澳大利亚维多利亚州上诉法院将于周五上午10点，就“毒蘑菇谋杀案”被告艾琳·帕特森的定罪及量刑上诉作出裁决 1。现年52岁的帕特森此前因在2023年7月的一场家庭午餐中，使用含有致命鹅膏菌的牛肉惠灵顿牛排杀害三名亲属并企图谋杀另一名受害者，被主审法官Christopher Beale于去年9月判处终身监禁，且需服刑33年后才有资格申请假释 1。
帕特森方面提起上诉，试图推翻其三项谋杀罪（针对Don Patterson、Gail Patterson和Heather Wilkinson）及一项未遂谋杀罪（针对Ian Wilkinson）的定罪 1。辩护方主张审判过程存在严重司法不公，核心论据指出在陪审团进行最终审议期间，陪审员与首席警探及两名皇家团队人员曾同住一家酒店，这一程序错误影响了公正性 1。此外，辩护律师还质疑资深检察官Dr Nanette Rogers进行的为期五天的交叉询问具有压迫性，以及控方在结案陈词阶段突然引入新的动机理论 1。
与此同时，检方也提出了上诉请求，反对目前的刑罚，认为对于预谋杀人及向医生隐瞒毒素来源的行为处罚不足，因此寻求改判为终身监禁且不得假释 1。法院此次宣判可能产生四种结果：拒绝上诉许可、准予上诉许可但驳回上诉、准予上诉许可并撤销原判重审，或准予上诉许可并直接宣告无罪释放 1。
The Victoria Court of Appeal is scheduled to hand down its ruling at 10 a.m. on Friday regarding the appeal lodged by Erin Patterson against her convictions and sentence for the "mushroom murders" case 1. Patterson, aged 52, was found guilty of three counts of murder and one count of attempted murder for poisoning three relatives—Don Patterson, Gail Patterson, and Heather Wilkinson—and attempting to kill Ian Wilkinson during a family lunch in July 2023 featuring beef Wellington laced with deadly amanita mushrooms 1. The trial judge, Christopher Beale, originally sentenced her to life imprisonment with a non-parole period of 33 years last September 1.
Patterson’s legal team has argued that the original trial suffered from significant procedural irregularities, claiming severe judicial injustice 1. Central to their appeal is the allegation that jurors were sequestered in the same hotel as the lead detective and two members of the prosecution team during final deliberations 1. Additionally, the defense contested the cross-examination conducted by senior prosecutor Dr. Nanette Rogers over five days as oppressive, and objected to the prosecution's sudden introduction of a motive theory during closing arguments 1.
In a parallel move, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has appealed against the current sentencing terms, arguing that 33 years without parole is insufficient for premeditated killings and the concealment of toxins from medical staff 1. The prosecution seeks an order for life imprisonment without any possibility of parole 1. The appellate court’s decision will determine whether the appeal is rejected entirely, granted but dismissed, or successful in either ordering a retrial or acquitting Patterson 1.
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