A high-profile murder trial concerning a deadly mushroom meal was disrupted by a protester in the courtroom. The trial, now in its fifth week, revolves around Erin Patterson, 50, who has been accused of serving a poisonous beef Wellington to her estranged husband’s family. She has pleaded not guilty to three charges of murder and one of attempted murder, stemming from a meal in July 2023 that resulted in the deaths of her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66.
During a break today in the proceedings, a man in the public gallery confronted Justice Christopher Beale, demanding how he could fulfil his role as a judge. The individual, donning a yellow T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan “all we are saying is give truth a chance,” made several accusations against the judge before being promptly escorted out of the courtroom in Morwell, Victoria.
After the disruption, the trial continued with testimony from Shamen Fox-Henry, a Victoria Police forensics officer, who was being cross-examined by the defence. Fox-Henry was on the stand for his fourth day, discussing his expertise in analysing digital devices seized from Patterson’s home during a police search in August 2023. He had previously mentioned using a program called Magnet Axiom to examine a computer taken from her residence.
Defence barrister Colin Mandy SC inquired about Fox-Henry’s training in using the software to extract data from several storage devices linked to Patterson’s computer. Fox-Henry revealed that he relied on guidance from a colleague within the Victoria Police cyber crime unit for the extraction process, though he also had prior experience with Magnet Axiom.
The prosecutor, Jane Warren, further clarified that Fox-Henry’s training was a mix of formal certification and practical, hands-on usage of various digital tools. He noted that many principles governing the software utilized were consistent across different applications.
Mandy also raised questions about a Samsung mobile phone, referred to as “phone B,” which had undergone multiple factory resets, including one the day after it was seized. Fox-Henry confirmed that his examination yielded no data aside from records indicating the resets, acknowledging that the factory resets limited the extraction possibilities.
The trial and surrounding events have captured significant media attention and public interest, prompting discussions about the implications of the case. A podcast, “Say Grace,” from Nine and The Age, delves into the trial, offering insights and updates on this developing story.