DELPHI — Attorneys for the man accused of killing two Delphi teens are asking a judge to allow cameras in court for all future proceedings — including his murder trial.
"The public's thirst for information in this case offers up an opportunity for transparency and the education of the public," Richard M. Allen's attorneys wrote in a motion filed Wednesday.
Allen is charged with two counts of murder in the deaths of Abby Williams, 13, and Libby German, 14. The girls' bodies were found on Valentine's Day 2017 off a trail near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi.
In the motion, Allen's lawyers Bradley Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin argue that allowing cameras will ensure fairness, reduce the risk of unpredictable witness behavior and boost the public's trust in the judicial system.
"The justice system and the general public will benefit from a public broadcast of the pre-trial proceedings at any trial that may occur in this cause." the lawyers wrote
On May 1, the Indiana Supreme Court lifted a long-standing ban on cameras in court. Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush has been a strong proponent of allowing cameras in Indiana courtrooms.
"We have 2.8 million cases pending in Indiana courts right now and those cases involve every facet of Hoosier life," Rush told WRTV in a story published in April. "For people to trust the courts, I think they need to know what's going on in the courtrooms."
Allen's murder trial is set to begin in January and promises to be the highest profile trial Indiana has seen in at least a decade.
If Special Judge Frances Gull agrees with Allen and allows cameras, his could be one of the first trials in Indiana to be viewed by millions worldwide under the new rule.
Allen's lawyers on Wednesday also amended a request they made in May asking the judge to suppress clothing, firearms and other evidence seized during a court-ordered search of his home in Delphi.
They argue that law enforcement failed to advise the judge of key facts and made false and misleading statements when they obtained a warrant to search Allen's home.
Among the items seized was a blue jacket that prosecutors say matched one worn by the killer in images captured on the phone of one of the victims.
Contact WRTV reporter Vic Ryckaert at victor.ryckaert@wrtv.com or on Twitter: @vicryc.
