Erin Patterson's murder trial begins in Victoria over mushroom poisoning deaths

The high-profile trial of Erin Patterson, accused of murdering three relatives and attempting to murder a fourth by allegedly serving them beef Wellington laced with poisonous death cap mushrooms in July 2023, has begun in Morwell, Victoria. Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges, maintaining her innocence in the deaths of her former in-laws Don and Gail Patterson and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, as well as the attempted murder of Heather's husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived after a lengthy hospital stay. The trial, overseen by Justice Christopher Beale at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court, began with jury selection from a large local pool and is expected to last five to six weeks due to significant public and media interest. Both prosecution and defense teams are led by senior legal counsel, and the case is being closely followed nationally and internationally, with media seats allocated by ballot and additional room provided for observers. The incident and subsequent trial have gripped Australia, with extensive coverage and even a documentary in production.