Wisconsin girl in stabbing attack in Slenderman case changes plea

[HereSince1628]

9. Maybe because back then there really wasn't anything to base it on?

And maybe because the parents had trouble coming to terms with the application of such a defense. I suspect that the parents were more hoping for options to try to negotiate with the prosecutor.

At any rate, it seems there wasn't any mental health dx for her at the time she was charged and held over.

Options for defense have been very constrained as there is little doubt both girls participated in the attack. The defense approach had been an attempt to move the case to juvenile court where the court finding would still probably be guilty but punishments less severe. That has failed and the pursuit of an alternative defense has through the process of elimination become much more important.

Sometime along the way, her defense team found a clinician that gave them a diagnosis that provided something to work with. That dx will now be evaluated and challenged.

A long shot is sometimes the best defense because it is the only defense available; everyone is entitled to their best defense.