Erin Patterson: Mushroom jurors' long weekend before verdict decision
Jurors in mushroom cook Erin Patterson’s triple-murder trial have been told to come back refreshed from a four-day break before deliberations begin.
Closing addresses wrapped in the Victorian Supreme Court on Thursday after four days of argument, but Justice Christopher Beale won’t begin his final directions until Tuesday.
As he sent the jurors home for the week, Justice Beale told them to maintain an open mind but also have a good long weekend.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.“I really want you want you to come back refreshed on Tuesday - and that’s not a threat!” he joked with the jury.
Justice Beale’s directions, known as a charge, are expected to run for two days as he summarises the evidence and relevant legal principles.
The 14 jurors will then be balloted down to 12 people who will decide whether Patterson is guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder.
The 50-year-old has pleaded not guilty, denying she intentionally poisoned her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, Gail’s sister Heather and Heather’s husband Ian Wilkinson with meals laced with death cap mushrooms.
Don, Gail and Heather all died after consuming the beef Wellington lunch on July 29, 2023, served by Patterson at her home in regional Victoria, while Ian survived.
In his final address, Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC argued his client was innocent of all charges and the prosecution had failed to prove beyond reasonable doubt that she was guilty.
He accused prosecutors of trying to force pieces of evidence together to prove their theory Patterson deliberately killed her lunch guests.
“When you consider the actual evidence and consider it properly ... your verdicts on these charges should be not guilty,” Mr Mandy told the jury.
Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC argued Patterson was guilty of deliberately sourcing death cap mushrooms and serving them to her guests to either kill or seriously injure them.
Dr Rogers claimed Patterson then told repeated lies about having cancer, owning a dehydrator and where she sourced the mushrooms.
“She has told too many lies and you should reject her evidence,” she told the jury.
Patterson was among the more than 50 witnesses who gave evidence throughout the first seven weeks of the triple-murder trial.
The jury will be sequestered when they start their deliberations, meaning they will remain together until they reach a unanimous verdict on all charges.
