Additional Coverage:
Australian Prosecutors Appeal “Inadequate” Sentence for Convicted Mushroom Murderer
MELBOURNE, Australia – Australian prosecutors have filed an appeal against the sentence handed down to Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of murder and attempted murder in a poisoning case involving deadly mushrooms. The appeal, lodged on Monday, Oct. 6, argues that Patterson’s sentence is “manifestly inadequate,” according to Australia’s Department of Public Prosecutions.
Patterson, 51, was found guilty of killing her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and a local pastor’s wife, Heather Wilkinson. The victims died days after consuming a lunch prepared by Patterson in July 2023, which contained poisonous death cap mushrooms. She was also convicted of attempted murder for a fourth individual who survived the meal.
Her original sentencing included three life sentences and additional charges for attempted murder. These sentences were to be served concurrently, making her eligible for parole after 33 years, at which point Patterson would be in her 80s. This jail term was noted as one of the longest ever given to a female offender in Australia.
Meanwhile, Patterson’s defense lawyers have yet to formally appeal her conviction, though her attorney, Richard Edney, indicated last week that an appeal was pending. Under Australian law, an appeal of conviction is not automatically granted and must be approved by an appeal court, typically based on identified errors in the legal process. Patterson currently benefits from temporary new legal guidance from Victoria’s Supreme Court, which effectively doubles her maximum appeal window beyond the standard 28 days.