Slender Man Case On Trial; Girl’s Mental State At Issue

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A jury in Wisconsin will begin hearing testimony at a trial to decide the mental competency of a girl accused of stabbing a classmate to please a fictional horror character known as Slender Man.

Anissa Weier (ah-NEE'-sah WY'-ur) was just 12 when prosecutors say she and another girl carried out the attack at a park in suburban Milwaukee in 2014. Their classmate survived.

Weier, now 15, has admitted a role in the stabbing but pleaded not guilty due to mental illness. If a jury agrees, she'll spend at least three years committed to a mental hospital.

If not, she faces a much longer sentence in prison.

Twelve jurors and four alternates were chosen Monday, and opening statements are scheduled Tuesday.