INDIANAPOLIS — The murder trial of Richard Allen has been moved to October 2024.
Allen appeared in court for a hearing in the case against him for the 2017 murders of Libby German and Abby Williams on Tuesday along with former and new counsel.
Special Judge Fran Gull, following the Oct. 19 hearing in Allen County that ended abruptly with the verbal withdrawal of Allen's defense attorneys Brad Rozzi and Andrew Baldwin, formally disqualified the two attorneys from the case.
Rozzi and Baldwin filed earlier this week to represent Allen pro bono (free of charge), despite their earlier withdrawal. Judge Gull denied their request, citing gross negligence for her reasoning.
Gull then apologized to Allen for having to deny the request to have Baldwin and Rozzi represent them.
"I cannot and will not allow them to represent you," Gull said to Allen.
Allen's new defense attorneys, Robert Scremin and William Lebrato, filed to have the jury trial scheduled for January 2024 be moved to a new date as well. Scremin and Lebrato cited it being impossible to be ready by January, partly due to not receiving past discovery in the case yet.
Gull approved this motion and scheduled the trial for Oct. 15-31, 2024.
