Delphi murders: Journalists' cameras confiscated outside Richard Allen's murder trial in Indiana

Friday marked the start of Richard Allen's trial for the 2017 murders of two teenage girls, Abigail and Liberty

Police outside the Carroll County courthouse in Delphi, Indiana, confiscated cameras from photojournalists ahead of Richard Allen’s murder trial on Friday morning. Allen stands accused of the 2017 killings of teenagers Abigail "Abby" Williams and Liberty "Libby" German.

Special Judge Frances Gull, during a media orientation session on Thursday, had clearly stated that no photographs or video of jurors would be permitted. On Friday, Gannett photographer Alex Martin recounted the moment when two vans approached the fenced-off area on the west side of the courthouse. He described placing one camera on his hip and another on the ground. Despite his precautions, officers confiscated his equipment. "I wasn’t taking pictures of jurors," Martin said, adding that he was positioned in an approved area. He also noted that four or five other photographers had their cameras seized as well.

The fate of the confiscated cameras, including both still and video devices, remains uncertain, according to Martin.

Judge Gull has imposed stringent media restrictions on the case, which is regarded as one of Indiana's most high-profile murder trials. Despite her participation in a pilot programme allowing cameras in state courtrooms, Gull has banned them from Allen’s trial entirely. In a June ruling, she expressed her concerns over media conduct, stating that the court "lost confidence in the ability of the media to cover hearings appropriately" after rules were violated during an earlier hearing in October 2023.