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Delphi Murders: Police Bias Claimed in Appeal
21 Sep
Summary
- Defense claims police ignored exculpatory evidence and used confessions from psychosis.
- Appeals judges questioned exclusion of pagan ritual and witness sketch evidence.
- Allen's conviction for the 2024 murders of two teen girls is under review.
An appeal is underway for Richard Allen, who is serving 130 years for the 2024 murder convictions in the deaths of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. His attorney contends that investigators were biased, relying on confessions obtained while Allen experienced psychosis and failing to present a witness sketch that differed from him. The Indiana Court of Appeals heard arguments regarding the trial judge's decisions.
Judges questioned why the defense couldn't present an expert on pagan rituals or the non-matching police sketch. They also probed the exclusion of defense experts on bullet markings and the full audio of Allen's prison behavior, where he claimed to be a king. The state argued Allen's own statements, denying seeing the girls despite being on the trail, showed consciousness of guilt.
The bodies of the teens were found in February 2017 near Delphi, Indiana. Prosecutors stated Allen confessed to planning to rape and kill them, with an expert linking an unfired bullet to his handgun. Defense lawyers countered that no direct evidence linked Allen to the scene, and his confessions arose from the mental stress of solitary confinement, leading him to believe he committed the crimes.
Allen's defense also sought to introduce testimony suggesting a pagan ritualistic killing, citing body positioning and wounds. Prosecutors objected, arguing this theory lacked sufficient evidence and would distract from the core case. The appeals court will issue a ruling at a later date.
