# Child perps in "slenderman" stabbing case to be tried as adults. Why? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 11, 2015, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588 "2015-08-11T20:50:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/21 "2017-08-21T22:16:47Z")
Updating this thread: > [@](#): > > Anissa Weier, one of the two Waukesha girls charged in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing, pleaded guilty Monday to a reduced charge and will proceed to trial only on whether her mental condition at the time should make her legally responsible for the crime. > > Weier’s attorney and prosecutors announced the resolution Monday morning at a status conference ahead of her trial, which is scheduled to begin next month. Waukesha County Assistant District Attorney Ted Szczupakiewicz said the family of the victim, Payton Leutner, supports the plea arrangement. > > Her co-defendant, Morgan Geyser, appeared at a separate status conference Monday after which the prosecutor and her attorney suggested a plea deal to avoid trial is still a strong possibility in her case, as well. > **[One of 2 girls charged in Slender Man stabbing case pleads guilty to lesser...](https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/crime/2017/08/21/girl-plead-guilty-lesser-charge-slender-man-stabbing/585719001/)** > > Anissa Weier would plead guilty to a new charge of attempted 2nd-degree homicide, go to trial only on sanity phase. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/22 "2017-08-21T22:22:19Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Prosecutors have a duty to avoid cases that would be considered unwinnable. Maybe this one thought the little psychopaths were just too young to try for the death penalty. > [@Guinastasia](#): > > That’s because they _are_ too young for the death penalty. I believe the Supreme Court ruled that the death penalty cannot be applied to anyone who was under 18 at the time they committed the offense. Psychopaths or not. Wisconsin does not have the death penalty. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/23 "2017-08-21T22:54:46Z")
I’d be very, very surprised if Weir isn’t found to be mentally ill. I hope the doctors can help her. I hope the other girl accepts a similar plea deal. [https://www.google.com/amp/www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/crime/suspect-slender-man-case-accepts-plea-deal-article-1.3429617](https://www.google.com/amp/www.nydailynews.com/amp/news/crime/suspect-slender-man-case-accepts-plea-deal-article-1.3429617) > [@](#): > > Weier’s trial next month will determine whether she is legally responsible for the crime or not guilty due to mental illness. If found guilty, Weier could face 10 years in prison. If not, she will have to spend three years in a mental hospital ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/24 "2017-08-22T00:17:31Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Note the victim was stabbed 19 times And that does not happen by accident ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/25 "2017-08-22T06:23:02Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > Wisconsin does not have the death penalty. I dunno, maybe we should mention the victim didn’t die again. Or the fact the Supreme Court has held that it’s unconstitutional to impose the death penalty on people who were minors when they committed their crime. (_[Roper v. Simmons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roper_v._Simmons)_) I really think we can take this on the road, if we get the sequencing of the repeated points down pat. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/26 "2017-08-22T14:57:50Z")
I’m not familiar at all with Wisconsin’s laws but does the fact that it was clearly premeditated come into play at all? It wasn’t random or a crime of passion, from everything I had read they spent some time planning things, but again, idk. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/27 "2017-08-22T17:13:56Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > I’m not familiar at all with Wisconsin’s laws but does the fact that it was clearly premeditated come into play at all? It wasn’t random or a crime of passion, from everything I had read they spent some time planning things, but again, idk. Sure. But remember: 1. The girls were 12 years old when they committed the crime. 2. They believed in this fantasy being called Slenderman–and thus could well be mentally ill. So obviously the punishments should be much less than if they were mentally sound adults. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 22, 2017, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/28 "2017-08-22T17:25:29Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > Sure. But remember: 1. The girls were 12 years old when they committed the crime. 2. They believed in this fantasy being called Slenderman–and thus could well be mentally ill. So obviously the punishments should be much less than if they were mentally sound adults. The mental health issue should be and from what I’ve read is being looked into. Is the one girl still being evaluated? What’s the story with this one to be tried as an adult? I’m sure she was evaluated wasn’t she? Apparently she was found fit to stand trial. The age is definitely a factor because at 12 they know right from wrong but could it be argued that their brains aren’t fully developed? Teens are much more impulsive than adults and I think that’s partly due to brain function, I could be completely wrong about that 🤔. ---
**Author:** ![justrob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9adbd/32.png) [@justrob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justrob)\ **Post date:** [August 23, 2017, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/29 "2017-08-23T19:37:08Z")
> [@Patx2](#): > > Teens are much more impulsive than adults and I think that’s partly due to brain function, I could be completely wrong about that 🤔. Plus being 12 at the time they weren’t even teens yet. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/30 "2017-08-24T02:08:39Z")
You know it’s been said that teens are old enough to understand death – they just think it happens to other people? I was 23 when I gave up rock climbing. I realized that I might get seriously injured, or even killed if I had an accident. At 6 I was old enough to be scared of falling when climbing: at 23 I was old enough to understand consequences. Babies should not be punished at all: they start out not understanding intention. In their early twenties they understand consequences. In between there is growing up. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/31 "2017-08-24T04:01:55Z")
Which of you, when you were 12, didn’t understand that killing people is wrong? Did you need to understand that death was something that could happen to you to understand it? The only reason I can give this girl a pass is if she’s schizophrenic. If she hallucinated a voice and possibly a person telling her to do evil things, that sounds like a form of schizophrenia, and she would find it very hard to resist the voices, especially at a young age. I will admit, however, that putting them in adult prison seems dumb. Kids do need to socialize for their brains to finish developing, and there won’t be very many kids, even if you do keep them sequestered from the adults. Anyways, that’s my 2 cents. I admit I’ve not really checked up much on this. ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/32 "2017-08-24T13:17:14Z")
I’m reminded of the infamous case of [Mary Bell](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Bell) who strangled two younger children to death (she was at the ages 10-11 at the time, the other children were 3 and 4). She served 12 years then was released and given a new identity and went on to live a relatively normal life until reporters found her again 18 years later. It goes to show that sometimes children who commit horrific crimes can grow up to be regular members of society. Today in Britain a court order that protects a convict’s identity is called a “Mary Bell order”. ---
**Author:** ![Patx2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/73ab20/32.png) [@Patx2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patx2)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/33 "2017-08-24T14:02:03Z")
> [@BigT](#): > > Which of you, when you were 12, didn’t understand that killing people is wrong? Did you need to understand that death was something that could happen to you to understand it? > > The only reason I can give this girl a pass is if she’s schizophrenic. If she hallucinated a voice and possibly a person telling her to do evil things, that sounds like a form of schizophrenia, and she would find it very hard to resist the voices, especially at a young age. > > I will admit, however, that putting them in adult prison seems dumb. Kids do need to socialize for their brains to finish developing, and there won’t be very many kids, even if you do keep them sequestered from the adults. > > Anyways, that’s my 2 cents. I admit I’ve not really checked up much on this. I think you said it well and I agree with you, I think unless there is some mental illness going on, they understood exactly what they were doing and what the outcome could be to the girl they attacked. The one factor because of their ages may be that they did not think through the consequences for their behavior, as in, what would happen to themselves. If they were rational I don’t doubt for a moment that they were aware of the harm they were causing the victim, but I think young kids have a tendency sometimes to think they are infallible and they can’t see things all the way through. How that plays out in the case, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Pippers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b5a626/32.png) [@Pippers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pippers)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/34 "2017-08-24T22:29:27Z")
I dont think most children of that age truly understand “consequences”. Yes they basically know right from wrong, but when it comes to actually thinking things thru??? Especially a kid that’s been screwed up by parents or other adults close to them. Just like many adults, if given the chance and opportunity to learn a different life, children can be rehabilitated. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/35 "2017-08-24T23:28:26Z")
> [@Pippers](#): > > I dont think most children of that age truly understand “consequences”. Yes they basically know right from wrong, but when it comes to actually thinking things thru??? > . At 8 your kids are old enough to understand that they have to look before running out into the road. And they will look before crossing the road. Unless they are chasing a ball, or doing something else. Growing up is a gradual process. ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/36 "2017-09-17T01:31:05Z")
[Anissa Weier was found mentally ill and her plea agreement calls for at least 3 years in a mental institution.](http://abc7.com/2422269/) The other girl goes to trial next month. StG ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2017, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/37 "2017-09-17T01:44:35Z")
Anyone else get a flashback to McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest? Awesome! I’m not going to prison. Then he meets Nurse Ratched. Hopefully Weier will get the professional counseling & medication that she obviously needs. ---
**Author:** ![Isilder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/cc9497/32.png) [@Isilder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isilder)\ **Post date:** [September 18, 2017, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/38 "2017-09-18T14:03:22Z")
> [@pool](#): > > From what I’ve read they planned this attack for months. Twelve seems pretty old to not realize the gravity of their intended actions. There’s two factors for trying them as adults isn’t there 1. The crime was somewhat thoughtfull and planned, it wasn’t some sort of angry fight or spur of the moment “got drunk and mugged a homeless man” thing… they had a long term motive and they carried out a plan. 2. There’s a certain sickness of the mind implied that might take more than 5 years to cure… and that the adult court system deals with ! The judges in adult courts deal with psychiatric reports a lot more … they will be a problem when they are 18 too. The juvenile system is more about removing kids who have been lead astray by the bad people in their environment (family, neighbour kids, gangs…) and lax rules at school… so they actually learn right from wrong and discipline. The crime of planning a murder and then attempting it ? thats not environment. There are mental health facilities in adult jails, and jail sections at mental health institutes, and that may be why its not considered such a bad thing… basically the adult court can hand the person over to the mental health system of the state… the accused can decide whether to get a fixed term, or an open ended term. the open ended term can get them out early, or can see them locked up for ever. Recently I’ve heard of a pedophile being held past the end of their fixed term, as they are still mentally ill and clearly unable to stop themselves reoffending… The realisation is that they have finished their criminal sentence, but still can’t convince a psychiatrist they are anything close to sane…the mental health laws allow them to be held. But that soon leads to the idea that if all violent criminals are insane to some extent, then why bother with fixing sentences in terms of years… why not just set some minimum and then leave it to psychiatry ? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2024, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/39 "2024-01-29T19:55:11Z")
> **[Wisconsin woman involved in Slender Man attack as child seeks release from...](https://apnews.com/article/slender-man-attack-morgan-geyser-fa02bfaa721cd155f3a1f72a8a6f879f)** > > This marks the second time that Morgan Geyser, now 21, has asked a judge to release her from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute. Anissa Weier was previously released: > **[Woman who admitted to Slender Man attack to be freed Monday](https://apnews.com/article/wisconsin-0604d05ccb11f062cf6228568fafc435)** > > A Wisconsin woman who admitted to helping stab a classmate to please online horror character Slender Man will be freed Monday from a mental health institution. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2024, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588/40 "2024-04-12T15:15:57Z")
> **[Woman who stabbed classmate to please 'Slender Man' won't be released from...](https://apnews.com/article/slender-man-attack-wisconsin-cfe8ab00001803d11b1bb3c6d45a8515)** > > A judge has turned down a request to release a Wisconsin woman from a psychiatric hospital, a decade after she nearly killed a girl at age 12. > **[Slender Man stabbing: Anissa Weier to have GPS monitor removed](https://www.tmj4.com/news/local-news/slender-man-stabbing-anissa-weier-to-have-gps-monitor-removed)** > > One of the women convicted in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing case, 21-year-old Anissa Weier, will have her GPS monitor removed, according to online court records. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/child-perps-in-slenderman-stabbing-case-to-be-tried-as-adults-why/727588.md?page=3)