Erin Patterson enters plea for murder charges
Erin Patterson will face trial in the Supreme Court after pleading not guilty to eight charges of murder and attempted murder.
The 49-year-old is accused of killing her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, 66.
All three died in hospital days after consuming an allegedly poisonous mushroom lunch at Patterson's home in South Gippsland July 29, 2023.
She is also accused of the attempted murder of Heather Wilkinson’s husband Ian, and four separate attempts on her ex-husband’s life, with three occasions dating back to 2021.
Patterson appeared in the Latrobe Valley Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, and pleaded not guilty to all eight of her charges, including three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder.
Patterson told Magistrate Tim Walsh, "not guilty, Your Honour", as he read each of the charges.
Her barrister, Colin Mandy SC, confirmed that she was going to use the “fast-track” method to have the case sent to the Supreme Court.
The fast track method allows homicide cases to skip a committal hearing where a magistrate hears the evidence and decides if it could support a conviction.
Walsh told Patterson hat under the fast track method, he did not have to judge the evidence and could commit her “solely on her election”.
The decision also means that details of the prosecution case and her defence will not be aired publicly until after the trial.
Patterson was arrested last November but has repeatedly denied the allegations.
She was remanded in custody and will appear for a directions hearing at the Supreme Court on May 23.
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