A 22-year-old Wisconsin woman has been sentenced to seven years and six months in prison after stabbing her ex-boyfriend 19 times as he slept.
According to court documents, the incident occurred on February 18th, 2023, while the victim was asleep on the couch. Morgan Taylor Lund, the victim’s girlfriend, attacked him with a pair of scissors, inflicting multiple wounds. The boyfriend, who survived the assault, described a history of abuse during their relationship. Initially, Lund pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity, stating that she thought she was attacking a dark figure she saw in a dream.
The victim said that while Lund had been abusive, there was no altercation between them on the night of the attack. He also noted that Lund had not directly threatened his life previously. The couple had a tumultuous relationship marked by constant fighting, and had a child together.
The incident took a complicated turn when Lund attributed the incident to somnambulism, which is sleepwalking. This led to her conviction.
Lund’s claim of a dream-like state during the attack was supported by her past experiences with hallucinations. Court records indicate that she had been dealing with these for months prior to the incident.
Despite the initial plea, she ultimately pleaded no contest to charges of aggravated battery and recklessly endangering safety in August.
Her jail sentence aims to balance the need for punishment with recognition of the complexities surrounding the defendant’s mental health.
