A Wisconsin judge suspended the case of two teenage girls this Monday as an appeals court decides whether to try the pair as adults or minors. The suspects are accused of stabbing their classmate 19 times past year to appease the fictional internet character “Slender Man”.
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Defense attorneys have appealed Judge Michael Bohren’s decision to keep the girls in adult court.
Prosecutors did not object to a stay in the district court proceedings while awaiting the court of appeals decision.
Weier’s attorneys had also filed motions to suppress the statements she made the day of the girls’ arrest, on the basis she was not competent to waive her right to remain silent. A bicyclist found the victim, who has since recovered. According to a report from ABC News, the two girls stand accused of attempting to kill a classmate based on instructions from a fictional character, Slender Man. The decision came after months of debate regarding the age and mental status of the girls charged in this case.
Some critics argue that it’s important for society to maintain the same standards for juveniles who commit crimes as for other young people, while others maintain that children are not mentally developed enough to be held to the same standards as adults. If the case remains in adult court, it likely won’t be ready for trial until next year.
Anissa Weier and Morgan Geyser may both be tried as juveniles, thus receiving a lighter penalty if convicted, if the Court of Appeals rules in their favor. All three girls were 12 years old at the time.
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“Obviously these girls have been planning this since December so this wasn’t just an accident”, she said.
