MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — A woman accused of serving her ex-husband’s family poisonous mushrooms pleaded not guilty in an Australian court on Tuesday to three charges of murder and five charges of attempted murder. Erin Patterson, 49, appeared briefly in Latrobe Valley Magistrates Court by video link from a Melbourne prison, where she has been held since her arrest in November last year. She is accused of killing her former parents-in-law, Don and Gail Patterson, both 70, and Gail Patterson’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66. All three died in a hospital days after consuming a meal at Patterson’s home in July. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and will appear at Victoria state’s Supreme Court in Melbourne for the first time on May 23. Proceedings have been fast-tracked after Patterson dispensed with a committal hearing where a magistrate would have examined the prosecution’s case to ensure there is sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial. |
Visitors are seen on camera damaging rock formations at a Nevada recreation siteBrekalo, McGuire score late goals to help Orlando City beat DC United 3Record storms in California lead to surging deadly fungal infectionsOlympic track uniforms spark online debate about who designed them and why they're so skimpySamuel Ersson blanks Devils to keep Flyers' slim playoff hopes alive in 1U.S., Britain launch airstrikes against Houthi camps in YemenYemeni gov't warns Houthis against military escalation in Red SeaSri Lankan navy apprehends 12 Indian fishermen for poachingArab states condemn U.S. for vetoing UNSC resolution on Gaza ceasefireAgyemang rallies Charlotte to 3