13-year-olds accused in Slender Man case to enter pleas

A Wisconsin court today entered not guilty pleas on behalf of the two teen defendants in the “Slender Man” stabbing case.

If the pair are convicted as adults, they would stay in a juvenile facility until they’re 18, then serve out the rest of their sentence in an adult prison, the newspaper notes.

Prosecutors said the girls were obsessed with Slender Man, who is depicted in online horror stories as a faceless man who kidnaps and kills children.

Authorities said Morgan repeatedly told detectives it was “necessary” to kill Payton to become “proxies” of Slender Man and live with him in his mansion in the woods. They say the girls intended to kill Payton to win the favor of the character Slender Man. Leutner was stabbed 19 times but survived. Despite the attack, she staged what her family called a “miraculous” recovery and was back in school in September, three months after the attack.

Defense lawyer Tony Cotton says the 13-year-old suburban Milwaukee girl will enter not guilty and not guilty by reason of mental disease or defect pleas at a brief arraignment hearing Friday.

The two 13-year-olds accused of stabbing a classmate in Waukesha were arraigned Friday morning. Keeping them in the adult system would protect them longer, he said.

The girls are facing first-degree attempted homicide charges.

ABC News reports Judge Michael O. Bohren confirmed in court Friday that the two 13-year-old girls will be tried together as adults.

The Associated Press hasn’t identified the girls because an appeals court could move their cases to juvenile court, where proceedings are closed. They have been in custody since being arrested the day of the attack.