Attacker in 2014 Slender Man stabbing granted release by Wisconsin judge

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Kalé Carey (Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

Morgan Geyser, one of two people convicted in the 2014 stabbing of a classmate that was inspired by the fictional character Slender Man, has been granted conditional release from a psychiatric hospital. Geyser spent seven years in treatment.

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Now 22, following evaluations, multiple medical experts no longer view Geyser as a safety risk to the community. A Wisconsin judge ruled Thursday, Jan. 9, supporting her release, marking a significant shift in her legal case.

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“The bottom line, common feature is that there’s a unanimous support for Ms. Geyser’s petition for conditional release,” one expert testified in court.

Geyser and her friend Anissa Weier lured their classmate Payton Leutner into a park in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in May 2014. All three girls were 12 years old at the time.

Authorities said Geyser stabbed Leutner 19 times in an attempt to prove her loyalty to Slender Man, a fictional horror character. Leutner survived the attack, though she did suffer life-threatening injuries.

Geyser and Weier later claimed that they believed Slender Man would hurt their families if they didn’t carry out the attack.

Geyser pled guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide and was convicted as an adult, but she was found not guilty by reason of mental illness. She received a sentence of up to 40 years in a psychiatric facility.

In 2018, Geyser began treatment for a schizophrenic diagnosis. Over the years, mental health experts said her condition has improved. Her psychologist said she is no longer on her medication and showed no signs of psychotic behavior over the past two years.

“I’ve watched the progress; I think that it was a long time coming,” her defense attorney said. “She got a lot of talents. I think she’s going to be a good person in the community. I think she’s going to thrive.”

The same judge who committed Geyser to the psychiatric hospital also granted her release. Under the court’s ruling, Wisconsin must find Geyser a group home within 60 days.

Weier, also convicted alongside Geyser, was released under supervised conditions in 2021.

Leutner’s mother expressed hope ahead of the hearing that the judicial system would keep Geyser in the facility. She said she believed releasing Geyser would risk the safety of the community as well as her daughter.

Tags: Mental health, Wisconsin

[Karah Rucker]

A CONVICTED ATTACKER IN THE HIGHLY-PUBLICIZED ‘SLENDER MAN’ STABBING CASE IS GIVEN THE CHANCE AT FREEDOM AFTER SEVEN YEARS IN A PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL

NOW 22 YEARS OLD, MULTIPLE MEDICAL EXPERTS TOLD A WISCONSIN JUDGE, MORGAN GEYSER IS NO LONGER A SAFETY RISK TO THE COMMUNITY.

(The bottom line common feature is that there’s a unanimous support for Ms. Geyser’s petition for conditional release.”)

IN 2014, GEYSER AND HER FRIEND, ANISSA WEIER, LURED THEIR SIXTH-GRADE CLASSMATE PAYTON LEUTNER TO A PARK, WHERE AUTHORITIES SAY GEYSER REPEATEDLY STABBED HER IN A BID TO PLEASE THE FICTIONAL HORROR CHARACTER ‘SLENDER MAN.’… A CREATION OF INTERNET LORE DATING BACK TO 2009.

PROSECUTORS SAY LEUTNER WAS STABBED NINETEEN TIMES AND BARELY SURVIVED.

AT THE TIME OF THE CRIME, ALL THREE GIRLS WERE JUST 12 YEARS OLD.

ACCORDING TO THE DEFENSE, BOTH GIRLS SAID IF THEY DIDN’T ATTACK LEUTNER, SLENDER MAN WOULD HARM THEIR FAMILIES INSTEAD.

GEYSER PLED GUILTY TO ATTEMPTED FIRST DEGREE INTENTIONAL HOMICIDE WHILE WEIER PLED TO LESSER CHARGES.

EACH WERE CONVICTED AS ADULTS BUT FOUND NOT GUILTY BY REASON OF MENTAL DISEASE. GEYSER WAS SENTENCED TO UP TO 40 YEARS IN A PSYCHIATRIC FACILITY.

IN 2018, GEYSER WAS SENT FOR TREATMENT FOR A SCHIZOPHRENIC DIAGNOSIS.

HER PSYCHOLOGIST SAYS SHE’S BEEN REMOVED FROM HER MEDICATIONS AND OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS NO LONGER SHOWS PSYCHOTIC SYMPTOMS.

(“I’ve watched the progress, I think that it was a long time coming. […] She got a lot of talents. I think she’s going to be a good person in the community. I think she’s going to thrive.” )

THE WISCONSIN JUDGE THAT COMMITTED HER TO A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY, IS THE SAME ONE GRANTING HER RELEASE.

WISCONSIN MUST FIND GEYSER A GROUP HOME WITHIN 60 DAYS OF THURSDAY’S RULING.

WEIER WAS RELEASED IN 2021 UNDER SUPERVISED CONDITIONS.

THE VICTIMS MOTHER SPOKE AHEAD OF THE HEARING, BELIEVING THE JUDICIAL SYSTEM WOULD KEEP GEYSER IN THE FACILITY.

SHE SAYS ITS THE BEST DECISION TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY AND HER DAUGHTER SAFE.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER