Delphi defense begins crowdfunding site to help pay for experts

Kim Dunlap, Kokomo Tribune, Ind.
Updated ·2 min read
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Mar. 27—DELPHI — The legal team for accused Delphi murder suspect Richard Allen is asking the public for help in paying for the cost of defense experts in Allen's upcoming jury trial.

Allen is being held on two charges of murder for his alleged connection to the February 2017 deaths of Delphi teenagers Libby German and Abby Williams. His trial is tentatively slated for May.

But according to a letter written and released this week by attorney David R. Hennessy, who is part of Allen's legal team and represents defense attorneys Bradley Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin, presiding Judge Fran Gull "will not approve funds for defense experts" for the upcoming trial.

"This creates a one-sided fight and a disadvantaged defense," Hennessy wrote. "So I did indeed establish a crowdfunding for defense experts."

Hennessy also made it clear in his letter this week that no money raised will go toward Allen or any of the defense attorneys on the case, including himself.

Rather, any donation made will go directly to defense experts to "even things up," he wrote.

And as of Wednesday morning, nearly 300 people donated to the crowdfunding website, totaling almost $15,000 of their $25,000 goal.

According to the website attorneyatlawmagazine.com, litigation crowdfunding is a relatively new but rising method of financing a lawsuit or other court case, with websites such as CrowdJustice, LexShares and even GoFundMe taking part in recent years.

It was Feb. 14, 2017, when the bodies of Williams and German were located along the banks of Deer Creek near the Monon High Bridge area, after being dropped off the day before but not returning to their pick-up location.

Five years later, on Oct. 31, 2022, investigators announced they had arrested Allen on two felony counts of murder.

During an interview with police, Allen reportedly stated he was on the bridge the day the girls went missing, but he did not see them.