Court hearing held to discuss releasing records in Delphi murders case

DELPHI, Ind. (WNDU) - The man arrested for the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams was in court Tuesday morning for a hearing about whether to keep records sealed surrounding his arrest.

The court executive for the specially appointed judge told 16 News Now that it’s highly unlikely Judge Frances Gull will decide today whether or not to unseal the documents in question. But he does expect her to have an answer soon.

The suspect, Richard Allen, was seen on his way in and out of the courthouse, where both the prosecution and defense made their respective arguments about keeping the documents sealed or unsealed.

The state says keeping the documents sealed is important to preserve the integrity of the ongoing investigation and secondly due to the media coverage of the nearly 6-year-old case, it’s vital to protect witnesses, some of whom are in college or are still minors.

Richard Allen’s defense attorneys want the probable cause information out in the open so that the public can decide the truth for themselves.

“It may be weird for defense lawyers, I suppose, to be arguing that we want things unsealable,” said Andrew J. Baldwin. “But that’s how confident we are in our client, that’s how confident that the evidence written in the probable cause affidavit is nothing for us to worry about, we don’t know what other evidence is out there but we are confident that it is not going to be enough to show our client did anything.”

Judge Gull also scheduled Allen’s bond and omnibus hearings for this upcoming Feb. 17 at the Carroll County Circuit Court. The judge says she wants Allen present.

Right now, he remains in custody.

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