Delphi / Richard Allen Supreme Court Transcript: Oral Arguments held on January 18, 2024

The Richard Allen Supreme Court transcript below offers a detailed account of the hour-long oral arguments conducted on January 18th, 2024, at the Indiana Supreme Court. In October 2023, Special Judge Fran Gull removed counsel for Allen, who faces charges related to the 2017 deaths of teens Liberty German and Abigail Williams, commonly known as the ‘Delphi murders.’ Following a series of events that involved a former employee of attorney Andrew Baldwin accessing a conference room, covertly taking photographs of crime scene images, and sharing them online, Judge Gull accused Baldwin and co-counsel Bradley Rozzi of “gross negligence” and asserted that she could no longer permit them to represent Allen, despite the defendant’s objections.

Questioning the court’s authority to sever the attorney-client relationship, Allen urgently petitioned the Supreme Court for relief. His requests included the reinstatement of his attorneys, the appointment of a new judge, and the scheduling of a ‘speedy trial’ date within 70 days.

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State of Indiana ex rel. Richard M. Allen 

– v. –

Carroll Circuit Court 

 and

The Honorable Frances M. Gull, Special Judge

[ BEGIN RICHARD ALLEN / DELPHI SUPREME COURT TRANSCRIPT ]

SHERIFF JOE DOWDELL: All rise. The Supreme Court of Indiana is now back in session. [Gavel strike] Please be seated.  

CHIEF JUSTICE RUSH: Good morning and welcome. We’re here this morning to hear an argument in the case of State ex rel. Richard Allen, relator, v. Carroll Circuit Court and The Honorable Fran M. Gull, respondents. Counsel for Richard Allen, the relator, will argue first. 

We are hearing this case on a Writ for Mandamus in a prohibition case. Representing the relator today, we have Mark Leeman. Good morning and welcome, Mr. Leeman. You will be arguing the case. 

At …