He highlighted a lie Patterson told her lunch guests about having a cancerous lump on her elbow, emphasizing that this deception should not automatically lead to a murder conviction. Mandy stated, “She’s not on trial for lying. This is not a court of moral judgment.”
Prosecutors claim that Patterson intentionally poisoned her former in-laws and their relatives by serving them a beef Wellington lunch in July 2023, resulting in the deaths of three individuals. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Mandy refuted the prosecution’s allegation that Patterson fabricated the cancer claim as a ruse to invite guests for lunch, pointing out that the lie was told after the meal had already been consumed, making it illogical for it to serve as a cover-up.
Moreover, Mandy dismissed the prosecution’s theory that Patterson intended to harm her ex-husband Simon by preparing a fifth deadly beef Wellington parcel for him, calling it absurd. He argued that there was no motive for Patterson to harm her own family members and jeopardize her relationship with her children.
The defense attorney also challenged witness testimony regarding mismatched plates at the lunch, suggesting that the evidence was unreliable and inconsistent with the facts presented by other witnesses.
Additionally, Mandy contended that Patterson’s reaction to the poisoned food was milder because of her age, weight, and vomiting after the meal, supporting the claim that she did not intend to harm her guests.
He addressed past conflicts Patterson had with her ex-husband and in-laws, attributing them to isolated incidents rather than indicative of murderous intent.
The trial is set to continue, with the defense presenting its case on Thursday.
