Erin Patterson's Tears Flow as Jury Sees Police Interview Footage

The Supreme Court today played video of a police interview with Erin Patterson, revealing her soft-spoken denials and emotional explanation about wanting to maintain family relationships with her estranged husband's parents.

• Detective Senior Constable Stephen Eppingstall from the Homicide Squad appeared as the final prosecution witness
• Police questioned why Ms Patterson wasn't as sick as the others after the meal
• She denied owning a dehydrator despite police allegedly  finding a manual in her home
• She explained hosting the lunch because "they're the only family that I've got"
• During the interview, Ms Patterson recounted a doctor telling her they suspected death cap mushrooms
• Ms Patterson was observed crying in court while watching the video footage
• The defendant faces three murder charges and one attempted murder charge. Her plea is not-guilty. 

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Chapters

• 0:00 Podcast Introduction
• 1:07 Erin Patterson's Police Interview
• 2:40 Reasons Behind the Fatal Lunch
• 4:26 Medical Response and Hospital Visit
• 5:43 Closing Remarks and Newsletter Promotion

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Welcome to the Mushroom Murder Trial podcast. My name is Lisa and I've been tracking this case since 2023. Most weekdays, we deliver detailed coverage of one of Australia's most closely watched legal dramas Erin Patterson's murder trial. Now a quick reminder before we launch in today's compelling. They were compelling. Today was a big day in court. We actually had Stephen Eppenstall. He is a detective from the Homicide Squad and he was the final witness for the prosecution. But he's still to go. They've got more evidence tomorrow. So, before we launch into today's updates, head to themushroommurdertrialcom. That way you can get my newsletter, which I send out every week, with the highlights of the coverage. And if you haven't yet, please subscribe and review this podcast on your preferred platform so you never miss an episode, because you're not going to want to miss this. Right.

Speaker 1: 1:07

The case background, as we know, but I just need to say this for legal reasons the defendant is Erin Trudy Patterson, age 50, from Leangatha, victoria. The charges are three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder, and her plea is not guilty to all of attempted murder and her plea is not guilty to all. Now, today, for the second time only in this triple murder trial, the jury heard the voice of Erin Patterson. The Supreme Court at Morwell Law Court today played video of a police interview conducted with Ms Patterson from August 5, 2023, after a search at her Leangatha home. The jury was told that prior to that interview, she asked police who died when they arrived earlier at her home to search it after seeking answers to what happened during that poisonous meal. At the start of the police interview, she gave her full name to the officer interviewing her, her date of birth and confirms her Australian citizenship, as well as her contact details. According to the Guardian, ms Patterson was in tears throughout the video, ie she was watching it in court with tears, not crying. In the video, an officer interviewing Erin tells her they're trying to understand what made her get so critically ill and why she wasn't as sick as the others. The mother of two acknowledges that she understands and they proceeded with a 21-minute interview. When police asked if she owned a dehydrator, ms Patterson said she did not. When they asked her about the sunbeam dehydrator manual located at her home by police, ms Patterson said she has manuals for lots of things. She told the officers quote I'm sure you understand too that I've never been in a situation like this before and I have been very, very helpful with the health department during the week because I wanted to help that side. She said I do not want to. I do want to know what happened. So I've given them as much information as they've asked for.

Speaker 1: 3:26

Later she was asked about the reason for the lunch at her home on July 29. Erin told the officer I think Simon hated that I had a relationship with his family. She then goes on to say she loved his family a lot and they had always been good to her. They always said to me they'd support me with love and emotional support, even though Simon and I were separated, and I really appreciated that because both my parents are gone. She said in the video they're the only family that I've got and the only grandkids that my children have and I wanted them to stay in my kids' life and that's really important to me. Quote they're good, decent people. Erin was actually quite softly spoken throughout the interview. That's my observation. The police didn't say that. She was asked why her estranged husband's family was invited to the lunch. Because I've got no other family, she responds. She goes on to say I like them a lot. They've always been good to me and I want to maintain those relationships, she says.

Speaker 1: 4:35

The officer then asked about her visits to Leon Gather Urgent Care. She was asked why, in the first instance, she left after five minutes. Erin said she thought she just needed a few bags of saline and needed to go home. She also noted she had to pack her daughter's ballet bag and feed her animals while quote balancing multiple after-school activities. Then Erin was asked about her time at the hospital with Dr Christopher Webster. She was told that they were expecting her. Erin and the doctor had a conversation which she relays to the two police officers. Then he said to me I can't remember the exact word, but it was something along the lines of we think they've eaten death cap mushrooms. And I said what? And he said yeah, that's what we think they've eaten. She says she told the hospital that there were leftovers she'd thrown out and she could go and look for them.

Speaker 1: 5:35

As I said, there will be more tomorrow and I will be updating you with more information about today. It was certainly a very big day, but I wanted to get this out for you. So you have it now and please keep following, keep subscribing and make sure you sign up for my newsletter and, if you want, you could buy me a coffee in recognition of all my hard work. You don't have to if you don't want to, but if you'd just like to say thank you, there's in the show notes. There's a link to buy me a coffee, plus to all my socials. So get in touch and you have to have my newsletter. We all know that, don't we? Okay, have a fabulous evening and I will be back to you very, very soon. Thanks, bye.