The jury deliberated in the sensational trial of Australian woman Erin Patterson, charged with poisoning three elderly relatives of her estranged husband to death, on Monday, a turning point in a case that has obsessed the nation.
Patterson, 50, is accused of killing her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. She is also charged with attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, in July 2023.
What happened at The Trial?
The prosecutors say that Patterson had served her guests a dinner of Beef Wellington cooked with lethal death cap mushrooms, topped with mashed potatoes and green beans, and then went on to destroy evidence and mislead the police and medical personnel to cover up her crime.
Patterson has pleaded not guilty, insisting in her defence that what had happened was ‘a terrible accident’. She could face a life sentence if convicted.
On Monday, Justice Christopher Beale finished a five-day rundown of the evidence at the trial, bringing the court closer to its conclusion after almost ten weeks of hearings. Speaking to the 14-strong jury, he stressed, “Your verdict of guilty or not guilty must be unanimous. Whether you reach your verdict by majority, by consensus, or in any other way, you must all agree.”
And as the jurors were whittled down to the final 12 who will render the verdict that determines the case’s outcome, Patterson eyed them intently from her perch in the dock at the rear of the courtroom. Back with other family members, but out of her sight, was Ian Wilkinson, the lone survivor of the doomed lunch.
Justice Beale outlined that the jury would meet each day in court during business hours to deliberate on the case and be sequestered overnight at a hotel until a decision was made.
A case that captivated Australia
The Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court trial in Morwell a town that used to be most famous for its rose gardens and regional art gallery has turned the local courthouse into a national attraction. Enquiring members of the public have lined up for hours in the hope of snagging one of the few seats in Court 4, and TV cameras and photographers have set up camp outside.
Australia is clearly smitten with the case, with state-run broadcaster ABC’s daily trial podcast becoming the most-listened-to podcast in the nation. Several documentaries on the case are in production as well.