The following documents pertain to Luke Wenke’s second appeal case, which was filed in May of 2025 with the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City. Wenke challenged the federal district court’s decision to involuntarily commit him to mental health treatment after being found competent but mentally ill. And based on his letters to the court during that time period, it seems as though he firmly believed the case would escalate all the way up to the Supreme Court.
In fact, Wenke seemed convinced that his case was going to lead to groundbreaking changes in the federal criminal justice system. But that never happened, because the appeal was rendered moot when Wenke reached his max-out date and was released from custody.
Under the probation violation charge that Wenke had pleaded guilty to, the court could detain him for up to two years, the majority of which he spent in county jails and federal detention centers while undergoing multiple court-ordered mental evaluations. By the time the court ordered Wenke to treatment, he was just months away from the aforementioned two-year limit.
Despite his impending release, Wenke continued to pursue his appeal even after both the district and appeals court judges denied his motion to stay his commitment. The appeal case remained open until Wenke’s release in October of last year, at which point the court closed it.
USA v. Luke Wenke | Case #25-1165
05/2025-10/2025
1. Notice of Appeal – 05/01/2025
2. Order of Commitment – 04/23/2025
6. Letter – 05/07/2025
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A letter from Luke Wenke to the U.S. Second Circuit Court of Appeals in New York City
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Sent from the Niagara County Jail in Lockport, NY
15. Opposition to Motion to Stay – 06/09/2025
17. Appellant Brief – 07/22/2025