DELPHI, Ind. — Following a hearing to decide whether the probable cause affidavit in the Delphi murder case will remain sealed or be released, attorneys for a man charged in connection with the killings, Richard Allen, said they weren’t impressed with the case police have put together.
Allen’s attorneys said they’ve read the sealed affidavit and they hope the public will soon be able to read it for themselves.
“Once it’s opened up, the probable cause affidavit will have more questions than answers,” said defense attorney Andrew Baldwin.
Baldwin said Allen is an “innocent man” and, based on what they’ve read, he said they don’t see much reason to worry. Baldwin acknowledged it is not customary for defense attorneys to advocate for the unsealing of documents in their client’s case.
“That’s how confident we are in our client,” Baldwin said. “That’s how confident we are at the evidence contained, at least what’s written in the probable cause affidavit, is nothing for us to worry about.”
Richard Allen with defense attorney Andrew Baldwin (Sketch by Ken Avidor)
The attorneys couldn’t speak about what exactly was in the affidavit. However, they said one thing that wasn’t in that document was any evidence to suggest that a second person was involved.
That’s despite what Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said during Tuesday’s court hearing when he told Judge Fran Gull he has “good reason to believe Allen is not the only one involved” in the killings of Abby Williams and Libby German.
“If you read the probable cause affidavit, it does not mention anything about any other person,” Baldwin explained. “That was news to us.”
Allen’s attorneys said their client was more confused than anything about what has happened in recent weeks.
“I don’t know how anybody, any human, could possibly deal with the kind of tornado that is the judicial system,” attorney Brad Rozzi said. “And then you add all of [the media attention] into it.”
Allen’s wife and mother were in court and as he was escorted out of the courtroom he mouthed “I love you” to them. Both of them broke down crying.
“They love each other, and she fully supports him, but it is devastating. She’s scared,” Baldwin said. “She thankfully is in a little bit better place than she was a month ago but this is all new to them.”
The defense team said they have received numerous calls from people who do not believe Allen is the right guy. The team hopes releasing the affidavit could help jog people’s memories.
“When they read that then they can contact us as his lawyers,” Baldwin said. “We are getting lots of information from lots of people across the country, especially locally.”
Baldwin and Rozzi have filed a motion for the judge to allow Allen to be released on bail. That issue will be taken up during a hearing on Feb. 17, 2023.