Mycologist Tom May details his time as an expert witness in Erin Patterson’s murder trial
The mushroom expert who gave evidence in the high-profile trial of triple murderer Erin Patterson has detailed the “highly unusual” circumstances surrounding the fatal lunch.
The mushroom expert who gave evidence in Erin Patterson’s triple murder trial has spoken out about the “highly unusual” circumstances surrounding the fatal lunch.
Renowned mycologist Dr Tom May spoke to the Herald Sun about his time as an expert witness at the launch event for his new book Fungi Planet: A Photographer’s Foray.
Dr May said that even after years of working with the Victoria Poisons Information Centre the use of death caps in Patterson’s murder plot was “highly unusual”.
Dr May insisted despite the worldwide attention on Patterson’s trail, his time on the stand just felt like any other day of work.
“Over several decades, I’ve looked at a lot of mushrooms and so really it was just like going to work and providing the kind of expert advice I do when we handle any other case with the poison centre,” Dr May said.
“The whole way through, I was focused on the mushrooms and trying to do the best I could at providing the expert opinion about what they were.
“The case was unique, normally at the poisons centre we are helping with kids who have consumed mushrooms not knowing what they are.
“A matter like (the Patterson case) is very unusual.”
When questioned as to Patterson’s guilt, Dr May wouldn’t be drawn on his opinion.
“It’s not my area, I’m there to provide expertise on mushrooms,” Dr May said.
Dr May has worked as a mycologist at Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens for three decades.
Growing up in Blackburn in Melbourne’s east, he found himself drawn to the fascinating world of fungi.
“I spent a lot of time out in the bush as a kid, I’ve always been interested in natural history,” he said.
“One autumn I was working in a laboratory and saw a whole bunch of mushrooms, I was drawn by the beauty of form and colour – my interest started there.”
Dr May co-authored Fungi Planet: A Photographer’s Foray with filmmaker and photographer Catherine Marciniak and macro fungi photographer Stephen Axford.
The book is a visual exploration into the world of fungi and their ecological significance.
Originally published as Mycologist Tom May details his time as an expert witness in Erin Patterson’s murder trial
