CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. — Attorneys for Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen are asking the court to block jurors from hearing a recorded police interrogation, claiming that Allen’s civil rights were violated.
In a Motion to Suppress filed Monday in Carroll County Court, attorneys representing Allen argued that their client was never read his Miranda Rights before being questioned. They also claim that Indiana State Police officials lied to Allen during the interview.
Allen is accused of killing 13-year-old Abby Williams and 14-year-old Libby German near the Monon High Bridge in Delphi in February 2017. His high-profile murder trial is currently scheduled to begin on May 13.
As court hearing dates draw nearer, Allen’s team is now requesting to strike one of two recorded interviews from evidence. Their argument centers around what did and did not happen before, during and after a recorded interview with Allen conducted by ISP Trooper Jerry Holeman.
Court docs show that on Oct. 13, 2022, Allen and his wife drove from Delphi to ISP’s Lafayette Post to pick up a car that had been seized 13 days earlier by troopers. However, when they arrived, Allen says he was separated from his wife and taken inside for questioning.
Allen’s attorneys argue that during this interview, ISP Trooper Holeman violated multiple basic police procedures including reading Allen his Miranda Rights Warning, telling him he was free to go at any time and telling him that the interview was being recorded.
Furthermore, Allen’s attorneys allege that the beginning portion of the recorded interview has either never existed or has since gone missing.
“In this case, either (a) the camera was only turned on after they were already minutes into the interview,” court docs read. “Or (b) the camera was recording the entire time, but the beginning of the interview was later edited out before being turned over to defense.”
Both of Allen’s attorneys wrote in Monday’s filing that, in the 70+ years of experience they have, this is “highly unusual” police behavior. They also allege that Allen was held in the small, windowless interrogation room for over 2 hours without being allowed to leave.
Because of these alleged issues with the interview, the attorneys are now asking that jurors in the trial not be allowed to hear the recording.
If struck from evidence, some statements that would be lost include Allen denying his involvement in the murder, Holeman ensuring that police have expert testimony linking him to evidence and quotes from the trooper including “You’re guilty and I know it and I’m gonna f***ing prove it.”
To read Monday’s filing in whole, including statements that Allen’s attorneys allege are on the recorded interview, click here.