny and Erin as they sit down with documentary director Gil Marsden ahead of the Stan launch of Revealed - Death Cap Murders.
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A life sentence
Mushroom murderer Erin Patterson has been sentenced to life behind bars, with a minimum term of 33 years. She’ll be in her early eighties before she’s eligible for parole for the ‘horrendous’ crimes.
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Inside the prison cell
The prosecution calls for Erin Patterson to be handed a life sentence, without the possibility of parole. The court is also given a rare insight into the killer’s life in a maximum security prison cell, including the personal items she keeps.
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'I am no longer Erin Patterson’s victim'; The family speaks
The only survivor of the deadly mushroom lunch says he forgives the woman who tried to kill him, pastor Ian Wilkinson telling the court ‘now I am no longer Erin Patterson’s victim, and she has become the victim of my kindness’. Speaking through tears the family she tried to destroy say they can…
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The killer back in court
Erin Patterson returns to court to face the victims of her crimes. As part of the two day pre-sentence hearing in Melbourne we’ll be bringing you two episodes dedicated to what the family members say and the legal arguments.
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How the world reacted to Erin Patterson
In this episode, Penny and Erin are joined by UK journalist Caroline Cheetham to hear her insights into the case that brought her to Australia.
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Inside the investigation with John Silvester
In this episode, Erin sits down with legendary reporter John 'Sly' Silvester to discuss the police investigation, the trial and women who kill.
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What gave her away? The police interview unpacked
Criminologist Dr Xanthe Mallett and criminal psychologist Tim Watson-Munro join Penny and Erin to analyse the killer's police interview. They share their insights into Erin Patterson's state of mind, her level of planning and what gives away her lies and deception. Watch the full police interview...
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What really happened to Simon Patterson
Listen for the first time what the jury didn't hear, including Simon Patterson's claims his estranged wife was trying to kill him for years, secret poison papers found on her electronic devices and the killer's imaginary cat.
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Plea for leniency
Crime reporter for The Age, Marta Pascual Juanola joins host Erin Pearson to talk about bombshell updates from the Supreme Court. The judge sets down the pre-sentence hearing dates, as information never presented to the jury comes out.
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What it’s like to defend a killer; With Nick Papas KC
We sit down with barrister Nick Papas, KC, to chat about the unusual elements of this trial, the 'unfortunate' jury irregularity and what it's like to defend a killer.
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The many faces of Erin Patterson
In the aftermath of the trial, Erin and Penny take listeners through their observations from the courtroom, things the jury didn’t see and just how big the global attention is.
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Why did she do it? The doctor's perspective
In an extended interview, Leongatha doctor and trial witness Christopher Webster sits down with our hosts to speak about his interactions with murderer Erin Patterson when she arrived on his hospital doorstep in the aftermath of the fatal lunch. It’s a case, he says, that’s changed his life...
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‘Guilty’ - the jury decides
12 jurors have convicted Erin Patterson of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Come inside the courtroom as the verdict was handed down and hear some of the evidence for the first time.
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THE VERDICTS
After 6 days of deliberations, the jury has returned with its verdicts. We bring you some of the reaction as it unfolded in Morwell.
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Deliberations begin
After 40 trial days, the jury retires to deliberate. With two jurors balloted off, the remaining 12 are now sequestered, unable to return home. The judge gives them a final warning to avoid discussing the case with anyone outside the secure jury room.
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Judges of the facts
The final instructions to the jury, known as the judge’s charge, are underway. Justice Christopher Beale gives directions on the principles of law while also summarising parts of the evidence. He says the jurors, and only them, are the judges of the facts.
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‘Total speculation’
Erin Patterson’s barrister finishes his final plea to the jury, telling them they must find his client not guilty. He points to four ‘ridiculous convoluted propositions’ from the prosecution and argues the accused never had any reason to harm the lunch guests. He urges the jurors to put…
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'Fifth deception'
The Crown closes its case, accusing Patterson of engaging in multiple calculated deceptions and telling lies even when her lunch guests were gravely ill. Rogers also accused Patterson of trying to play the jury.
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Erin Patterson's final words
During the accused killer's final hours on the stand, more questions are raised around gastric bypass surgery and an 11th hour bid for a fresh police statement challenges her account. Erin Patterson also maintains she fed fatal lunch leftovers to her children, and answers three final accusations...
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Gastric sleeve and “two faces”
The accused disputes claims she was never sick. She is also pressed on possible weight loss surgery and if she has “two faces”.
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'You thought the lunch guests would die’
During cross examination, Erin Patterson denies telling relatives she had cancer. She also denies ever thinking her cancer lie could remain a secret because her lunch guests would be dead.
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‘I just panicked’
Erin Patterson gives evidence that she began to think foraged mushrooms she’d dried in the weeks before the lunch could have ended up in the meal. Telling the court her estranged husband asked if she'd used her dehydrator to poison his parents - and that she panicked, dumping the kitchen…
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Foraging for tasty mushrooms
The accused killer tells the jury she loved mushrooms and developed an interest in foraging for them during covid lockdowns. She admits there must have been death cap mushrooms in the meal she served.
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The accused killer speaks
Erin Patterson gives evidence. The accused killer chokes back tears as she recalls a “traumatic birth”. She describes her mother in-law as patient and supportive and reveals she wanted to convert Simon Patterson to atheism before her own spiritual experience.
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Subway CCTV and police expenses
The lead investigator is quizzed on exactly what CCTV from the evening of the fatal lunch shows. He also tells the jury, pulling all of the accused killer’s phone records was too expensive.
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A missing phone and lunch shopping
The lead detective continues his evidence cataloguing phones connected to the accused killer, noting one has never been found. Erin Patterson’s shopping receipts and medical records are also shown to the jury.
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The police interview
The jury watches a police interview with the accused killer. When asked why she hosted her ex partner’s family for lunch, Erin Patterson replies ‘I love them’ and denies owning a food dehydrator.
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Texts with an accused killer
A public health official tells the court she had trouble reaching Erin Patterson on the phone as she tried to find the source of the poisoning. The jury hears the pair exchanged text messages and a digital forensics officer faces questions from the defence.
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The fight for life
An intensive care specialist tells the court how doctors fought to save the four lunch guests' lives, and recalls how close Ian Wilkinson came to death.
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'I want nothing to do with them’
Facebook messages discovered on a phone found in Erin Patterson’s home are read to the jury, calling Simon Patterson a ‘deadbeat’ and his parents ‘a lost cause’. The court is also shown photos of mushrooms in a dehydrator and screenshots of cancer information, taken from a tablet police say was...
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Death cap webpage
The jury is shown internet history taken from devices seized from Erin Patterson's home.
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Cell tower expert challenged and servo CCTV played
A phone tower expert answers dozens of questions about the limitations of mobile phone records. Service station footage is also played to the jury, showing the accused killer visiting a toilet area.
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Phone pings and death cap sightings
A phone tower expert says Erin Patterson’s mobile possibly pinged in the same areas where death cap mushrooms were sighted. A poisons expert tells the jury she posted about death caps in Gippsland in the months before the lunch.
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Toxic test result and a bestselling cookbook
A forensic expert tells the jury mushroom toxins were found in leftovers seized from the fatal lunch. Another witness says Erin Patterson told her she cooked up the beef Wellington using the help of the RecipeTin Eats cookbook.
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Juror 84
In this bonus episode, the court hears a juror in the murder trial is dismissed over concerns they may have discussed the case with friends and family.
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A dumped dehydrator
A second fungi expert gives evidence that she found no pieces of death cap mushroom in a beef Wellington sample. The jury is also shown CCTV from a Gippsland rubbish tip and photographs of a food dehydrator the prosecution says police recovered from inside an e-waste bin.
About this show
The Mushroom Trial: Say Grace follows the case of Erin Patterson as she stands accused of murdering three guests who attended a lunch at her property in the Latrobe Valley in 2023. She denies all charges.Co-hosted by Nine reporter Penelope Liersch and The Age Crime & Justice Reporter Erin Pearson, this podcast brings to life a trial that has grabbed global headlines.
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