Abby & Libby - The Delphi Murders - Richard Allen Arrested - #211

[Salah11]

Good point, she hasn’t attended trial in support of him. It can’t have been a happy home life given RA’s SMIs (serious mental illnesses) as described by Dr Westcott. How did RA deal with his daughters rejection of him I wonder?

Most importantly, I sincerely hope she’s since found happiness living away from home. JMO

Me too as she didn’t choose this life and sounds like she got out as soon as she was able to.

IMO

 

[shonyakay]

I certainly hope the state asked the defense's neuro doc about RA's confession in early 2024 when he was not in a psychotic state.

 

[Vern]

...
The video marks the first time jurors heard Allen's voice. ...

Link

Modified by me: I believe that the link provided actually does back (deep scroll) to the interrogation videos.

Well that bit of reportage seems quite off for me. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Jury has seen the interrogation videos; they obviously have sound as we hear reports of KA stating, "you told me you weren't on the bridge ..."

SMH.

 

[minor4th]

I certainly hope the state asked the defense's neuro doc about RA's confession in early 2024 when he was not in a psychotic state.

I think that ship has already sailed. The doctor was excused this morning.

 

[BexLuth0r]

agree, I was thinking similarly, whatever she does is going to be sliced and diced by not only those in the courtroom but by us the public. that is lot of pressure. but in light of her reportedly answering the direct question do you love your father with a NO. Well, now I am rethinking.

I guess from a defence perspective, they can use it as an argument that she doesn't love him so won't lie for him.
But one would have to question why she doesn't love him.
That's a huge statement for a daughter to say to a father.
It would take a lot for me to say that about my dad.

BW on the stand for the defence now. Today feels more tense IMO.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I think the defense did know the answer, and to them it proves that she would not lie to protect the father she loves (if she did.)

That’s a good point.

Also, that though she doesn’t love him, she’s not going to lie to hurt him (thinking of Casey Anthony here.)

Jmo

 

[tlcya]

You’re having to jump through a lot of hoops to discount the psychiatrist’s expert opinions. Your anecdotal experience with a family member does not equate to a medical doctor who viewed recordings and watch logs from every day RA was incarcerated over several months.

While it might be possible for someone in psychosis to regroup and become totally rational within the same day - we don’t know if that’s what happened or if he continued to be delusional. Hence, the confessions are not reliable because they occurred while RA had been actively psychotic. She’s not saying the confessions are true or fake - she’s saying there’s no way to know.

similarly, you have discounted Dr. Wala's testimony and opinion about RA's mental state and his confessions it would seem.

I wonder if just one person on that jury has experienced a psychotic friend or family member? Because they, just as we, take their life experiences into account when parsing through the evidence offered from state and defense. MOO

 

[Deleted member 229974]

Trial Judges. Bias?

@MollyDDD
I have not drilled down to the specifics of IN. judicial oaths, but this from AmBarAssoc. may help re some gen guidelines for trial judges presiding over criminal cases.

"Standard 6-1.6. Duty to maintain impartiality"
"(a) The trial judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance
of impropriety in all activities, and should conduct himself or herself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the
integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. The judge should not allow
family, social, political or other relationships to influence judicial
conduct or judgment."
Plus a few more ¶ 's following.

_____________________________
^ Link to AmBarAssoc. publication "ABA Standards for Criminal Justice
Special Functions of the Trial Judge. Third Edition" 96 pages, 2002.
There's further discussion "Commentary" at page 27.

https://www.americanbar.org/content/dam/aba/publications/criminal_justice_standards/trial_judge.pdf

Thank you for that helpful information. My “confidence” is waning.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I guess from a defence perspective, they can use it as an argument that she doesn't love him so won't lie for him.
But one would have to question why she doesn't love him.
That's a huge statement for a daughter to say to a father.
It would take a lot for me to say that about my dad.

BW on the stand for the defence now. Today feels more tense IMO.

Even Kerri Rawson said she loved her dad BTK, knowing what he’d done. She was honest and genuine, despite hating what he had done.

jMo

 

[BUF]

Barbara McDonald

Richard Allen's daughter testified in his double murder trial, saying he did not molest her, that she does not love him, and that she would not lie for him. Brittany Zapanta did not appear to look at her father in court.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1853557037654774257

Well guess that’s another person who heard she didn’t love him

Guess that’s why she didn’t look at him….bet that wasn’t lost on the jury either

 

[Warwick7]

Auger asked "Do you love your father?"
Zapanta said no.

Well that’s telling

Imo

She wouldn't make eye contact with him.
When asked if she loved her father, she said no.
And...
She was asked if she was scared, she said yes.
Wow!!!!

 

[shonyakay]

Trying to catch up. Is anyone aware if the State asked defense's doc about the confession RA made when he was not in an active psychotic state in 2024?

 

[Inthedetails]

Good point, she hasn’t attended trial in support of him. It can’t have been a happy home life given RA’s SMIs (serious mental illnesses) as described by Dr Westcott. How did RA deal with his daughters rejection of him I wonder?

Most importantly, I sincerely hope she’s since found happiness living away from home. JMO

Maybe she couldn't attend the trial (as opposed to "wouldn't" attend) because she was a witness who would be testifying.

Whatever the case, I wish her privacy and peace.

jmo

 

[tlcya]

I guess from a defence perspective, they can use it as an argument that she doesn't love him so won't lie for him.
But one would have to question why she doesn't love him.
That's a huge statement for a daughter to say to a father.
It would take a lot for me to say that about my dad.

BW on the stand for the defence now. Today feels more tense IMO.

and to say it in court, on the record, with him staring at you. Yeah, I think that is a big deal. And yes, I can see how the defense might play it that way, she doesn't even love him so no reason to lie.

I don't think she was lying about molestation. But if she said she didn't love him, as a juror, that would stand out and make me question why that was her answer. Just because he didn't molest her doesn't mean she doesn't believe he is guilty of this crime, I might think. JMO

 

[katydid23]

I wish we could know which tests those were. When she said she performed a MBI test, she spoke as if there was one test named that...but more appropriately worded would be MBI testing and there are a whole host of tests under it that can be selected.

I also wish there was testimony as to which psychiatric organizations no longer consider "brief psychosis" to be a diagnosis. Because that definitely wasn't the opinion of the psychiatrists at the inpatient mental health ward in TWO different major Chicago teaching hospitals where my young adult son was back in September and October.

I remember the psychologist that did those same tests for Jodi Arias---said she was sane, normal.....

Then state brought on their psych who said their tests showed she had mental health issues galore

I agree with the state's shrink in that case. But they both gave tests which were 'graded' by some kind of supposedly objective scoring system.

Since we have photos and video of Arias stabbing her boyfriend in the shower we know that the defence's psychologist must have used a faulty test process which said she was A O K.

 

[photographer4]

The issue with her falsifying a confession is that 1) the defense has not claimed this is what happened, but is instead trying to claim that RA was suffering from psychosis so the narrative is flawed and 2) there are many aspects of the “confession” that were not known to the public in April-May 2023. It’s not simultaneously possible, for instance, that RA got his confession details from discovery and that Wala also made up the confession, knowing details that were only present in discovery.

It’s also worth noting that she was originally a defense witness and seemed to largely testify to things that would mean she was sympathetic to RA during the 3 day hearings.

JMO

Just wondering, why would the Defense risk their careers by lying to the court? They know he said things - they've heard the recordings that were available. If they asked RA and he said he said these things, they can't say he didn't say them - that would be lying to the court. I think they're doing the right thing by showing how the statements were were affected by his living conditions/treatment/medications/isolation etc... MOOO.

 

[BexLuth0r]

She wouldn't make eye contact with him.
When asked if she loved her father, she said no.
And...
She was asked if she was scared, she said yes.
Wow!!!!

and to say it in court, on the record, with him staring at you. Yeah, I think that is a big deal. And yes, I can see how the defense might play it that way, she doesn't even love him so no reason to lie.

I don't think she was lying about molestation. But if she said she didn't love him, as a juror, that would stand out and make me question why that was her answer. Just because he didn't molest her doesn't mean she doesn't believe he is guilty of this crime, I might think. JMO

Agree with both of these. I missed the part where she was scared as well. Was this of her father or of something else?

 

[Kudzuu]

yeah, her not looking at her father could be viewed a lot of differing ways. Maybe she did what she needed to do because she doesn't think he is guilty but their relationship isn't great nonetheless. Maybe they are super close in a non molesty way and she simply couldn't bear to look at him because she worried it would cause her to be or seem overly emotional.

I was a witness in a trial once. The prosecutor asked me a question and I turned my chair towards the jury and gave my answer....after I noted the blue SUV in the picture was actually green in real life.
The defendant was a coworker who tried to burn our office building down.

All sorts of rumors started about why I did that when I simply did it because the jury box was to my right and nearly behind me.

IMO she made eye contact with the lawyer who asked the question. You gotta look somewhere.

 

[steeltowngirl]

I think regardless of where we stand on this case in terms of RA’s guilt or innocence, we all recognize how difficult and traumatic for his daughter to have to testify today. I truly feel for her.

jmo

 

[tlcya]

Agree with both of these. I missed the part where she was scared as well. Was this of her father or of something else?

exactly, I wish the article had provided more context for that scared. Scared of bridge? scared of dad? scared to be on the stand?

I also wonder if, when she went away in 2015, it triggered something in him? How did they get along before she left? IF she doesn't love him, when did that stop and why? Makes me want to go figure out when that photo of BZ was taken on the bridge, and if it was taken by RA. The one I and others thought resembled Libby physically.