Abby & Libby - The Delphi Murders - Richard Allen Arrested - #198

[Warwick7]

They are not 'choosing' whose witness list they end up on. The grandfather's name appears to be on the defense list---but they may have subpoenaed him to testify, without him wanting to.He will be treated as a 'hostile' witness most likely.

The defense is taking a big risk calling a victim family member to the stand. I hope it backfires on them.

I wonder if he is a hostile witness?

 

[SouthEnd]

Part 2:

The Delphi Murders: Richard Allen on Trial: Jury Selection: Day One​

We are at the Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the first day of jury selection in the Richard Allen trial. Support The Murder Sheet by buying...
murdersheetpodcast.com

- The reason we got so many jurors selected in day one, was that JG was determined to go through two groups of 52 potential jurors in the first day. She decided to carry on throughout lunch break, there was only one 10 min break at 11am
- P & D had to produce a list of all the witnesses they intended to call to every group of potential jurors (because if a potential juror knew a potential witness, they would be struck)
- * The witness list (120 names) is NOT everyone the D is planning to call. It is a huge list of every person they COULD potentially call, but most likely they will only ever call a tiny subset of those names during the trial. That's because they will only be allowed to call ppl whose names are on the list, and by having this extensive list, they are covering all possibilities/not showing their hand * (I hope this makes sense)
- Slight issue with the D having 3 LE detectives on their witness list. Because of the rules of separation, it would mean that if they are on the list, they would need to be absent from the courtroom during each other's testimony, which would make things difficult for the prosecution since they are their assets with data organisation etc. The P is allowed to strike one from the witness list, but NML asked for two, and JG took it under advisement.

- Opening mini-statements as reported from other sources.
-- NML communicated the basics of the state's case (In their opinion, his oratory skills have improved)
-- D (Baldwin) opened with the shot in the back and the infighting within the LE (In their opinion, it was attention grabbing but there is the conflict between Harshman's testimony and the claim of the shooting)

Jury selection:
- The psychic declaration was literally the first thing that came out of the very first group, just as JG asked if anyone has any reasons not to serve, before even the D or the P could ask any questions
- Psychic person was adamant he wanted to be involved with the investigation, just not as member of the jury
- NML's priority during voire dire was trying to figure out how comfortable the potential jurors were with the concept of BARD
- He used the example of 'Do you think I am an attorney? If yes, then why? I don't have my bar number on me, you are just using your common sense' (I am paraphrasing) The potential jurors that could make that leap were potentially more comfortable with arriving to BARD

 

[steeltowngirl]

Yeah what's with the, doesn't he look innocent question? P objected, but the words were out and heard. That's exactly the type of behavior I expect to see by the D's attorneys throughout the trial. MO

I am glad to hear the P objected to the RA looking innocent thing. I was told in a previous thread that even if RA had a history of violence, it would not be relevant. Well, if that’s the case, then so what if he looks innocent, or never had more than a speeding ticket in his life. He just fast-tracked straight to murder.

jmo

 

[Warwick7]

In the defense’s opening statements, the team refuted the confessions, saying Allen only made them under extreme distress — while he was deteriorating in solitary confinement.

Ok...um...notice how nothing was said about the extraction marks on the unspent bullet? The marks that match his personal firearm??!

 

[SouthEnd]

Part 3:

The Delphi Murders: Richard Allen on Trial: Jury Selection: Day One​

- NML telegraphed they don't have DNA in this trial; most of his questions/bits were the same throughout the day
- MS were not impressed by BR's performance for the defence during jury selection (aggressive/condescending), even though they complimented the other two members of the DT
- BR was stressing out the expected behaviour of a guilty person (leaving the area, selling their belongings etc) and how any deviation of this, means not-guilty, potentially
- BR challenged the potential jurors to think of why an innocent person would confess to something they didn't do
- BR asked a potential juror if they had a mental disability, point blank
- AB was personable and funny; he opened the second round for the DT with the 'putting his hand on RA and asking the audience if he could be innocent' move, and NML objected twice - The MS didn't dislike that move
- JO for the DT opened the third round, clear and calm/reasonable. Suggested people should be 'independent thinkers' and use their life experiences to sometimes doubt expert opinions.
- BR was trying to dispute NML's example of 'do you think that I am an attorney' which cause some minor back and forth in the court
- The MS implied there could be a competency problem with Allan County while Carroll County, in their opinion, is competent and excellent at interpersonal communication
- The competency issue was the court's idea to only have 4 potential jurors in the last group instead of 12, which meant they didn't end up selecting all the jurors in one day - if it was the full 12, they could have, same with the fact that they had kept 52 other potential jurors waiting, while it was obvious they couldn't get to them.
- Only 5 press passes were issued, and three of them had to leave early, meaning the actual coverage was only 2 media outfits!

That's all for today, I hope this was useful

 

[SouthEnd]

In the defense’s opening statements, the team refuted the confessions, saying Allen only made them under extreme distress — while he was deteriorating in solitary confinement.

Ok...um...notice how nothing was said about the extraction marks on the unspent bullet? The marks that match his personal firearm??!

The D discussed briefly soft evidence vs hard evidence, and classed ballistics as soft evidence, unlike Libby's phone that was hard evidence.

The Delphi Murders: Richard Allen on Trial: Jury Selection: Day One​

 

[Arkay]

It’s great to see this case at last classified under “Trials”!

Have to catch a flight in the morning, so good night all.

Justice for Abby and Libby!

 

[rebelchild]

What’s the significance of the color green?

Sorry if this has already been said .. but I just listened to the MS Podcast and they were talking about the inside of the courtroom and it was dark green walls. I'm thinking that maybe the guy was referring to the fact he may not like being in a courtroom?

 

[photographer4]

You are absolutely right.
In October 2022, RA put himself on the first platform of the bridge just minutes before the girls would have arrived, dressed like the man in Libby’s video.
He is still on that bridge. Nothing his defense has said or manufactured has been able to take him off that bridge.
Where his phone was doesn’t matter, because we know where RA was…by his own word.

We know he was on the bridge bc he said so. Long before he was ever a suspect. Being on the bridge doesn’t automatically make RA BG or the killer. Makes him a man who was on the bridge. I’m interested to learn how the state is sure it was RA who marched the kids to their deaths - I want to see their proof. Whatever they have. And even if they do prove it BaRD, it will still never make sense to me why anyone attacked two little kids out for a walk!

 

[photographer4]

And to add to @Spartygirl ‘s excellent question, what other reason was there to leave Libby nude and to re-dress Abby?

Humiliation was already in place just by killing them and leaving them like trash in the forest.

Why strip the clothes? Why did he want to see them undressed?

JMO

Moo but maybe if it wasn’t sexually motivated in the usual sense (eg physical SA), then the intent may have been to shock whomever found them. Possibly as well or as an alternative to make it appear the crime was sexually motivated and thus point toward someone else (eg: known sex offenders would surely be looked at right away vs your basic cvs employee). Mooooo. Speculation. Not based on known facts. Mooo.

 

[katydid23]

We know he was on the bridge bc he said so. Long before he was ever a suspect. Being on the bridge doesn’t automatically make RA BG or the killer. Makes him a man who was on the bridge. I’m interested to learn how the state is sure it was RA who marched the kids to their deaths - I want to see their proof. Whatever they have. And even if they do prove it BaRD, it will still never make sense to me why anyone attacked two little kids out for a walk!

"And even if they do prove it BaRD, it will still never make sense to me why anyone attacked two little kids out for a walk!"

Of course it will never make sense to you, or me, or anyone halfway normal. But it made sense to someone because 2 beautiful girls were found stabbed to death.

Apparently, RA did give an explanation or a possible motive in one of his confessions. I can't wait to hear it.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

Just because the state says it was a sexually motivated, whether or not it took place, does not make it so. Can’t wait to see how they prove that.

I'm sure it would help, as everybody loves to hear a "motive", but it isn't something that must be proved and prosecutors frequently explain that they don't have to show or prove a motive. The jury will be very aware that there was undressing involved, which of course doesn't have to happen in SMM, but we know the jury will react to that evidence/those photos and think it was sexual. I don't think anything the defense says will change that. And if RA didn't do it, why would they care what the motive was?

The FBI has researched and classified thousands of murders and they worked on this case. Someone might testify to the list of reasons they called it SMM. I think it will be convincing for those that doubt that RA had been planning and waiting to sexually assault/murder a female he might find near that end of the bridge, an isolated place where others on the trails couldn't have seen the abduction.MOO

 

[Betty P]

Part 2:

The Delphi Murders: Richard Allen on Trial: Jury Selection: Day One​

We are at the Allen County Courthouse in Fort Wayne, Indiana for the first day of jury selection in the Richard Allen trial. Support The Murder Sheet by buying...
murdersheetpodcast.com

- The reason we got so many jurors selected in day one, was that JG was determined to go through two groups of 52 potential jurors in the first day. She decided to carry on throughout lunch break, there was only one 10 min break at 11am
- P & D had to produce a list of all the witnesses they intended to call to every group of potential jurors (because if a potential juror knew a potential witness, they would be struck)
- * The witness list (120 names) is NOT everyone the D is planning to call. It is a huge list of every person they COULD potentially call, but most likely they will only ever call a tiny subset of those names during the trial. That's because they will only be allowed to call ppl whose names are on the list, and by having this extensive list, they are covering all possibilities/not showing their hand * (I hope this makes sense)
- Slight issue with the D having 3 LE detectives on their witness list. Because of the rules of separation, it would mean that if they are on the list, they would need to be absent from the courtroom during each other's testimony, which would make things difficult for the prosecution since they are their assets with data organisation etc. The P is allowed to strike one from the witness list, but NML asked for two, and JG took it under advisement.

- Opening mini-statements as reported from other sources.
-- NML communicated the basics of the state's case (In their opinion, his oratory skills have improved)
-- D (Baldwin) opened with the shot in the back and the infighting within the LE (In their opinion, it was attention grabbing but there is the conflict between Harshman's testimony and the claim of the shooting)

Jury selection:
- The psychic declaration was literally the first thing that came out of the very first group, just as JG asked if anyone has any reasons not to serve, before even the D or the P could ask any questions
- Psychic person was adamant he wanted to be involved with the investigation, just not as member of the jury
- NML's priority during voire dire was trying to figure out how comfortable the potential jurors were with the concept of BARD
- He used the example of 'Do you think I am an attorney? If yes, then why? I don't have my bar number on me, you are just using your common sense' (I am paraphrasing) The potential jurors that could make that leap were potentially more comfortable with arriving to BARD

Thanks.
So it appears the defense is using their list of 120 potential witnesses to attempt to manipulate the trial process and hamper the prosecution’s ability to present evidence to the jury.

 

[girlhasnoname]

I am not sure if we are allowed to share the family's SM public messages, but if you are following BP, she posted the most heartwrenching, gorgeous words regarding her feelings and concerns and hopes, regarding the start of the trial.

I don't know how anyone will make it through a single day with their eyes dry.

I wish the families strength, and that they feel the glow of the so so so much love and support from their communities and all of us, the countless strangers online who wish for their torment to soften.

Justice for Abby and Libby; we keep saying these words, and yet they never lose their meaning for me.

jmo

Absolutely, no pleasure in being right or not, this is not a game. Only the need for Justice for Abby&Libby, their families, LE and the community of Delphi.

#Justice4Abby&Libby

 

[girlhasnoname]

My mouth dropped open at that. 120 defense witnesses??

For comparison: the famous Alex Murdaugh with his nearly 6 week long trial had 14 defense witnesses over about 2 weeks and 61 state witnesses (plus 4 or 5 rebuttal witnesses) over about 3 weeks. So they are about even on state witnesses with 50....but defense witnesses??!!!
(https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/27/us/alex-murdaugh-murder-trial-monday/index.html)

Reeks of desperation by the Defense...again. JMO

 

[girlhasnoname]

I know, it was just a figure of speech. I can't figure out where the defense accumulated so many witnesses. Is it possible they're blowing smoke or exaggerating? They have a history.

The Defense also raised approx $40K in their gimmie money fund which they stated was expressly being used for RA's defense experts.

MOO

 

[girlhasnoname]

And to add to @Spartygirl ‘s excellent question, what other reason was there to leave Libby nude and to re-dress Abby?

Humiliation was already in place just by killing them and leaving them like trash in the forest.

Why strip the clothes? Why did he want to see them undressed?

JMO

It was already a SA by virtue of the fact he forced Abby & Libby to undress against their will. MOO

 

[girlhasnoname]

The defense is calling Doug Carter as a witness? Any thoughts on that?!

jmo

Desperation by the Defense comes to mind. I'm sure Carter will be asked about the investigative techniques and the statement of more than one person during the PC or some interviews. JMO

 

[girlhasnoname]

Agreed, I would hope the prosecution can back up a sadistic sexual murderer with some sort of evidence, possibly in RA’s past or internet search history? Although we haven’t heard anything of that sort yet.

JMO

The murder by brutal slashing of Abby and Libby's neck, Libby being left totally nude and Abby being redressed would cover a sadistic sexual murderer in my book all day long. jmo

 

[girlhasnoname]

I am glad to hear the P objected to the RA looking innocent thing. I was told in a previous thread that even if RA had a history of violence, it would not be relevant. Well, if that’s the case, then so what if he looks innocent, or never had more than a speeding ticket in his life. He just fast-tracked straight to murder.

jmo

If the Defense pulled that stunt during trial, they would have opened the door for the State to waltz through with prior bad acts under Rule 404 IMO.