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Melbourne, Australia – An Australian woman, Erin Patterson, 51, who was sentenced to life in prison for the poisoning deaths of three relatives with a mushroom-laced meal, has formally appealed her conviction. Court documents released Wednesday by the Supreme Court of Victoria confirm Patterson filed an application for leave to appeal on Monday.
Patterson was found guilty in July by a jury in Victoria of murdering three elderly relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth in 2023. She received one of the longest sentences ever given to a woman in Australia: life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years.
Among the seven grounds of appeal, Patterson’s legal team cited a “fundamental irregularity” during jury sequestration. Local media reports, referencing the court, indicated that jurors shared a hotel with police and prosecutors for the majority of their deliberations.
Additionally, Patterson argued that various pieces of evidence, including cell tower location data and Facebook messages, were either irrelevant or unfairly prejudicial. She also claimed she endured an “unfair and oppressive” cross-examination and that the prosecution altered its case during the closing address to imply a motive for murder, leading to a substantial miscarriage of justice.
While Patterson’s application for leave to appeal has been accepted by the appeals registry, it requires court approval to proceed. Throughout her 11-week murder trial, Patterson maintained her innocence, asserting the poisoning was accidental.
This appeal comes after prosecutors also filed an appeal against her sentence in October, deeming it “manifestly inadequate.”
Patterson was convicted of the murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson. The case captivated Australia and garnered international attention due to its unusual nature.
The jury concluded she invited them to lunch at her home in Leongatha, a town of approximately 6,000 residents southeast of Melbourne, and poisoned them with beef Wellingtons containing death cap mushrooms. She was also found guilty of the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband, who survived the 2023 meal.