Society News

Australia's mushroom murder appeal: convictions upheld, sentence raised to life without parole

Erin Patterson has lost her bid to overturn her convictions for murdering three people with a poisoned beef wellington lunch, and has been resentenced to life in prison with no chance of release. Victoria's court of appeal ruled on two appeals on Friday, October 30, after hearing arguments in August, The Guardian reported.

BBC News said Patterson had argued her trial was unfair on seven grounds, and that the three appeal judges dismissed them all. A second BBC report explained the other half of the ruling: the judges agreed with prosecutors that her original non-parole period of 33 years was insufficient. Ireland's RTÉ summed it up as a lost appeal and a heavier sentence for three poisoning murders.

“Cold and calculated.” — the court, describing the murders, via RTÉ

Hindustan Times, which carried a preview the evening before, introduced the case to Indian readers as the appeal of “Australia's mushroom killer”.

How each outlet framed it

• The Guardian — the ruling as it happened, with a live blog and the judges' names.
• BBC News — the seven failed grounds, and why she may now die in prison.
• RTÉ — a short headline: appeal lost, sentence increased.
• Hindustan Times — an international preview of a closely watched decision.

What we don't know yet: whether Patterson will try to take the case to Australia's High Court, the only remaining avenue, and how long such a bid would take.