Judge set to sum up mushroom murder trial evidence
The jury members who will decide the fate of accused triple murderer Erin Patterson are to get their final directions from the trial judge.
The 50-year-old mother denies she intentionally poisoned four members of her estranged husband’s family when she served them toxic beef Wellingtons for lunch in July 2023.
Fourteen jurors will return to the court in Morwell, about two hours south-east of Melbourne, on Tuesday morning.
Justice Christopher Beale will begin his final directions to the jury, known as the judge’s charge. It is expected to run for about two days.
Beale will summarise the evidence in the trial and explain to jurors the relevant legal principles.
They will then be balloted down to 12, who will be sent away to deliberate on whether Patterson is guilty or not guilty of three murders and one attempted murder.
Jurors will be sequestered from when they begin deliberations until they return with a unanimous verdict on all charges.
The trial has entered week nine, after hearing from more than 50 prosecution witnesses before Patterson herself entered the witness box for eight days.
Last week, the defence and prosecution delivered their final addresses to the jury.
Patterson’s barrister Colin Mandy SC said his client was innocent and accused prosecutors of trying to force pieces of evidence together to prove their theory.
“When you consider the actual evidence and consider it properly … your verdicts on these charges should be not guilty,” Mandy said.
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Crown prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC said Patterson was guilty of deliberately sourcing death cap mushrooms and serving them to her guests to either kill or seriously injure them. She cited Patterson’s repeated lies.
“She has told too many lies and you should reject her evidence,” Rogers said.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty to three murder charges, over the deaths of her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson.
She also denies the attempted murder of the sole surviving lunch guest, Ian Wilkinson.
