Summarize this content to 2000 words in 6 paragraphs Crown prosecutor Sarah Lenthall agreed, but defence barrister Colin Mandy SC said his client was happy to wait so the case could be heard in front of her local community.“[She] wants it heard in local court before her local community,” Mandy said. “A proceeding should be held in the community where an offence is alleged to have been committed.“There’s a powerful reason for a committal having to take place in Ms Patterson’s local community.”Patterson’s former in-laws, Don Patterson, 70, and Gail Patterson, 70, as well as Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, 66, all died in hospital days after the deadly family lunch of beef Wellington was served in Leongatha on July 29.Heather’s husband, 68-year-old Baptist pastor Ian Wilkinson, was released from the Austin Hospital after seven weeks of treatment – most of which he spent in a coma.Police allege death cap mushrooms were used to poison the family.Death cap mushrooms are responsible for 90 per cent of mushroom poisoning deaths, with one bite enough to kill someone, causing severe gastroenteritis and eventually organ failure.Homicide squad detectives allege Patterson also attempted to murder former husband Simon Patterson on at least four separate occasions.Those attempts allegedly occurred between November 16 and 17 in 2021, between May 25 and 27 in 2022, on September 6 in 2022, and on July 29 in 2023.Monday’s hearing was initially delayed after lawyers for the prosecution and defence failed to join the correct remote link.Erin Patterson is in custody at Dame Phyllis Frost Centre.Credit: Andrew De La RueWalsh noted Philip Dunn KC was no longer acting for Patterson, with Mandy instead appearing on her behalf.“Ms Patterson, I understand Mr Dunn is no longer in the matter. Have your solicitors indicated [who] will be appearing?” Walsh asked.Loading“It was my understanding Mr Mandy would be here,” Patterson replied.During an earlier hearing in November, the court heard police wanted more time to analyse computer material seized during a search of Patterson’s Leongatha home.They asked for 20 weeks, with Walsh predicting that the amount of material could be voluminous.At the time, Patterson’s lawyer Bill Doogue consented to the delay and noted the court proceedings could be protracted.He was expected to receive the police brief of evidence against his client in late March ahead of a court hearing in May. A special mention hearing was later scheduled to allow the magistrate overseeing the hearing to stay abreast of the case.A brief of evidence contains details of the police allegations against an accused person with much of the material contained inside likely to be disclosed to the person’s defence team for the first time.Patterson was arrested in November and later charged with three counts of murder and five counts of attempted murder. She has remained in custody since.The matter is due to return to court next month, where a committal date is expected to be set.
