AustraliaThe Guardian

Erin Patterson to learn fate in appeal against mushroom murders convictions

A Victorian court will hand down its decision on Friday on Erin Patterson's appeal against her triple murder conviction and life sentence.

Victorian court of appeal to hand down judgment on triple-murderer’s conviction and sentence after her lawyers argued she was denied fair trial

The Long Sip
What happened

Victoria's Court of Appeal will rule on Friday on Erin Patterson's bid to overturn her triple murder conviction and life sentence.

The detail

Patterson's lawyers argued jurors staying in the same hotel as police and prosecutors during deliberations was a catastrophic failure of justice.

What it means

Possible outcomes range from her appeal being dismissed to a retrial or acquittal, with the court also ruling on whether her sentence should be harsher.

Full story at The Guardian

What readers are saying

gailg
The appeal hinges on whether the jury staying in the same hotel as police and prosecution staff constitutes a catastrophic system failure. We will find out on Friday if that procedural ground is enough to overturn the conviction.
trev1986
The distinction between an acquittal and a retrial is critical here because only certain outcomes remove the need for the sentence appeal entirely.
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