Live: Mushroom killer Erin Patterson appeals murder conviction

Convicted murderer Erin Patterson is today seeking to have her conviction overturned, while Crown prosecutors will seek to have her sentence increased and the prospect of parole removed.Follow our coverage live. Wed 19 Aug 2026 at 10:02amWed 19 Aug 2026 at 10:02amWhat can we expect today?The appeals are expected to take place over two days of hearings, with lawyers for Patterson and Crown prosecutors both laying out their cases for appeal.Patterson has engaged barristers Richard Edney and Veronika Drago for her appeal, who will argue there were multiple miscarriages of justice and prejudicial incidents during her trial.Director of Public Prosecutions Brendan Kissane will lead the prosecution and will argue the sentence given to Patterson, which allowed for the possibility of parole one day, was inadequate and should be strengthened.Patterson is not expected to attend in person and will instead watch the proceedings via video link.Wed 19 Aug 2026 at 10:02amWed 19 Aug 2026 at 10:02amThe view from outside Courtroom OneUnlike the murder trial itself, which was held in the Victorian town of Morwell, today's hearing will instead be held at the Supreme Court in Melbourne's CBD.While a hearing like this would usually be heard at the Court of Appeal, the decision was made to move it to the larger court next door, given the immense public interest in the case.About 40 people, mostly reporters, are crammed into a hallway in the Supreme Court waiting to enter Courtroom One. A short time ago, mushroom poisoning victim Ian Wilkinson and other family members were escorted into the courtroom.Legal teams for the prosecution and defence followed. Lead police investigator Stephen Eppingstall, along with other homicide detectives from Victoria Police, is also here.Wed 19 Aug 2026 at 9:50amWed 19 Aug 2026 at 9:50amHow did we get here?The Erin Patterson murder trial was one of the highest-profile cases in recent memory, dominating global headlines for months.For a recap on the deadly mushroom lunch, the media frenzy surrounding the case, and the murder trial watched by millions, catch up with this wonderful feature story from the ABC's Kristian Silva and Joseph Dunstan:Wed 19 Aug 2026 at 9:41amWed 19 Aug 2026 at 9:41amHello and welcome to our coverageErin Patterson's legal team will head to the Court of Appeal today, in a bid to have her murder conviction overturned.Patterson was convicted in July last year and sentenced to life in jail, with a non-parole period of 33 years.Meanwhile, Crown prosecutors will launch a separate appeal to remove any possibility of parole. We'll bring you all the events of the day, as they unfold during the hearing, which is being held at the Supreme Court.