Australian woman denies murdering her former husband's relatives with poisonous mushroom lunch
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A woman accused of serving her ex-husband’s family poisonous mushrooms pleaded not guilty in an Australian court on Tuesday to three charges of murder and five charges of attempted murder.
Erin Patterson, 49, appeared briefly in Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court by video link from a Melbourne prison, where she has been held since her arrest in November last year. She is accused of killing her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66.
All three died in a hospital days after consuming a meal at Patterson’s home in July.
She pleaded not guilty to all charges and will appear at Victoria state’s Supreme Court in Melbourne for the first time on May 23.
Proceedings have been fast-tracked after Patterson dispensed with a committal hearing where a magistrate would have examined the prosecution’s case to ensure there is sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial.
Related articles
What's making me bruise so easily from the slightest knock? ASK DR MARTIN SCURR
Q: For the past ten years or so, I’ve suffered frequent bruising to my arms — often from the slighte2024-05-07Wang wraps up tour of New Zealand, Australia
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi wrapped up a highly successful tour of New Zealand and Australia on2024-05-07Xi calls on Hunan to write its chapter in advancing Chinese modernization
President Xi Jinping called on central China's Hunan Province to have a clear understanding of its s2024-05-07'143 people still missing' after Moscow attack
As many as 143 people are still missing after last week's attack near Moscow when gunmen sprayed con2024-05-07Toronto treads lightly, choosing 4th
Having the option of choosing their playoff opponent wasn’t taken lightly by the staff and players o2024-05-07China and U.S. hold military maritime meeting
China and the United States militaries held an annual working group meeting of the Military Maritime2024-05-07
atest comment