Food Crimes

[gulfporter]

This one caught my eye today.   But have always been fascinated by food crimes and trials.   

 

Mushroom Murder Trial in  Australia.

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/05/23/mushroom-murder-trial-australia/

[JoNorvelleWalker]

Paywall?

 

[pastrygirl]

https://www.deseret.com/u-s-world/2025/05/23/what-is-the-death-cap-mushroom-murders-case-in-australia/

[TdeV]

Here is an unpaywalled version of the Washington Post article about Mushroom Murder Trial in  Australia.

https://wapo.st/43HKmQP

[JoNorvelleWalker]

31 minutes ago, TdeV said:

Here is an unpaywalled version of the Washington Post article about Mushroom Murder Trial in  Australia.

https://wapo.st/43HKmQP

 

Thanks, @TdeV but I still couldn't get the link to work.  The link from @pastrygirl gave me the story though.

 

[liuzhou]

The Guardian has been reporting in great detail on this every day the court is in session. Paywall-free.

 

 

[TdeV]

If anyone else can't read the Washington Post story, please let me know. I thought their links provided a paywall-free read.

[Smithy]

4 hours ago, TdeV said:

If anyone else can't read the Washington Post story, please let me know. I thought their links provided a paywall-free read.

 

@liuzhou's link works for me.

[liuzhou]

8 minutes ago, Smithy said:

 

@liuzhou's link works for me.

 

All Guardian content is paywall-free and they have sworn it will remain so. They also have (slightly) different editions for the UK, America and Australia. You can select which you want at the top beside the large Guardian logo.

 

As someone who has worked closely with the judicial process (not in Australia or north America), I am very wary of commenting on any on-going legal procedures. It can be prejudicial  and result in mistrials. So, I will only say that whether this was deliberate or accidental is not for us to decide.

 

BUT it does once again highlight the dangers of picking and consuming wild mushrooms if you are not an expert. Being fairly sure is not enough!!

 

Edited May 24 by liuzhou (log)

[liuzhou]

The Guardian coverage of the trial has continued today (Monday).

 

Protester accosts judge as Erin Patterson trial hears how officials tried to find source of deadly mushrooms | Victoria | The Guardian

 

 

[liuzhou]

Jury reaches verdict. Live coverage here

[liuzhou]

Guilty of all charges - three murders and one attempted murder.

 

 

Edited July 7 by liuzhou (log)

[haresfur]

I take no joy in this, nor in the media and social media frenzy. I strongly suspected her guilt, without hanging on every word from the trial, so I suppose this is the better of the possible outcomes. At the end of the day three people are dead and one was nearly killed and had his life upended.

[liuzhou]

This is ridiculous.

 

I am no fan of the recipe website Food Tin Eats, but the cook behind the site, Nagi Maehashi has been forced to issue this appeal.

 

 

I understand people's interest in the case, but does it really matter a damn where Patterson got the recipe, especially as she didn't stick to it? I haven't read Maehashi‘s cookbook Dinner that the recipe appeared in but I'm fairly sure it didn't recommend death cap mushrooms!

 

What the hell is the world coming to?

 

 

Edited July 9 by liuzhou (log)