Richard Allen Mug shot over background

Attorneys for a northern Indiana man charged with killing two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana, in 2017 have filed a motion to authorize the public broadcasting of future proceedings in the courtroom.

According to a report by Tyrone Frazier III of FOX 59, the Wednesday filing said Richard Allen understood Rule 2.17 of the Indiana Code of Judicial Conduct, which, in general, would "prohibit broadcasting, televising, recording or photographs in the courtroom."

But the defense team cited a recent amendment to the rule allowing a judge to exercise his or her discretion to authorize the broadcasting of legal proceedings in his or her courtroom.

That rule took effect in May and would allow broadcasting, provided that the means of the recordings wouldn't distract participants or impair the dignity of the proceedings.

Citing national public attention surrounding the Delphi murders, Allen and his team argued that the case would be scrutinized in a manner "unusual and rare in Indiana courts." They also pointed out that Special Judge Frances Gull had taken part in a 2022 pilot program about public trust in the judicial system.

The attorneys cited some of the feedback from that program:

"The judicial branch is the least understood branch of government," said Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush. "And here you've got millions of Hoosiers counting on it for justice every year in Indiana ... so why not pull the curtains out and say, 'Okay, this is what we are doing, and this is why we are doing it ... the sky is not going to fall, since there are safeguards in place.'"

The filing concludes by listing a number of ways both the public and the judicial system will benefit from cameras in the courtroom, according to Allen's attorneys. They include:

  • The publicity will provide an opportunity for constructive feedback at the conclusion of the case.
  • The judge in the case participated in a pilot program using cameras in the courtroom and provided positive feedback.
  • Carroll County Circuit Court has an unusually large courtroom which could accommodate camera crews.
  • Law enforcement routinely asked the public for help during the investigation, and allowing the public to view the proceedings will help build public trust.
  • The passage of time has allowed most, if not all, of the child witnesses in the case to reach the age of adulthood. 
  • Family members of the victims in the case are accustomed to being in the public eye, and have been active on social media.
  • Many of the witnesses are expected to be members of law enforcement, who are also accustomed to the public eye.
  • The order of confidentiality in the courtroom has been lifted.

Allen is charged with two counts of murder in the case of the Feb. 2017 murders of Libby German and Abby Williams. He was formally charged in the case after his Oct. 2022 arrest. 

A jury trial is currently scheduled for Jan. 8, 2024 at 9 a.m.

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