Three-year-old toadstool murder suspect Erin Patterson appears again in Australian court
melbourne, australia — accused woman Serve ex-husband's parents and aunt's poisonous mushrooms On Monday, he appeared in an Australian court with lunch and was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Erin Patterson, 49, appeared briefly in Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court via video link from Melbourne Prison, where she is being held. Arrested in November last year.
Judge Tim Walsh said he would announce on May 7 whether Paterson would stand trial in Morwell or Melbourne court. Morwell is a rural town near Patterson's home, approximately 90 miles east of Victoria's capital Melbourne.
The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to present charges to a jury in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
It was the second time Patterson appeared in court on this charge. She has not yet entered any plea and has not applied for her bail.
Anita Lester/AAP Image via AP
She is accused of murdering her former step-parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66.
All three died in hospital days after having dinner at Patterson's home last July.
She is also charged with the attempted murder of ex-husband Simon Patterson on three previous occasions, dating back to that lunch and 2021. Simon Patterson did not accept her invitation to lunch.
She is also charged with the attempted murder of Ms Wilkinson's husband Ian Wilkinson, 68.
Ian Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital after lunch.
Police said the symptoms of the family of four who fell ill were consistent with poisoning by a wild amanita mushroom, also known as the death cap mushroom.
The potential maximum penalty for murder in Victoria is life imprisonment and 25 years in prison for attempted murder.
Patterson appeared in court Monday wearing a blue prison sweater.
At the beginning of the hearing, Mr. Walsh asked Ms. Patterson if she could hear him, to which she replied, “Yes, thank you.”
Her lawyer Colin Mundy said his client had wanted the trial to take place in Morwell, even if it meant delaying it until next year.
“If that happens next year, Mr. Patterson is willing to wait it out,” Mundy told the judge.
Mundy said she hopes the hearing will be held closer to home.
The defense has provided prosecutors with a list of witnesses expected to be called at the commitment hearing, which Mundy said he expected to last three weeks.
Summarize this content to 100 words melbourne, australia — accused woman Serve ex-husband's parents and aunt's poisonous mushrooms On Monday, he appeared in an Australian court with lunch and was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.Erin Patterson, 49, appeared briefly in Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court via video link from Melbourne Prison, where she is being held. Arrested in November last year. Judge Tim Walsh said he would announce on May 7 whether Paterson would stand trial in Morwell or Melbourne court. Morwell is a rural town near Patterson's home, approximately 90 miles east of Victoria's capital Melbourne.
The hearing will determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to present charges to a jury in the Supreme Court of Victoria. It was the second time Patterson appeared in court on this charge. She has not yet entered any plea and has not applied for her bail.
This courtroom sketch shows Erin Patterson appearing in Australia's Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court on November 3, 2023, accused of providing her ex-husband's parents and aunt with poisonous mushrooms for lunch, and April 22, 2024. He appeared in an Australian court on the same day. She was charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Anita Lester/AAP Image via AP
She is accused of murdering her former step-parents, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66.
All three died in hospital days after having dinner at Patterson's home last July. She is also charged with the attempted murder of ex-husband Simon Patterson on three previous occasions, dating back to that lunch and 2021. Simon Patterson did not accept her invitation to lunch. She is also charged with the attempted murder of Ms Wilkinson's husband Ian Wilkinson, 68. Ian Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital after lunch.
Police said the symptoms of the family of four who fell ill were consistent with poisoning by a wild amanita mushroom, also known as the death cap mushroom. The potential maximum penalty for murder in Victoria is life imprisonment and 25 years in prison for attempted murder. Patterson appeared in court Monday wearing a blue prison sweater. At the beginning of the hearing, Mr. Walsh asked Ms. Patterson if she could hear him, to which she replied, “Yes, thank you.” Her lawyer Colin Mundy said his client had wanted the trial to take place in Morwell, even if it meant delaying it until next year. “If that happens next year, Mr. Patterson is willing to wait it out,” Mundy told the judge. Mundy said she hopes the hearing will be held closer to home.
The defense has provided prosecutors with a list of witnesses expected to be called at the commitment hearing, which Mundy said he expected to last three weeks.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/erin-patterson-poison-mushrooms-australia-second-court-appearance/ Three-year-old toadstool murder suspect Erin Patterson appears again in Australian court
