Prosecutors Appeal Erin Patterson’s ‘Inadequate’ Mushroom Murder Sentence

Australian prosecutors have officially filed an appeal against the sentence handed down to Erin Patterson, the woman convicted of murdering three relatives with a toxic mushroom meal. The Department of Public Prosecutions (DPP) confirmed on Monday, the appeal deadline, that they deem Patterson’s current sentence “manifestly inadequate.”

Last month, Patterson, 51, received a life sentence with a non-parole period of 33 years for the deaths of her in-laws Don and Gail Patterson, and Gail’s sister Heather Wilkinson, after serving them beef Wellington containing death cap mushrooms in 2023. She was also found guilty of attempting to murder Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, who survived the poisoning.

Under her current sentence, Patterson would be in her 80s before becoming eligible for parole. The DPP’s appeal argues that this term is insufficient given the gravity of her crimes. This development follows reports last week that Patterson herself intends to appeal her conviction, though her legal team has not yet formally lodged it, requiring them to first demonstrate legal errors to the Victorian appeal court.

The high-profile case has garnered significant public and media attention, with the sentencing judge, Justice Christopher Beale, acknowledging the severity of the crimes while citing “harsh prison conditions” and Patterson’s status as a “notorious prisoner” as factors influencing the parole decision. Patterson reportedly spends 22 hours a day in solitary confinement due to her “major offender status” and safety risks from other inmates.

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