Morgan Geyser to plead not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect

WAUKESHA COUNTY -- Morgan Geyser, one of two girls accused of trying to sacrifice a classmate to horror character Slenderman, plans to plead not guilty due to a mental disease or defect.  That development came about in Waukesha County court on Friday, August 19th.

The other girl accused in this case, Anissa Weier, is not making the same plea -- but that could change in the future.

Morgan Geyser

Geyser will be evaluated by two psychiatrists -- both court-appointed. One of the psychiatrists is from the Milwaukee area and the other is from Madison. Their reports are due back on September 30th. They will be sealed. On October 13th, those reports will be discussed in open court.

Also in court Friday, Weier's attorney noted he is filing for the jury in his client's case to be brought in from a different county.

"Frankly with the amount of publicity there's been, I don't know where we could go where someone hadn't heard of it," said Mara MacMahon, Weier's attorney. "But there may be someplace where people have heard less intense coverage."

Anissa Weier

Geyser's attorney wants a change of venue for his client.

Morgan Geyser

In the meantime, the psychiatrists who will evaluate Geyser moving forward in the trial are new to her. Her lawyer is concerned that more than two years after the crime, with medication, she is completely different.

"They're not getting the same picture of Morgan that they would have gotten shortly after the event," said Anthony Cotton, Geyser's attorney.

At some point, Geyser and Weier will most likely have separate trials. The judge estimates those trials will take place in March or April of 2017. Geyser and Weier each face one count of attempted first degree intentional homicide.