DELPHI, Ind. — It's been over seven years since the bodies of Abby Williams and Libby German were found near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi. Richard Allen, the man accused of killing the two teenagers, will stand trial for the 14th day Saturday.
The trial began Friday, Oct. 18.
Sixteen Allen County residents were selected to serve on the jury. Twelve of those people (eight women and four men) began the trial as jurors with four (two men and two women) serving as alternates.
From opening statements to verdict, 13News will be at the Carroll County courthouse every day of the trial to explain what happened inside the courtroom.
Follow along with the latest updates from Saturday below:
- RELATED: Former fire chief says he saw no clothes in creek the night Abby and Libby went missing | Day 13 of Delphi murders trial for suspect Richard Allen
- RELATED: Prosecution rests case after 40th witness; jury hears jailhouse confessions Richard Allen made to his wife | Day 12 of Delphi murders trial
- RELATED: 'I just want to sign my confession' | Prison psychologist describes Richard Allen's alleged confessions | Day 11 of Delphi murders trial
Day 14 summary:
Saturday, jurors in the Delphi murders trial got to see video taking them inside one of the toughest prisons in the state.
The 15 videos that were played were to help jurors understand the harsh conditions Richard Allen was subjected to at Westville Correctional Facility. The defense contends those conditions led him to a series of mental breakdowns that prompted him to make false confessions.
The videos were compiled by Max Baker, who was the defense's first witness Saturday morning. He was able to confirm for the jury that all the videos were taken by correction officers during a three-month time frame when Allen was confessing to killing Abby and Libby.
It's important to point out that only the jury got to see the video, not those sitting in the gallery, because some of the videos show Allen naked as he's being transported around the prison. A large video screen in the courtroom was angled and moved very close to jurors to prevent others from viewing the video. But a few journalists in the front row were still able to see some of them.
In one video, Allen was transported into a building as he was restrained in a chair with straps around his chest, waist and thighs. Two people stood over him as he appeared to receive some type of medical treatment. Then he was wheeled to a van, still restrained, and returned to his cell.
In another video, Allen appeared to be lying down and needed assistance from a corrections officer to get up. And in a third, Allen was being showered by officers who were scrubbing his head, back and shoulders while Allen's hands were cuffed behind his back.
The jury was told they'll likely see more videos next week that show Allen's strange behavior in his cell – again, an effort to counteract the confessions that the jury heard because the defense claims Allen was suffering from mental illness at the time he made all those incriminating statements.
Saturday's testimony really upset some people in the courtroom, including relatives of the victims. They were angry that the videos were not shown to everyone in the courtroom out of respect for Richard Allen and his dignity.
They say Abby and Libby did not get that respect, and pictures of their dead bodies, including Libby German lying naked in the woods, were shown to everyone during testimony just a few days ago.
8:46 a.m. - Richard Allen, who is wearing a blue shirt with white stripes, enters the courtroom. His wife, Kathy Allen, is not in attendance.
9 a.m. - The Carroll County courtroom is full again. There will not be any updates available until there is a break because the people in the courtroom cannot have cameras, cellphones or any other electronic devices.
9:16 a.m. - Judge Frances Gull enters the courtroom.
9:20 a.m. - Court starts late due to an in-chamber meeting. Gull met with Prosecutor Nick McLeland and Brad Rozzi to discuss presenting videos to the jury.
The defense shared camcorder video of Richard Allen in prison and a master sheet for the videos.
The video monitor was angled so only the jury can see it. Gull said there were "explicit scenes" in the videos that the jury was about to see.
"Obviously, the jury has to see this," Gull said.
Defense attorney Brad Rozzi said "out of respect for various parties," including Allen and "his dignity," they were only showing the videos to the jury and not the audience.
Defense's 11th witness, Max Baker, defense attorney intern
9:27 a.m. - The 11th witness for the defense is defense intern Max Baker.
Baker confirmed the videos are from April, May and June 2023. He said he made a new zip drive this morning for the jury with a total of 15 videos.
The jury saw "movement" videos of Allen being moved through Westville Correctional Facility.
The master list of 15 videos had dates, from April 5-15 on the first few videos, but the other videos had exact dates. The videos that contained nudity were each marked.
The jurors got a log of the videos. The audience couldn't see the videos being played, and there was no audio for any of them.
The jurors took notes while watching camcorder video showing prison guards moving Allen when he was out of his prison cell at Westville.
Some videos played for the jury:
- Video 1 - 2 minutes, 22 seconds long; from April 5 to April 13
- Video 2 - 2 minutes, 1 second long; from April 5 to April 13
- Video 3 - 5 minutes, 17 seconds long; from April 13 (Contained nudity)
- Video 4 - 3 minutes, 43 seconds long; from April 14. Jurors took lots of notes for this video.
- Video 5 - 2 minutes, 57 seconds long; from April 17
- Video 6 - 2 minutes, 46 seconds long; from April 17 (Contained nudity)
- Video 7 - 28 minutes, 28 seconds long; from April 17 (Contained nudity)
- Video 8 - 12 minutes, 8 seconds long; from April 18
- Video 9 - 11 minutes, 7 seconds long; from April 21
- Video 10 - 52 minutes, 25 seconds long; from April 28 (Contained nudity)
The courtroom was silent, except for brief interjections, for 30 minutes while they watch the jury watch all of these videos. Rozzi fast-forwarded through the longer videos.
Libby German's family was visibly upset. Some people in the courtroom questioned why Richard Allen's privacy was respected but the victims' privacy wasn't.
There was a 20-minute break.
Defense's 12th witness, ISP Supt. Doug Carter
11:12 a.m. - Jury returns.
Dozens of agencies investigated the Delphi murders, and every contiguous police agency to Carroll County was involved. The FBI was no longer used in investigating in August 2021.
"Did you ask them to do anything when they left the scene?" Rozzi asked Carter.
McLeland requested a sidebar with the judge.
It was Carter's decision to ask the FBI to return, and he asked the FBI to return all of their investigative materials.
11:53 a.m. - Baker made a thumb drive containing multiple in-cell videos, but he's not showing these videos now.
Done with Baker as a witness.
McLeland will now do a cross-examination after all the videos are played.
11:20 a.m. - The rest of the videos played for the jury:
- Video 11 - 1 minute, 4 seconds long; from May 26
- Video 12 - 55 seconds long; from May 20
- Video 13 - 4 minutes, 5 seconds long; from May 26
- Video 14 - 3 minutes, 58 seconds long; from May 30
- Video 15 - 34 minutes, 43 seconds long; from June 20
11:55 a.m. - Done for the day. Jury is dismissed. Gull had a sidebar with the attorneys.