Delphi Double Murder: Defense Lawyers Withdraw, Accused Left Without Counsel

19

In an unforeseen twist, Richard Allen, the man held in custody for the grim 2017 double murder of two teenage girls in Delphi, Indiana, has been left without a defense team, as disclosed by presiding Judge Frances C. Gull during a Thursday hearing.

Allen stands accused of ruthlessly ending the lives of Liberty “Libby” German, 14, and Abigail “Abby” Williams, 13. Until the recent turn of events, he had been represented by the defense lawyers Brad Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin.


However, in a surprise revelation, the barristers withdrew their legal aid from Allen. Baldwin initiated the proceedings with an oral appeal to retract representation, which the judge promptly accepted. Rozzi is expected to follow suit with a written retraction request within the upcoming days.

Gull intends to pursue the services of public defenders to appoint fresh legal counsel for Allen, who was ultimately detained in October last year, following an extensive nationwide search spanned over five and a half years.

The lifeless bodies of the young girls were discovered in a local wooded area close to a trail in February 2017. The girls, who were missing since their hike on an off-school day on the 13th of February, were supposed to meet Libby’s father, a rendezvous they never made, as informed by law enforcement. The somber discovery was made the day after they were reported missing, according to official sources.

Judge Gull specified that a hearing scheduled for October 31 in Carroll County Circuit Court, remains unaffected by the recent developments. Future dates for the trial and a suppression hearing, earlier filed by Allen’s erstwhile legal team, will be marked in due course. Instructions have been issued to return all discoveries to the State of Indiana, till it can be handed over to the new counsel. In a positive outlook, it has been indicated by the attorneys that they intend to lend full cooperation to their successors.