Wisconsin Woman Morgan Geyser Seeks Release from Psychiatric Institute

Morgan Geyser, one of the perpetrators of the 2014 Slender Man stabbing, is seeking release from the Winnebago Mental Health Institute where she was committed. Geyser, now 21, made a similar request for conditional release in 2022 but withdrew the petition two months after filing it. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren has scheduled a hearing on Monday to address Geyser's request to be released, which she submitted on Jan. 16. Geyser has asked the judge to order a new round of medical tests and grant her conditional release if the results are favorable.

Background on the Case

In 2014, Geyser and an accomplice, Anissa Weier, lured their sixth-grade classmate Payton Leutner to a Waukesha park after a sleepover. Geyser then repeatedly stabbed Leutner while Weier encouraged her. The victim suffered 19 stab wounds and barely survived, according to medical staff who treated her. Geyser and Weier left Leutner for dead, but she managed to crawl to a nearby bike path where she was found by a passerby. The two assailants were apprehended by the police later that day on Interstate 94 in Waukesha.

Motive behind the Attack

The motive behind the attack was revealed during the investigation, with Geyser and Weier claiming that they committed the crime to become Slender Man's servants and protect their families from him. As a result, Geyser pleaded guilty to attempted first-degree intentional homicide in a deal with prosecutors and was subsequently sent to the psychiatric institute after being diagnosed with a mental illness. Weier, on the other hand, pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree intentional homicide and was also committed to the psychiatric facility after a jury found she was suffering from a mental illness at the time of the attack.

Legal Developments

Anissa Weier was granted a conditional release in 2021 to live with her father. She was ordered to wear a GPS monitor as part of the conditions of her release. Now, Geyser seeks a similar outcome, hoping for conditional release from the mental institution where she has been held since the conviction.

Hearing for Release Petition

The hearing scheduled for Monday will address Geyser's petition for release from the psychiatric institute, and her request for a new round of medical tests. The outcome of this hearing will have significant implications for Geyser's future and the ongoing legal proceedings related to the case.