<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=094l77_0ozKaSta00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=094l77_0ozKaSta00" width="1200" height="600" ><p>DELPHI, Ind. (WNDU/WTHR) - New court documents were filed Tuesday by both the prosecutor and defense attorneys for the man accused of murdering two teenage girls in Delphi more than six years ago.</p><p>According to our sister station WTHR, the documents are about the defense’s filing outlining why they believe Abby Williams and Libby German were “ritualistically sacrificed” by members of a pagan Norse religion and white nationalist group called Odinism, and not by their client Richard Allen.</p><p>Allen was arrested last October and charged with the February 2017 murders of Abby and Libby. The case has garnered national attention since their bodies were found near the Delphi Monon High Bridge on Feb. 14, 2017 — one day after they went missing.</p><p>In a filing last month, defense attorneys Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi claim three members of law enforcement investigated a possible connection to Odinists as being involved in the murders. Prosecuting attorney Nicholas McLeland later disputed those claims, saying they are “colorful, dramatic and highly unprofessional.”</p><h2>Correctional officers’ claims</h2><p>According to documents filed on Tuesday, the prosecutor spoke with two correctional officers at the Westville Correctional Facility, where Allen is currently house, who the defense team claims have ties to Odinism.</p><p>Both correctional officers reportedly denied practicing Odinism but admitted to wearing patches on their uniforms that can be — but they said are not — associated with Odinism. The correctional officers allegedly said they stopped wearing the patches on their uniforms last month when they were asked to remove them.</p><p>One of the correctional officers reportedly said Norse Paganism Heathenry is his practicing religion. Both correctional officers also claimed they were not part of a cult or a radical hate group.</p><p>According to the documents, both correctional officers said they’ve never threatened Allen and never had a one-on-one conversation with Allen about Odinism. One of the correctional officers reportedly told prosecutors he went “above and beyond to not use any kind of force on (Allen), even though there have been times when use of force was justified by standard operating procedures.”</p><p>That correctional officer told prosecutors that Allen was tased twice between May 9 and May 25 because he did not comply with the officers’ orders.</p><h2>Warden’s claims</h2><p>According to WTHR, the prosecutor also spoke with the acting warden of the Westville Correctional Facility, who said correctional officers were allowed to wear any patches on their vests until the allegations made by the defense team.</p><p>The warden also reportedly said the facility offers religious services if there are at least five people who practice the religion in the complex — and the facility has never held services related to Odism. The warden also reportedly said none of the “very few inmates” that practice Odinism are housed with or next to Allen.</p><p><b><i>NOTE: The correctional officers and warden have not been arrested or charged in connection to the Delphi murders case. Therefore, they are not being identified.</i></b></p><h2>Prosecutor’s response to defense’s motion to transfer Allen</h2><p>Allen’s defense team previously filed an emergency motion to move their client to a new jail in April, which was denied. Defense attorneys then filed a motion to reconsider during a hearing in May, which the court denied again.</p><p>The prosecutor says Allen is being treated more favorably than other inmates housed at the Westville Correctional Facility,</p><p>The defense’s latest motion accuses two correctional officers at Westville Correctional Facility of “unjust and inhuman” treatment against Allen, which the prosecutor denies.</p><p>According to the prosecutor, Allen would be placed in the same kind of holding cell he is in now if he were to be moved to the Cass County Jail. The prosecutor also claims the Indiana Department of Correction is more equipped to transport Allen back and forth to court dates to keep him safe and ensure he makes it to all future hearings.</p><h2>Prosecutor’s response to defense’s motion for discovery deadline</h2><p>According to WTHR, the state believes it has turned over everything in their possession and has no objection to a discovery deadline. The state said the defense’s theory that the state is intentionally withholding evidence because it is exculpatory is not true.</p><p>The prosecutor also claims the defense team hasn’t turned over any pieces of evidence from their investigation.</p><p>According to the prosecutor, when the state filed charges against Allen, the discovery was not in a format that could easily be provided to the defense, which the prosecutor clarified as all the paper documents had to be copied and scanned, and all the external hard drives and reports from law enforcement had to be collected.</p><p>The state is asking the court to require the defense team to turn over any evidence they get and not dump all the evidence on the state on Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m.</p><p>Allen is set to go to trial in January 2024.</p></div></body>

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Prosecutor says Delphi murders suspect is safe despite correctional officers possibly wearing Odinism patches

DELPHI, Ind. (WNDU/WTHR) - New court documents were filed Tuesday by both the prosecutor and defense attorneys for the man accused of murdering two teenage girls in Delphi more than six years ago. According to our sister station WTHR, the documents are about the defense’s filing outlining why they believe...