Trial of Erin Patterson for allegedly murdering in-laws with mushroom lunch starts in Victoria

The trial of Erin Patterson for allegedly murdering her in-laws by means of serving them a lunch laced with dying cap mushrooms has began in a Victorian court docket.

Patterson, 50, faces 3 fees of homicide and one price of tried homicide with regards to a red meat wellington lunch she served at her space in South Gippsland in 2023.

The 15-member jury within the perfect court docket trial was once empaneled on Tuesday.

Patterson has pleaded now not in charge to murdering or making an attempt to homicide the relations of her estranged husband, Simon Patterson.

She is accused of murdering Simon’s oldsters, Don and Gail Patterson, his aunt Heather Wilkinson, and making an attempt to homicide Ian Wilkinson, Simon’s uncle and Heather’s husband.

Opening submissions within the case are anticipated to be made on Wednesday by means of Nanette Rogers SC, the prosecutor, and Patterson’s attorney Colin Mandy SC.

Justice Christopher Beale mentioned in his directions to the jury that Patterson was once not accused of making an attempt to homicide her estranged husband.

He informed the jury the ones fees were discontinued, and that they must take away any attention of those earlier fees.

The panel is made up of 10 males and 5 girls. Three of them are reserve jurors, with simplest 12 selecting a verdict.

Beale mentioned that if the jurors took place to be staring at tv information and got here throughout a tale concerning the case, they must trade the channel, and must in a similar way forget about it in the event that they got here throughout it in a newspaper or on-line.

“It’s your duty to decide this case only on the basis of that evidence. You must ignore all other considerations,” he mentioned.

“You must dismiss all prejudices or sympathies you may have … your duty is to consider the evidence using your head, not your heart.

“You must completely ignore anything you have seen or heard in the media, including social media … about this case, and the people involved in it.”

The trial in Morwell continues.

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