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Judge orders separate trials for girls in Slender Man case

By: Associated Press//December 12, 2016//

Judge orders separate trials for girls in Slender Man case

By: Associated Press//December 12, 2016//

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Morgan Geyser, left, listens as Donna Kuchler, one of her lawyers, questions Waukesha Police Department Detective Thomas Casey, during a hearing on motions in the so called Slenderman stabbing case at Waukesha County Courthouse in front of Judge Michael Bohren Monday, Dec. 12, 2016 in Waukesha, Wis. (Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)
Morgan Geyser listens as her lawyer, Donna Kuchler, questions Waukesha Police Department Detective Thomas Casey during a hearing on motions in the Slender Man stabbing case at the Waukesha County Courthouse on Monday. (Michael Sears/Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel via AP)

WAUKESHA, Wis. (AP) — A judge has ordered separate trials for two Wisconsin girls accused of trying to kill a classmate to please a fictional horror character called Slender Man.

Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren announced his ruling Monday. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports Bohren ordered separate trials for 14-year-old Morgan Geyser and 15-year-old Anissa Weier after learning both defense teams and prosecutors agreed that a joint trial could pose legal risks.

Both girls were 12 when prosecutors say they stabbed classmate Payton Leutner 19 times in a Waukesha park following a sleepover in 2014. Payton survived. She was able to crawl to a path where a bicyclist found her.

Geyser and Weier have pleaded not guilty by reason of mental disease to attempted homicide charges in adult court.

 

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