In the event cameras are not allowed in the courtroom at the upcoming Delphi murders trial, using shorthand transcripts could act as a safety net.
Since January, I have been enrolled in a shorthand class, learning a pen-and-paper technique for recording the spoken word. This serves as a precaution in case cameras are not allowed in the courtroom for the Delphi trial.
My goal is to attend and transcribe the trial (and possibly pre-trial hearings of importance), publicly releasing the notes daily.
To accomplish this, I will need assistance, including volunteers I can send the notes to for prep/upload.
This is a placeholder page. In the coming days I will update this with detailed information.
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.
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.
BALIFF: All rise for the court is now in session. The Honorable Fran Gull presiding.
JUDGE FRAN GULL: Thank you, you may be seated.
(To staff member) [Are] we on?
Alright, we are on the record in State of Indiana versus Richard Allen 08C01-2210MR-01.
Thank you for your patience ladies and gentlemen. Thank you Mr. McLeland, Mr. Luttrell, for your patience.
Um, we’ve had an unexpected turn of events ladies and gentlemen.
Earlier this afternoon, the defense attorneys have withdrawn their representation of Mr. Allen.
Mr. Baldwin made an oral Motion to Withdraw.
I granted that oral Motion to Withdraw, and Mr. Rozzi will be submitting a written Motion to Withdraw, I’m assuming within the next couple of days. They have confirmed with the court that Mr. Allen’s financial situation remains static, meaning he is continuing to be entitled to appointed counsel. I will reach out to public defenders to make that appointment.
As Mr. Allen is now without counsel I’ve ordered him transported back to the Department of Correction.
Mr. McLeland, I know that we have already scheduled a hearing in the Carroll Circuit Court October 31st at 9am. I’d like to maintain that hearing if we can please?
NICK McLELAND: Yes, Your Honor.
JUDGE GULL: I think at that point, we can have counsel appointed. I’d like to set a new trial date. Obviously, I don’t believe counsel will be prepared within the next couple of months to try a case of this magnitude in January. So, we’ll set dates for the trial. I think we need to set a date as well for the suppression hearing that was filed, now by former counsel.
I have asked the attorneys to provide all of the discovery previously provided to [send] back to the State of Indiana. I know I …
Will Cameras be allowed in the courtroom at Richard Allen’s 10/19/23 hearing? Signs point to ‘Yes’ according to news crew member assigned to cover the event at Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana [Delphi Murders Case]
Cameras are expected to be present in the courtroom during Richard Allen’s status hearing on October 19th, according to an acquaintance who will be attending as part of a broadcasting team.
This individual, who requested that any non-essential identifying information be withheld, is a long-time employee of a digital television network. They received their assignment yesterday.
Judge Fran Gull, who is presiding over the hearing, has not yet issued an official order pertaining to broadcasting. While not written in stone, there appears to be a reasonable expectation that permission to film will be granted.
“It would be pool coverage.” (A ‘pool’is common arrangement where one designated media organization records the proceeding and shares it with other press outlets in the pool. This allows access to the hearing while minimizing disruptions that come with a convey of cameras in a courtroom.)
“I don’t think [Judge Gull] has officialized it yet, so there is always a chance we could hear ‘Sorry guys, she reconsidered and it’s off the table,’ but I’m pretty sure it’s going to be a green light.”
When surveyed on the measure for ‘Pretty sure’, they responded in good humor, “‘Pretty sure’ enough that [network] has paid for plane tickets. If they’re spending money, that’s always a good gauge!”
Over the next 48 hours, we will be monitoring electronic case documents and will update this page if an order allowing (or denying) broadcasting is filed.
If permission to film and televise the October 19th Delphi Murders / Richard Allen court date is granted, we intend to provide real-time updates and a …
After a Delphi case news drought, rumors of impending Richard Allen plea deal take flight
While the summer of 2023 marked one of the hottest seasons on record, July and August ushered in a subtle cooldown in public case filings and updates pertaining to the Delphi murders case. Following a whirlwind of activity surrounding a pivotal June 15th hearing, and the subsequent release of documents on July 28th in response to a Motion for Public Access to Court Records filed by Áine Cain and Kevin Greenlee of Murder Sheet LLC, the dog days of summer rolled along with little news.
As the calendars changed to September, online whispers gained momentum, hinting at imminent, groundbreaking news regarding the case: Richard Allen, the 50-year-old Delphi resident facing charges in the murders of Liberty German and Abigail Williams, was allegedly engaged in active negotiations for a plea deal.
The original origins of these rumors remain shrouded in mystery, yet they undeniably sparked a fervor of speculation and discussion. Do they hold any substance? At present, no involved party has come forward to affirm or refute these claims, though this is to be expected, as the imposed gag-order forbids public commentary from many closely involved in the proceedings.
We seldom venture into the realm of opinion-writing or sharing unattributable information. However, due to the concrete confidence we hold in the individuals we’ve spoken to, and the amount of questions that have come up surrounding possible plea talks, today we will deviate from our customary practices.
As of September 6th, 2023, Richard Allen is NOT engaged in any ongoing discussions or negotiations concerning a plea deal in the Delphi murders case, as per the accounts of three individuals intimately associated with the matter.
Cases of this nature exhibit ebbs and flows, rendering future …
Newly Unsealed Documents (in Text Format) Show ‘the Smoking Gun’ Used to tie Richard Allen to Delphi Murders
Judge Frances Gull opted to unseal the Richard Allen Probable Cause Affidavit, marking one of the first times documents related to the Delphi murders have been publicly released.
Witness names, as well as the name of a Delphi detective were kept redacted. Below, we have taken the scanned images of the case documents and transcribed into text format so it is easier to read.
A narrated audio file of the Delphi probable cause affidavit is below.
[ BEGIN RICHARD ALLEN PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT – TEXT FORMAT ]
STATE OF INDIANA
CARROLL CIRCUIT COURT
SS:
COUNTY OF CARROLL
DELPHI, INDIANA
CAUSE NO. 08C01-2210-MR-01
STATE OF INDIANA VS. RICHARD M. ALLEN
PROBABLE CAUSE AFFIDAVIT
I, the undersigned affiant, submit the following information pursuant to I.C. 35-33-7-2 as a sworn affidavit setting forth the facts and circumstances known to law enforcement of Carroll County as the basis for probable cause to arrest without a warrant or to establish probable cause for issuance of an arrest warrant for the above named defendant.
That the facts and circumstances described below would be sufficient basis for a person of reasonable caution and prudence to believe that the accused has committed or attempted to commit the offense(s) described and that if arrested without a warrant, such would be authorized under I.C.35-33-1-1.
That the hearsay statements of witnesses contained herein are considered reliable and credible due to the witness’s personal knowledge and/or are corroborated by the totality of the circumstances.
That on February 14th, 2017 Victim 1 and Victim 2 were found deceased in the woods approximately 0.2 miles northeast of the Monon High Bridge in Carroll County. Their bodies were located on the north side of the Deer …
“The Carroll County Prosecutor’s Office appreciates the Judge hearing our arguments yesterday morning and looks forward to her ruling.
As I started in court yesterday, we strongly believe the evidence shows Richard Allen was involved in the murder of Abby and Libby.
Because the investigation is ongoing and given the intense public interest in the case, we think it would be best if the documents remain sealed. Regardless of the ruling, we believe we have a very solid case against Mr. Allen and look forward to making our argument in trial.”
Attorney for Accused Delphi Killer: “Our client is the wrong guy.”
Lawyers for Richard Allen speak to the media following Delphi court hearing, touching on: Emotions of client & his wife, Kegan Kline, “flimsy” probable cause & shock at prosecutor’s claim more people may be involved (“that’s new news [not reflected in evidence]“).
Full Video & Transcript Below
What Happened at the Delphi Court Hearing?
On November 22, 2022 newly appointed attorneys for the accused Delphi killer, Richard Allen, appeared alongside their client for the first time at the Carroll County Courthouse.
Two issues were on the agenda*:
1. The State of the Probable Cause Affidavit: The PCA (a sworn document presented to the court via law enforcement outlining the investigation & providing supporting facts to justify an arrest and/or search) in this case was sealed by the prior judge at the prosecutor’s behest. This is highly unusual, as PCA’s become public record once the case is filed. Several media organizations joined together, requesting release of the documents.
Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland held firm on the position a doc-disclosure could jeopardize the case, even suggesting there may be other person(s) involved. He expressed additional concern over names of witnesses listed in PCA becoming public, stating some are juveniles and young adults entitled to privacy.
Bradley Rozzi (Allen’s attorney) pushed for a release on behalf of his client, insisting “transparency” was crucial & the secrecy surrounding the case was harmful. He agreed with McLeland that young witnesses should be protected, and simply redacting their names prior to publication would accomplish this. Keeping the documents sealed could also cause procedural hangups: at upcoming public hearings, it would be difficult for attorneys to properly advocate for their client if certain aspects of the case …
New Delphi Murders Press Conference Transcript 2022
Delphi murders press conference transcript details: On October 31, 2022 (Halloween) a press event was held at the United Methodist Church in Delphi, Indiana. An update was provided on the Delphi double homicides & the official announcement was made that Richard Allen was arrested & is being charged with two counts of murderfor the deaths of Liberty German and Abigail Williams.
Speakers: Sergeant Jeremy Piers [Public Information Officer; Indiana State Police] / Superindent Doug Carter [ISP Superintendent], Sherrif Tobe Leazenby [Carroll County Sherrif] & Nicholas McLeland [Carroll County Prosecutor]
[ BEGIN DELPHI PRESS CONFERENCE 2022 TRANSCRIPT – DATE: OCTOBER 31, 2022 ]
SGT. JEREMY PIERS: Good morning. My name is Sergeant Jeremy Piers, Public Information Officer for the Indiana State Police Lafayette Post. I’d like to thank you all for being here, and thank the Delphi United Methodist Church for allowing us to use their facility. This morning we’re going to provide an update on the investigation into the murders of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. Before we get started, I’m going to introduce you to our speakers, Superintendent of the Indiana State Police Doug Carter, the Carroll County Sheriff, Tobe Leazenby, and the Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland. I’d like to remind everyone that this continues to be an active and ongoing investigation. At the conclusion of this press conference, we are going to answer a limited amount of questions, out of respect to the investigation and the process that will follow today. We will not discuss evidence that is related to this investigation. On behalf of the Delphi Double Homicide Task Force, thank you all for your continued support. I would now like to introduce to you our first speaker, Superintendent of the Indiana State Police, Doug Carter.
Richard Allen of Delphi, Indiana was arrested in connection with the Delphi Murders on Friday October 28, 2022 at approximately midnight.
A press conference will be held on October 31 at 10:00 am EST with more details, but in the meantime, we have pulled background reports on Richard Allen in an attempt to find out more information.
-This page will be edited as information comes in-
Legal Disclaimer: We are using a third-party company to pull Richard Allen’s background check. Until we have confirmation from the police, there is always a chance a piece(s) of information in the background check may be inaccurate.
Transcript of Info-Graphs:
What We Know About Richard Allen – Delphi Murders Arrest
FAMILY
Born in 1972 in Indiana [50 years old]
Married wife Kathy (1991) in Miami County, IN
At least 1 daughter [28 years old, married]
HOME
Bought home on Whiteman Dr. in Delphi Indiana in 1996
No reported accidents. Single owner. Color unknown.
WEAPONS LICENSE
Issued Concealed Weapons permit (#–7341)
Expired June 26, 2009 & does not appear to have been renewed.
DRIVING RECORD
History of multiple speeding, traffic & seatbelt offenses.
Remembering Abby and Libby
If you’re interested in honoring the lives of Abigail Williams and Liberty German, the families have set up funds to provide scholarships to graduating seniors from Delphi Community High School who have financial need & demonstrate good character, citizenship & scholastic record.
