The Luke Wenke Files

In late April of 2025, the federal judge overseeing Luke Wenke’s case ordered Wenke to undergo involuntary inpatient mental health treatment. The decision came on the heels of multiple mental evaluations that were carried out over an extended time period, which resulted in Wenke being deemed competent but likely mentally ill and in need of care at a “suitable facility.”

Wenke immediately appealed the ruling, arguing that forced treatment was unnecessary, and filed a motion to stay his commitment. If granted, this would have enabled Wenke to remain housed in a county jail pending the outcome of his appeal, rather than being transferred to a federal medical prison to begin his treatment.

The U.S. Government, aka the prosecution, responded to Wenke’s motion to stay with the following document, which urged the court to deny the motion. In their argument, U.S. Attorneys Michael DiGiacomo and Franz Wright highlighted the findings of forensic psychologist Dr. Corey Leidenfrost, who concluded that Luke Wenke was delusional and at a high risk for violence.

The prosecution refuted the findings of U.S. Bureau of Prisons experts Dr. Robin Watkins and Dr. Kaitlyn Nelson, who performed a competency evaluation on Luke Wenke but did not perform the evaluation that’s typically used to determine whether a defendant is suffering from a mental disease or defect requiring inpatient treatment. In conclusion, the Government emphasized that time was of the essence when it came to getting Wenke much-needed help, because the maximum term for the probation violation charge that he had pleaded guilty to was set to expire in just a few months.

The judge ultimately ruled in favor of the prosecution and denied Luke Wenke’s motion to stay.

USA v. Luke Wenke – Response to Motion
May 15^th, 2025

CASE #1:22-cr-00035, DOC. #204