Sydney-A Australian woman accused of killing three of the older relatives of her husband separated with a meal mixed with poisonous fungi cried when she was interrogated by messages loaded with expletives on the victims on Tuesday, in a case that has captivated the country.
Erin Patterson, 50, is accused of the murders of July 2023 of his mother -in -law Gail Patterson, the father -in -law Donald Patterson and Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, along with the murder attempt of Ian Wilkinson, Heather’s husband.
The prosecution alleges that the guests Beef Wellington who contained lethal fungi of death at home in Leongha, a city of around 6,000 people to about 84 miles from Melbourne.
Patterson denies the charges, with his defense saying that the deaths were a “terrible accident.” She faces a life imprisonment if she is guilty.
Appearing as a witness of his own defense, Erin Patterson was interrogated on Tuesday by his lawyer Colin Mandy about a series of messages loaded with fans sent to friends regarding the Patterson family.
The court previously listened that the relationship between the defendant and her separate husband, Simon Patterson, deteriorated shortly before the alleged murders due to a disagreement about the support of the children.
“I wish I had never said it. I feel ashamed to put it and wish that the family did not have to listen to that I said that,” he said about the messages, that the court had previously heard in the case of the Prosecutor’s Office.
“I was really frustrated with Simon, but it wasn’t Don and Gail’s fault,” he told the court through tears.
Erin Patterson is the first witness of the defense after the Prosecutor’s Office rested his case on Monday, after a month of evidence of witnesses, including relatives and experts in medicine, forensic and fungi.
The defendant began his testimony on Monday afternoon. It is unknown how long evidence will give or if it will be questioned by the Prosecutor’s Office.
The trial, which began on April 29, has seen an intense interest of the Australian and international media, with podcasters, journalists and documentaries that descend in the city of Morwell, about two hours east of Melbourne, where the trial is celebrated.
The Daily Podcast of the state announcer ABC on the procedure is currently the most popular in the country, with two others also high on the lists.
The trial continues.
