Melbourne, Australia — A woman accused of serving poisonous mushrooms to her ex-husband’s parents and aunt appeared in an Australian court on Monday charged with three counts of murder and five of attempted murder.
Erin Patterson, 49, appeared briefly at Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court via video link from a Melbourne prison where she has been held since she was arrested in November last year.
Magistrate Tim Walsh said he would announce on May 7 whether Patterson would face a committal hearing at the same court in Morwell or in Melbourne. Morwell is a rural town near Patterson’s home, about 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of Melbourne, the capital of the state of Victoria.
Coroner hearings determine whether prosecutors have enough evidence to bring charges to a jury in a trial in the Supreme Court of Victoria.
It was Patterson’s second court appearance on the charges. He has not yet pleaded guilty or applied for bail.
She is accused of killing her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66.
All three died in hospital days after eating at Patterson’s home in July last year.
She is also charged with the attempted murder of her ex-husband, Simon Patterson, at that luncheon and on three previous occasions dating back to 2021. Simon Patterson did not accept an invitation to attend the luncheon.
She is also charged with the attempted murder of Wilkinson’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, 68.
Ian Wilkinson spent seven weeks in hospital after lunch.
Police say the symptoms of the four sick family members were consistent with poisoning by wild Amanita phalloides, known as the death mushroom.
The maximum possible sentence in Victoria for murder is life imprisonment and for attempted murder is 25 years in prison.
Patterson appeared in court Monday wearing a blue prison sweater.
Walsh asked if Patterson could hear at the beginning of the hearing and she responded, “Yes, thank you.”
His lawyer, Colin Mandy, said his client wanted the committal hearing to be held in Morwell, even if it meant a delay until next year.
“If this happens next year, then Mrs. Patterson will be happy to wait,” Mandy told the magistrate.
Mandy said she wanted the hearing to be held close to her home.
Defense attorneys have provided prosecutors with a list of witnesses expected to be called at the trial.
Mandy said she expected the hearing to last three weeks.