A girl accused of murdering three of her estranged husband’s family members with toxic dying cap mushrooms inside a beef wellington has denied she measured a “fatal dose” on her kitchen scales.
Erin Patterson is charged with murdering her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson, and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson.
She can be charged with the tried homicide of Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband.
Her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, was additionally invited to lunch however did not attend.
Prosecutors say Patterson knowingly served the company deadly dying cap mushrooms in a beef wellington at her dwelling in Leongatha, Victoria, Australia, on 29 July, 2023.
The 50-year-old denies all the costs, claiming the deaths have been a “terrible accident”.
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Erin Patterson denies all the costs in opposition to her. Pic: AP
Beneath cross-examination on Thursday by the prosecution in court docket, Patterson was requested whether or not a sequence of photographs of mushrooms positioned on weighing scales in her kitchen was proof she had been measuring a “fatal dose” to serve to her lunch company.
“I suggest that you were weighing these death cap mushrooms so that you could calculate the weight required for the administration of a fatal dose for one person. Agree or disagree?” barrister Nanette Rogers stated.
“Disagree,” Patterson replied.
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Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Courtroom in Morwell, Victoria, Australia, the place Patterson is on trial
Patterson accepted she had lied to police and medical professionals after the lunch when she was requested whether or not she had ever foraged for mushrooms or owned a meals dehydrator – which was later present in a waste disposal plant containing traces of dying caps.
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Giving proof earlier within the day whereas being questioned by her personal barrister, Colin Mandy, Patterson instructed the trial in Morwell, Victoria, she didn’t deliberately decide dying cap mushrooms, or knowingly serve them to her lunch company.
She additionally denied that she pretended to be sick after the lunch to keep away from turning into a suspect within the case.
The trial continues.
