A judge has denied the petition for conditional release for Morgan Geyser, one of the young women convicted in the 2014 Slender Man stabbing of a classmate in Wisconsin. Geyser, who was found not guilty by reason of mental disease, had been sentenced to a maximum of 40 years of state mental health supervision. Despite the denial of the release, Geyser’s defense attorney plans to reapply in six months. Geyser’s attorneys now hope to have her moved to a group home, with the director of the facility where she is currently housed agreeing that the transition to the community may be beneficial for her development. However, there was testimony indicating that Geyser may have faked her mental illness and made claims of childhood sexual abuse.
Medical experts testified that Geyser has not been violent since the stabbing and has been off anti-psychotic medication since December 2022. She has been diagnosed with schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder. Despite this progress, prosecutors argued against her release, citing concerns about her credibility and potential danger to the public if she were to leave the 24/7 care she currently receives. Ultimately, the judge sided with the prosecution, ruling that the evidence supported the decision to keep Geyser in custody. The victim’s family also opposed Geyser’s release.
Geyser and Anissa Weier were both 12 years old when they stabbed their classmate, Payton Leutner, in an attempt to appease the fictional character Slender Man. Prosecutors stated that the girls lured Leutner to a wooded area where Geyser repeatedly stabbed her while Weier urged her on. Both girls believed they had to kill Leutner to become Slender Man’s servants and protect their families from him. Leutner survived the attack after crawling out of the woods and being found by a bicyclist. Weier, who was also committed for the attack, was granted conditional release in 2021.
The Slender Man myth began in 2009 with an online post depicting a mysterious figure that people edited into everyday scenes. Slender Man was portrayed as a spidery figure in a black suit with a featureless white face, considered by his followers to be both sinister and protective. The case of Geyser, Weier, and Leutner brought national attention to the impact of online content on vulnerable individuals. Despite some progress in Geyser’s mental health treatment, concerns remain about her potential for future violence and the safety of the public. The judge’s ruling reflects these concerns and highlights the complexities of addressing mental health issues within the justice system.
