INDIANAPOLIS — Attorneys for Richard Allen have filed a 113-page appeal challenging his conviction and 130-year prison sentence for the 2017 killings of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German.
The appeal, filed Thursday with the Indiana Court of Appeals, raises multiple issues stemming from Allen's 25-day trial that concluded with his conviction on November 11, 2024, and sentencing on December 20.
Allen's attorneys, Mark K. Leeman and Stacy R. Uliana, are challenging three primary areas of the trial court's decisions that they argue violated his constitutional rights and warrant a new trial.
Unconstitutional Search Warrant
The defense argues the search warrant for Allen's Delphi home was obtained through false statements and deliberate omissions by Detective Tony Liggett. According to the brief, Liggett misrepresented witness descriptions to connect Allen to "Bridge Guy" — the unidentified suspect captured on Libby German's phone video.
The appeal claims Liggett omitted that witness Betsy Blair described the man on the bridge as a white male in his 20s with brown, curly hair — which was different from Allen's appearance as a then 44-year-old with short hair.
The defense also alleges Liggett falsely stated that Allen admitted wearing a blue Carhartt jacket like Bridge Guy, when Allen said he didn't remember what he wore that day.
Solitary Confinement and Coerced Confessions
Central to the appeal is Allen's treatment during 13 months of pretrial solitary confinement at Westville Correctional Unit. The defense argues this detention caused psychosis and 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.
Denied Right to Present Defense
The appeal also challenges numerous evidentiary rulings that Allen's attorneys say prevented him from presenting a complete defense. Key excluded evidence includes:
- Blair's original sketch of Bridge Guy, which the defense says clearly doesn't resemble Allen
- Expert testimony challenging the reliability of firearms evidence linking Allen's gun to a bullet found at the scene
- Evidence pointing to alternative suspects, including Brad Holder and Patrick Westfall, who were reportedly involved in Norse pagan rituals
- Audio from prison videos showing Allen's deteriorated mental state during the time he was confessing
The defense wanted to present evidence that the murder scene contained elements consistent with Norse pagan ritual killing, including stick formations, blood patterns, body positioning of the victims, and the location's significance to Odinism practices. Trial Judge Francis Gull excluded this evidence.
Current Status
Allen maintains his innocence and his attorneys had previously indicated their intent to appeal immediately following his conviction.
Allen's legal team had requested additional time and permission to file an oversized brief due to the complexity of the case and volume of excluded evidence they plan to challenge.
The appeal now moves to the Indiana Court of Appeals.
