Mushroom murderer appeals convictions, claims ‘miscarriage of justice’

Erin Patterson was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 33 years for poisoning four and killing three of her estranged husband’s relatives.

An Australian woman, who was sentenced to life in prison with a non-parole period of 33 years for poisoning four and killing three of her estranged husband’s relatives with death cap mushrooms, has filed an appeal to overturn her conviction.

In July, a jury found Erin Patterson, 52, guilty of murdering three relatives of her estranged husband and attempting to murder a fourth in the state of Victoria in 2023.

Patterson will be 82 years old when she becomes eligible for parole in November 2056, but documents released Wednesday by the Supreme Court of Victoria showed Patterson filed an application for leave to appeal her conviction on Monday.

In the documents, viewed by Reuters, the seven grounds of appeal included that a “fundamental irregularity” occurred while the jury was sequestered. Local media, citing the court, reported the jurors stayed in the same hotel as police and prosecutors for the majority of their deliberations.

“That has fatally undermined the integrity of the verdicts and requires the quashing of the convictions and an order for a re-trial so that justice cannot only be done but be seen to be done,” the documents said.

Patterson also claimed that various pieces of evidence introduced, including cell tower location data and messages from Facebook friends, were “unfairly prejudicial” or “irrelevant.”

Additionally, Patterson claimed a “substantial miscarriage of justice occurred” due to the prosecution’s “unfair and oppressive” cross-examination of her when she gave evidence over the several days of the trial.

She suggested the prosecution’s opening and closing arguments also caused a “substantial miscarriage of justice,” because they introduced a motive for murder during their closing address but the Crown opened its case alleging no motive.