The trial of a woman accused of murdering three elderly people after allegedly serving them a lunch of poisonous mushrooms began in Australia on Tuesday, as additional charges of the attempted murder of her husband were dropped by prosecutors. <\/p>\n
Erin Patterson is charged with the 2023 murders of her mother-in-law Gail Patterson, father-in-law Donald Patterson and Gail\u2019s sister Heather Wilkinson, along with the attempted murder of Ian Wilkinson, Heather\u2019s husband, in a case that has gripped Australia. <\/p>\n
All four became ill after the lunch hosted by the accused at her home in Leongatha, a town of around 6,000 people some 135 kilometers (84 miles) from Melbourne. <\/p>\n
Prosecutors allege the mushrooms were served to the victims as part of a beef Wellington. <\/p>\n
Fifteen jurors were selected on Tuesday at the Latrobe Valley Magistrates\u2019 Court in nearby Morwell, with the opening arguments expected to begin on Wednesday morning. <\/p>\n
Charges regarding the attempted murder of the accused\u2019s husband, Simon Patterson, have been dropped by prosecutors, Justice Christopher Beale told the court on Tuesday. <\/p>\n
\u201cThose charges have been dropped and you must put them out of your mind,\u201d he told the jury. <\/p>\n
Erin Patterson has pleaded not guilty to all charges. <\/p>\n
The case has generated huge interest both in Australia and internationally, with the six seats in the courtroom reserved for media allocated in a daily ballot. Dozens more are expected to watch proceedings in an overflow room set up at the court. <\/p>\n
State broadcaster ABC is producing a daily podcast during the trial, which is expected to run for five to six weeks, while streaming service Stan has commissioned a documentary on what it says is \u201cone of the highest profile criminal cases in recent history.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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