UPDATE: Radio hosts Kyle Sandilands and Jackie O will NOT face charges for comments made during the high-profile trial of Erin Patterson. The Victorian Office of Public Prosecutions confirmed this decision today, indicating that their remarks did not prejudice the trial.
The controversy ignited on June 16 when Sandilands stated on-air, “just lock that b**** up,” regarding Patterson, who was accused of a shocking triple murder involving her in-laws. Supreme Court Justice Christopher Beale had previously cautioned commentators to think carefully before speaking, underlining the potential legal repercussions.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions declared, “It has been determined that in all the circumstances none of the incidents had a clear tendency … to prejudice the fair trial of Ms. Patterson.” The statement emphasized that proving contempt beyond reasonable doubt was not feasible.
This ruling also extends to other media entities, including a podcast episode from Mamamia Out Loud and a presentation by forensic psychologist Rachel Toles, both of which were also investigated but spared from charges.
Erin Patterson was found guilty in July 2023 of murdering her former in-laws, Don and Gail Patterson, both aged 70, along with Gail’s sister, Heather Wilkinson, aged 66. The jury determined that she deliberately served a meal laced with deadly death cap mushrooms during a lunch at her home in Leongatha, Victoria.
In addition to the murders, Patterson was convicted of the attempted murder of Heather’s husband, Ian Wilkinson, aged 69, who fell gravely ill after consuming the contaminated dish but survived. She received a life sentence in September 2023, with a non-parole period of 33 years.
Currently, Patterson has lodged an appeal against her conviction while prosecutors are appealing her sentence, labeling it as manifestly inadequate.
Stay tuned for more updates as this case continues to unfold, capturing national attention and raising critical questions about the intersection of media commentary and judicial integrity.
