Australian woman accused of triple mushroom murders breaks down in court

SYDNEY — An Australian pistillate accused of murdering 3 of her estranged husband’s aged relatives with a repast laced with poisonous mushrooms wept arsenic she was questioned implicit expletive-laden messages astir the victims connected Tuesday, successful a lawsuit that has captivated the country.

Erin Patterson, 50, is charged with the July 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, on with the attempted execution of Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband.

The prosecution alleges that she knowingly served the guests Beef Wellington that contained lethal decease headdress mushrooms astatine her location successful Leongatha, a municipality of astir 6,000 radical immoderate 84 miles from Melbourne.

Patterson denies the charges, with her defence saying the deaths were a “terrible accident.” She faces a beingness condemnation if recovered guilty.

Ian Wilkinson leaving tribunal successful Morwell, Australia, connected Wednesday.Asanka Ratnayake / Getty Images

Appearing arsenic a witnesser for her ain defense, Erin Patterson was questioned connected Tuesday by her barrister Colin Mandy astir a bid of expletive-laden messages sent to friends regarding the Patterson family.

The tribunal antecedently heard that the narration betwixt the accused and her estranged husband, Simon Patterson, deteriorated soon earlier the alleged murders owed to a disagreement implicit kid support.

“I privation I’d ne'er said it. I consciousness ashamed for saying it and I privation that the household didn’t person to perceive that I said that,” she said of the messages, which the tribunal had antecedently heard successful the prosecution’s case.

“I was truly frustrated with Simon, but it wasn’t Don and Gail’s fault,” she told the tribunal done tears.

Erin Patterson is the archetypal witnesser for the defence aft the prosecution rested its lawsuit connected Monday, pursuing a period of grounds from witnesses, including relatives and medical, forensic and mushroom experts.

The accused began her grounds connected Monday afternoon. It is chartless however agelong she volition springiness grounds for oregon whether she volition beryllium cross-examined by the prosecution.

The trial, which began connected April 29, has seen aggravated involvement from Australian and planetary media, with podcasters, journalists and documentary-makers descending connected the municipality of Morwell, astir 2 hours eastbound of Melbourne, wherever the proceedings is being held.

State broadcaster ABC’s regular podcast astir the proceedings is presently the astir fashionable successful the country, with 2 others besides precocious successful the charts.

The proceedings continues.