Mushroom Murder Trial Begins in Rural Australia

Murder Trial Over Poisonous Mushroom Lunch Starts in Australia

By Alasdair Pal

SYDNEY (Reuters) -The trial of a woman accused of murdering three elderly people after serving them a lunch of poisonous mushrooms began in Australia on Tuesday, in a case that has gripped that nation.

Erin Patterson is charged with the 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail's sister Heather Wilkinson, along with the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather's husband. 

All four became ill after the lunch hosted by the accused at her home in Leongatha, a town of around 6,000 people some 135 kilometres (84 miles) from Melbourne. 

Prosecutors allege the mushrooms were served to the victims as part of a beef Wellington. 

Jury selection began on Tuesday at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates' Court in nearby Morwell, with the opening arguments expected to begin on Wednesday morning. 

Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to the charges. 

The case has generated huge interest both in Australia and internationally, with the six seats in the courtroom reserved for media allocated in a daily ballot. Dozens more are expected to watch proceedings in an overflow room set up at the court. 

State broadcaster ABC is producing a daily podcast during the trial, which is expected to run for five to six weeks, while streaming service Stan has commissioned a documentary on what it says is "one of the highest profile criminal cases in recent history".   

(Reporting by Alasdair Pal in Sydney; Editing by Saad Sayeed)