‘Unfair and unconstitutional’: Richard Allen’s attorneys argue for new trial

INDIANAPOLIS — A man sentenced to 130 years in prison for killing two girls in Delphi wants his conviction overturned.

Attorneys for Richard Allen made their case before the Indiana Court of Appeals Monday morning, arguing Allen’s conviction should be overturned and he should receive a new trial.

• February 13, 2017- Abby Williams and Libby German dropped off at the Monon high bridge.
• February 14, 2017- The bodies of both girls were found.
• October 2022- Richard Allen was arrested for their murders.
• June 2023- Prosecutors announced Allen confessed multiple times while incarcerated.
• November 2024- Jury convicted Allen of murder.
• December 2024- Allen sentenced to 130 years in prison.
• December 2025- Allen’s attorney appeal conviction.
• September 21, 2026- Oral arguments in the Court of Appeals.

“From beginning to end, the proceedings against Rick Allen were unprecedented, unfair and unconstitutional,” Richard Allen’s attorney Mark Leeman said during his oral arguments.

Allen’s attorneys said Allen’s confessions to the murders were inadmissible because he was in solitary confinement at a state prison at the time.

“For the first time in modern history the state took a pretrial detainee directly to a cell known as the hole, kept him there until he descended into psychosis and became gravely disabled,” Leeman said during oral arguments.

The defense argues this detention made any subsequent confessions involuntary.

According to the brief, Allen deteriorated from 180 pounds to 135 pounds and was eventually deemed “gravely disabled” by prison psychiatrists.

The defense argues his confessions to family members, guards, and prison psychologist Dr. Monica Wala occurred while he was in a psychotic state, eating feces, and exhibiting bizarre behavior.

Dr. Stuart Grassian, a psychiatrist who examined Allen, testified that solitary confinement caused delirium and false memory formation, but the trial court excluded much of his testimony.

Allen’s attorneys also argue the search of Allen’ home was unconstitutional.

They say a detective misrepresented witness descriptions to connect Allen to “Bridge Guy” — the unidentified suspect captured on Libby German’s phone video.

“The state told the judge a false story to get the warrant for Allen’s house,” Leeman said during oral arguments.

The Indiana Attorney General’s Office, which represents the state in the appeals case, says the state got it right, and Richard Allen is the girls’ killer.

“It was Richard Allen himself who identified himself as Bridge Guy in his statements to police,” Ellen Meilaender, an attorney with the Indiana Attorney General’s Office said. “He was confessing before, and he was confessing after they said he was psychotic.”

The hearing lasted for an hour and 15 minutes.

The three Court of Appeals judges asked both sides tough questions.

• Judge Nancy Vaidik: They said before Richard Allen even came along, it was probably not a ritual killing.
• Mark Leeman (Attorney for Richard Allen): That was a terrible conclusion law enforcement made—
• Judge Vaidik: You’re asking us really to re-weigh the evidence, aren’t you?

• Judge Elaine Brown: The question before us is did this person get a fair trial?
• Mark Leeman: We want to know you got the right guy. We can’t live in a world where the real killer goes free. 

The crowd inside the courtroom included the girls’ families, as well as Richard Allen supporters.

Afterward, Indiana’s I-Team spoke with both sides.

“We stand with Abby and Libby’s families, and will keep fighting for the accountability and closure the crime demands,” Abe Hurt said, a spokesperson for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office

“The judges are very competent, and we’ll let them come to their own conclusion, and then we’ll accept that conclusion, whatever that might be,” Doug Carter said, a former Indiana State Police Superintendent.

The court does not have a deadline to reach a decision.  The average is around two months, but Allen’s attorneys say it could be a week or a year.

“We have a really horrific crime, but what they did to Rick Allen was also really horrific, and I am confident that our judges and our justice system are going to get to the bottom of it, and we’re going to get a new trial,” Stacy R. Uliana said, an attorney for Richard Allen.

Previous reporting: https://www.wishtv.com/crime-watch-8/delphi-murders/

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