Delphi double murder trial: Richard Allen's defense team rests case, state calls rebuttal witness

DELPHI, Ind. -- After Richard Allen's defense team announced in court Wednesday they rested their case, Judge Frances Gull met with the prosecution and defense to discuss jury instructions and the order of arguments.

Wednesday morning after Allen's defense rested its case the state called rebuttal witnesses to the stand.

The judge said both sides would receive between two and two and half hours to present their closing arguments.

Doctor John Martin started working for the Indiana prison system in 2020 and was asked to help out at Westville Correctional Facility in February 2022.

Martin said he met Allen in November 2022 shortly after he was arrested in connection with the murders of Libby German and Abby Williams. They were found with their throats slit after going on a walk along the Monon High Trail in February 2017.

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Martin said Allen arrived at Westville with a Prozac prescription because of a history of depression, but he considered him stable.

Martin said Allen was kept in solidarity confinement. He admitted that Allen was treated as if he had done something wrong while behind bars, but he hadn't.

He said it was wrong in a way, but the prison system had to keep him safe.

It wasn't until April 2023 when Martin said Allen started showing signs of psychosis. He said he got a call on April 13th to come visit Allen. He said when he arrived and looked in Allen's cell, he found him naked on a mattress, covered in feces, and he was told he had been eating it.

Martin put him on an anti-psychotic drug, it took them until April 25th for them to get his medication figured out and for him to show signs of improvement.

By May 18th, 2023, Martin testified that Allen was showing no signs of psychosis. He said Allen was coherent, denied hallucinating, was sleeping and eating well, but was a little sad.

On June 20th, 2023, Martin said Allen while still showing no signs of psychosis told him that he "wanted to apologize to the families and his victims."

Martin said Allen hadn't shown any symptoms of psychosis for several weeks and was under no pressure to say anything.

Brian Harshman was also called back to the stand. He is the Westville correctional officer who listened to Allen's phone calls from jail.

He confirmed for the court that Allen has been in a one-man cell since his arrest in November 2022. He's been in three different facilities including one in Cass County, Indiana.

Harshman said Allen has a chair in his cell in Cass County and it is bigger than the one at Westville.

He told the court that there is less human interaction in Cass County and Allen has no "neighbors."

Harshman testified Allen had also threatened staff members in Cass County.

Breann Wilbur testified Wednesday morning about a Snapchat photo she took on February 13th, 2017, of the Freedom Bridge. The state introduced it into evidence.

The photo shows Wilbur arrived at the bridge at 12:25 p.m. on the day of the murders. She said she walked from the Freedom Bridge to the Monon High Bridge but did not see "Bridge Guy" or Abby and Libby on her walk.

Defense attorney Andrew Baldwin asked when Wilbur gave Diener the bridge photo, Wilbur responded she didn't know the exact date.