A town in Victoria, Australia
Erin Patterson, 51, has appealed her murder convictions for lacing beef Wellington with death cap mushrooms at a Gippsland lunch in July 2023. A two-day Court of Appeal hearing in Melbourne will decide whether grounds exist for a full appeal; the outcome could quash convictions, order a retrial, or uphold the sentence of life with a 33-year non-parole period.
Patterson has begun appeal against convictions for murdering three relatives and attempting to murder another after a lunch at her rural Leongatha home in July 2023. Prosecutors argue the 33-year non-parole period is manifestly inadequate and should be longer or that parole should be ruled out. The appeals touch on trial conduct, evidence and sentencing, with judges reserving decisions.