Indiana prosecutors have rejected the theory that two girls killed in Delphi were targeted by a pagan cult, calling the claim unsubstantiated, while pushing for cameras to be banned during upcoming court proceedings.
In a 6-page motion, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland told Special Judge Fran C. Gull that the prosecution has “serious concerns” about the defense team’s “grandstanding” that could potentially undermining due process, Law&Crime reports.
“Defense counsel continues to use inflammatory language in pleadings, including statements that are simply not true,” the motion read.
“There is no reason to think they will not continue to use supercilious language in court, designed as soundbites for recording on the national stage, for example the language used by Defense describing ‘the conditions under which Mr. Allen has been forced to endure are akin to that of a prisoner of war.”
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Richard Allen, 50, who stands accused of killing Liberty German and Abigail Williams while they were hiking at the Monon High Bridge in Delphi in 2017, is asking the judge to allow media in court proceedings so that rumors can be addressed with facts.
“The facts and circumstances surrounding this case have attracted the attention of the public on a national level and even the attention of others around the globe,” a defense motion states.
“As a result of this attention, the system of jurisprudence in the State of Indiana will be scrutinized in a manner that is unusual and rare in Indiana courts.”
The defense also asking the court to throw out evidence from the search of Allen’s home, arguing the warrant omitted key information about a possible Odinism connection.
Court documents obtained by The Docket indicated that a memorandum the defense submitted to the court alleges that the 2022 search of Allen’s home was unlawful, since investigators did not disclose that “members of a pagan Norse religion, called Odinism, hijacked by white nationalists, ritualistically sacrificed Abigail Williams and Liberty German.”
The defense motion requested a Franks hearing to evaluate if officials intentionally made false statements in order to get a search warrant for Allen’s home, which ultimately led to his arrest.
The hearing aims to have the warrant and related evidence collected ruled inadmissible in court.
Prosecutors, however, are calling the Odisinism claim a “fanciful defense for social media to devour.”
“The Defense has filed its 136-page Memorandum in Support of the Franks hearing in which only 13 pages refers to any allegations relevant to the question of a Franks inquiry,” prosecutors wrote. “The remaining 90% of the Memorandum outlines its fanciful defense for social media to devour.”
Further, prosecutors added allowing the defense to “grandstand on camera about the imagined bad motives of the State actors” will do “nothing to increase public confidence in the system.”
“The state believes that having cameras in the courtroom will give participants in the courtroom a nationwide platform to further their own agenda to build their brand, promote whatever platform they want and generally showboat, instead of focus on presenting the evidence in a professional concise manner.”
The Delphi Double Homicide Task Force took Allen into custody on October 28, 2022, at his home in Delphi, for the murders of Abigail, 13, and Libby, 14.
The victims were found murdered near the Monon High Bridge on February 14, 2017, after taking an outing to the bridge the day prior. The outing was only meant for a few hours, and when the girls failed to return, family members contacted police.
Following his arrest, investigators searched Allen’s residence and found:
- A .40 caliber pistol
- Boots
- Knives
- Additional firearms
The Indiana State Police Laboratory examined a bullet found at the crime scene and ultimately determined that it came from a gun registered to Allen, and “forensically determined” that the bullet cycled through his gun.
Allen claimed he never let anyone else use his gun, but he had no explanation when told a bullet from his firearm was found at the crime scene.
Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Abby and Libby/Handout]
