CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. – The bail hearing for Richard Allen will have to wait.
Court officials said a bail hearing scheduled for Friday (Feb. 17) will be postponed as requested by the defense. The hearing had been set for 10 a.m., with Allen expected to be in attendance.
According to court records, the parties will instead meet remotely at 12:30 p.m. Friday to determine future dates. The transport order for Allen has been canceled.
Carroll County Prosecutor Nick McLeland filed a motion Monday saying the state didn’t object to the defense’s motion for a continuance.
Allen’s attorneys asked Special Judge Fran Gull for the delay in a motion filed Feb. 7, saying they needed additional time to review the large amount of evidence turned over by the state. They also asked the court to delay Allen’s trial, which is scheduled for next month.
Allen faces two counts of murder in the deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German. This week marked six years since the girls were found dead on Feb. 14, 2017, a day after they were reported missing.
Allen’s defense team is seeking to have him released on a “reasonable bail” as he awaits trial, arguing that the evidence isn’t strong enough to keep him behind bars. Prosecutors countered that the evidence “adds up to strong and evident proof of guilt” and believe Allen should stay in custody.
During a January hearing, Gull expressed skepticism that Allen’s high-profile trial would meet its scheduled date in March, given the large amount of evidence involved and the logistics of bringing in jurors from Allen County.
