Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier, who were accused of luring their classmate, a 12-year-old girl named Payton Leutner, into the woods and stabbing her 19 times. The attack took place on May 31, 2014, in Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee.
Geyser and Weier were both 12 years old at the time of the attack, and were reportedly obsessed with the fictional character Slender Man, an internet meme and horror icon. The girls claimed that they had planned the attack in order to impress Slender Man and become his "proxies," believing that he was real and that he communicated with them telepathically.
After the attack, Leutner managed to crawl out of the woods and was found by a passing bicyclist. She was taken to the hospital and survived her injuries. Meanwhile, Geyser and Weier were arrested and charged with attempted first-degree intentional homicide.
During their trials, Geyser and Weier's defense attorneys argued that the girls were not criminally responsible for their actions, as they both suffered from mental illnesses and delusions. Geyser was diagnosed with early-onset schizophrenia, while Weier was diagnosed with a delusional disorder. However, the prosecution argued that the girls had planned the attack in advance and were fully aware of the consequences of their actions.
In August 2017, Weier pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree homicide as a party to a crime, and was sentenced to 25 years in a mental institution. In February 2018, Geyser also pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide as a party to a crime, and was ultimately found not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect. She was sentenced to 40 years in a mental institution.
The case sparked a national conversation about the impact of internet culture on young people, as well as the treatment of mental illness in the criminal justice system. It also served as a tragic reminder of the consequences of extreme violence, especially when it involves young children.
update: Per http://bit.ly/3I3uiNu, Waukesha County Judge Michael Bohren ruled Friday that Anissa Weier could leave the mental health facility. She has, in fact, been released, after four years. Ms. Weier, who obtained her high school degree and plans to attend college, has told the court she plans to live with her father upon her release and look for part-time work, the judge said. http://bit.ly/3IqoYVI
Comments
Post a Comment