Erin Patterson appeal live: prosecutors to seek life in prison without parole for triple murderer
Prosecution says no evidence Patterson had ‘innocent’ interest in foraging mushrooms
Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams is arguing against Patterson’s third ground of appeal.
On this ground, Patterson’s legal team argue the trial judge, Justice Christopher Beale, erred in ruling that photos and videos related to mushrooms and found on an SD card in Patterson’s home was inadmissible.
Patterson’s lawyers said the photos from 2020 tended to support her evidence that she had a tendency to forage for mushrooms, which included picking and eating them. They argue the ruling meant she was forced to testify about the photos and hence was denied her right to silence as a defendant.
But McWilliams said none of the photographs had the “hallmarks of culinary use”.
He said some of the photographed mushrooms looked “raggedy”.
He says there is no evidence that Patterson had an “innocent” interest in foraging wild mushrooms.
Key events
McWilliams says Patterson’s cross-examination required Rogers to “put the question again in a different way to get a responsive answer”.
He says on at least one occasion the trial judge, Justice Christopher Beale, interjected and suggested the point had been taken as far as it could go.
McWilliams says this was not a criticism but an observation.
Prosecutor says Patterson’s cross-examination was ‘fair’ and ‘thorough’
McWilliams has skipped ahead to Patterson’s fifth ground of appeal – the argument that her cross-examination was “oppressive” and “unfair”.
McWilliams says the argument is “unpersuasive”.
He says Patterson’s cross-examination by prosecutor Nanette Rogers SC was “fair”, “thorough” and conducted with the “overarching duty of fairness”.
McWilliams points to the testimony of witnesses, including Patterson’s son, who cannot be named for legal reasons, who told police he had never known his mother to pick mushrooms.
He says the trial heard evidence that runs counter to the defence’s proposition that Patterson had an innocent mushroom foraging habit.
Prosecution says no evidence Patterson had ‘innocent’ interest in foraging mushrooms
Crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams is arguing against Patterson’s third ground of appeal.
On this ground, Patterson’s legal team argue the trial judge, Justice Christopher Beale, erred in ruling that photos and videos related to mushrooms and found on an SD card in Patterson’s home was inadmissible.
Patterson’s lawyers said the photos from 2020 tended to support her evidence that she had a tendency to forage for mushrooms, which included picking and eating them. They argue the ruling meant she was forced to testify about the photos and hence was denied her right to silence as a defendant.
But McWilliams said none of the photographs had the “hallmarks of culinary use”.
He said some of the photographed mushrooms looked “raggedy”.
He says there is no evidence that Patterson had an “innocent” interest in foraging wild mushrooms.
Court resumes with Erin Patterson on video link from prison
The appeal hearing has resumed.
Patterson has joined the court via video link from Melbourne’s Dame Phyllis Frost Centre – the state’s maximum security women’s prison.
She is wearing the same outfit as yesterday – a royal blue jumper, jeans and black reading glasses. Her long hair is pulled back in a ponytail.
Surviving lunch guest in court for day two
Ian Wilkinson, the sole surviving lunch guest, has returned to court for day two of Patterson’s appeal hearing.
Wilkinson is accompanied by his daughter, Ruth Dubois.
Prosecution argued yesterday phone tower evidence helped show Patterson had opportunity to source mushrooms
Just a reminder that, before the court adjourned yesterday, we heard from crown prosecutor Jeremy McWilliams, responding to Patterson’s second ground of appeal.
On this point, Patterson’s legal team argues that evidence about mobile phone towers and death cap mushroom sightings on the citizen science website iNaturalist should not have been heard at the trial because it was not relevant, or its value was outweighed by its unfair prejudice to Patterson.
But McWilliams argued that the evidence was part of a collection which “taken together” showed Patterson had the opportunity to deliberately source death cap mushrooms before the fatal lunch.
The phone tower evidence, given by expert witness Dr Matthew Sorell, was used by the prosecution to draw an inference that Patterson could have visited two locations reported where death cap mushrooms had been sighted and reported on iNaturalist.
Good morning
Welcome to day two of our live coverage of Erin Patterson’s appeal. We are expecting today’s hearing to begin at 10.15am.
Yesterday, the Victorian court of appeal heard the seven grounds of appeal Patterson’s legal team is arguing against her convictions for three murders and one attempted murder.
Today, we will also hear legal argument from Victoria’s director of public prosecutions, who is appealing against Patterson’s sentence, arguing it is “manifestly inadequate”.
Last September, Patterson was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a non-parole period of 33 years, for the murders of her estranged husband’s parents, Don and Gail Patterson, and his aunt, Heather Wilkinson. She was also convicted of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the lunch after spending weeks in hospital.
The three court of appeal judges will consider whether Patterson’s convictions should be quashed, and if she should remain in prison for life without the possibility of parole, with a judgement to be handed down at a later date.
