Jurors in the trial of Erin Patterson, accused of murdering three individuals and attempting to murder another by serving meals containing toxic death cap mushrooms, are set to start deliberations soon, following over four days of judicial instructions. Justice Christopher Beale of the Victorian Supreme Court is expected to conclude his closing statements to the 14 jurors on Monday morning, after which two jurors will be removed during a ballot to form a final jury of 12. These jurors will ultimately decide Patterson’s fate regarding charges of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
Patterson stands accused of intentionally poisoning her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, along with Gail’s sister Heather and her husband Ian Wilkinson, through a beef Wellington meal served at her home on July 29, 2023. While Don, Gail, and Heather died from the meal, Ian survived.
Throughout the trial, Justice Beale has detailed the evidence presented by both the prosecution and defence. Key to the case are allegations concerning Patterson’s alleged deceitful behaviour. The judge highlighted that Patterson had made several false claims, including that she had not foraged for wild mushrooms, lacked a dehydrator, and had previously been diagnosed with cancer. Although jurors are permitted to consider these lies in evaluating Patterson’s credibility, Justice Beale made it clear that such fabrications do not inherently imply her guilt.
As deliberations commence, jurors have been instructed to focus on all evidence presented rather than solely on Patterson’s statements. The judge advised them to refrain from discussing the case outside the jury room and to maintain a “media blackout” over the weekend, ensuring that external influences do not affect their decision-making process. Once they begin deliberating, the 12 jurors will be sequestered until they can arrive at a unanimous verdict on the charges against Patterson.