The trial of an Australian woman accused of murdering her relatives with poisonous mushrooms has begun, as additional charges of the attempted murder of her husband were dropped.
Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with the 2023 murders of her ex-husband’s parents Don and Gail Patterson as well as Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. She is also accused of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian.
Prosecutors allege that Ms Patterson served deathcap mushrooms to her family members in a beef wellington at her home in Leongatha.
All four family members fell ill that evening, with three of them dying around a week later.
The 15 jurors in the trial had the court proceedings explained to them and were told it was for the prosecution to prove Ms Patterson’s guilt “beyond reasonable doubt.”
Ms Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Ian Wilkinson spent seven weeks in a hospital following the lunch, but survived the sickness.
Police say the symptoms of the four sickened family members were consistent with poisoning from wild Amanita phalloides, known as death cap mushrooms.
Some charges against Ms Patterson have been dropped, after she was previously accused of the attempted murder of her ex-husband, Simon Patterson, at that lunch and on three previous occasions dating back to 2021.
Simon Patterson did not accept an invitation to attend the lunch.
Trial judge Justice Christopher Beale to discount this information. He added: “You may be aware from previous coverage that the accused was charged in relation to her ex-husband, those charges have been dropped, and you must put them out of your mind.”
The potential maximum sentence in Victoria for murder is life imprisonment, and for attempted murder is 25 years in prison.
The trial will continue on Wednesday.
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