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Wisconsin judge rules Slender Man stabbing suspect competent for trial

By Danielle Haynes
Graffiti depicting the Slender Man character. (CC/mdl70)
Graffiti depicting the Slender Man character. (CC/mdl70)

WAUKESHA, Wis., Dec. 18 (UPI) -- A Wisconsin judge on Thursday ruled 13-year-old Anissa Weier is competent to stand trial for the stabbing of a classmate she and another friend allegedly said was inspired by Internet horror character Slender Man.

Weier and 13-year-old Morgan Geyser have been charged as adults with attempted murder for allegedly stabbing their friend 19 times in a wooded area of Waukesha.

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Geyser allegedly told police she and Weier attacked their friend, who survived the injuries, because the Slender Man character threatened to hurt their families otherwise. They said they wanted to gain favor with the fictional character, which was featured on the Creepypasta website.

Judge Michael Bohren ruled Weier competent to stand trial after hearing reports from three doctors who interviewed the girl. The prosecution's doctor found her competent, while the defense's two doctors said she wasn't.

"I consider myself incompetent, sir," Weier told the judge.

Bohren has yet to give a final ruling on the competency of Geyser. Both she and Weier were originally ruled unfit to stand trial, but a doctor last month said Geyser was fit to stand trial. The judge is giving Geyser's lawyers time to challenge that doctor's findings.

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Meanwhile, lawyers for both girls said they are trying to have the cases moved to juvenile court. If they are found guilty as adults, they face up to 60 years in prison. They could be placed in a secure facility for 25 years if found guilty as juveniles.

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