No phones, no laptops, no cameras in Delphi murders trial of Richard Allen. Here’s how we’ll report

Starting this week, the man accused of the 2017 killings of Delphi teenagers Abby Williams and Libby German will stand trial.

If you’ve read IndyStar or our sister USA TODAY Network Indiana newspapers for any amount of time, you’re likely familiar with the case against Richard Allen, the man arrested in 2022 on suspicion of the murders that rocked this small Indiana town.

You probably know the girls disappeared the day before Valentine’s Day and and it took more than five years for authorities to make an arrest. You’re probably familiar with the twists since Allen’s arrest, such as defense assertions of a link to Odinism to the defendant’s alleged prison confessions.

You might feel vested in knowing what evidence authorities have compiled to explain why they think Abby, 13, and Libby, 14, were forced off a trail and killed by a fellow Delphi resident.

And now, barring a last-second delay, a 12-member jury will hear the case against Allen and his defense over the next six weeks in one of the most high-profile murder trials in Indiana history. Journalists from IndyStar and the Lafayette Journal & Courier will be there every step of the way to keep you informed.

Our presence in the courtroom will be critical to Hoosiers’ understanding of the proceedings. Here’s why.

While Allen has the constitutional right to a public trial, Special Judge Frances Gull has given orders that will limit public access to only those who are actually in the courtrooms — in Fort Wayne for jury selection and in Delphi for the trial. No video or audio recording is allowed.

Gull has the unenviable task of managing a charged environment that will maintain the integrity of the trial, along with the safety of the accused and friends and family of the victims seeking closure from this horrific crime.

But to do that, the judge has clamped down on all electronic communication into and out of the courtroom, banning cellphones, smartwatches, laptops, audio recorders, TV cameras and digital cameras. Media seating has also been greatly restricted, and at Gull’s direction, members of the Indiana and national press corps have developed a “pool” approach to ensure all professional news outlets have access to what happens in court each day to share with their audiences.

Ensuring public access to the trial through trustworthy reporting from the courtroom has not been a given for this case, but we consider it vital and have put significant effort toward its preservation.

Without digital tools to aid our reporting in the courtroom, reporters will rely on handwritten notes that will be transcribed outside of the court and then form the basis of our daily reporting. A team of staffers will work together to bring you the latest news as quickly and thoroughly as possible.

Here’s what you can expect from IndyStar and the Journal & Courier after jury selection is completed and the trial starts, likely Friday.

Each weekday, Journal & Courier reporter Ron Wilkins will report from the court’s morning session, with a daily update posted at jconline.com and indystar.com by early afternoon. IndyStar reporters Sarah Nelson and Jordan Smith will cover the afternoon and Saturday sessions, with new reporting coming each weekday evening and Saturday afternoon.

The weight of justice: Delphi murder case jurors will face unimaginable pressure, life-changing decision

A recap of each full day at trial will appear in the next available print edition in both Indianapolis and Lafayette.

A team of editors and reporters in both newsrooms will support our reporters in Delphi, ensuring that you always have the latest from the trial.

Covering this trial is a large undertaking, especially considering that it’s scheduled to continue through the Nov. 5 election and some of our most important political reporting in the past four years. But we’re committed to telling Central Indiana’s stories and keeping you informed on all fronts.

As always, thank you for reading IndyStar.

Eric Larsen is IndyStar executive editor. Reach him at ericlarsen@indystar.com or 317-444-7342.