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Behavioral health expert testifies for defense in Delphi murders trial
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Behavioral health expert testifies for defense in Delphi murders trial

DELPHI, Ind. (WNDU) – It is the 13th day of testimony and the first full day of defense presentation in the Delphi murders trial.

52 year old Richard Allen is accused of murders 13-year-old Abby Williams and 14-year-old Libby German. Abby and Libby disappeared on February 13, 2017, while hiking near the Monon High Bridge Trail in Delphi. Their bodies were found a day later in the woods near that trail.

Allen’s trial began on October 18. The trial is expected to last until mid-November.

The defense began presenting its defense yesterday afternoon following the indictment. filed his lawsuit against Allen.

This morning the jury is Dr. He got information from Deanna Dwenger. He is the director of behavioral health for the Indiana Department of Corrections, according to our sister station WTHR.

During his deposition, Dwenger told the courtroom he had heard Allen regularly threatened by other inmates.

He also stated that he was aware that Allen was always in front of the camera and that this worried him, and that solitary confinement was not good for his mental health. He even noted that the state department of corrections has a mental health policy stating that “someone with a serious mental illness should not be held in isolation for more than 30 days.”

Allen was diagnosed with mental illness months after his arrest but remained in solitary confinement for 13 months.

According to WTHR, the jury asked Dwenger several questions about false mental health symptoms and psychosis. He said he had no knowledge of Allen potentially faking mental health symptoms in prison to avoid the general population, but said it was possible.

Dwenger also told jurors how to tell if someone is faking psychosis, saying that if a story is orderly it is probably fake, while if the story is disorganized, cannot be easily followed and is out of chronological order, it is more likely to be psychotic or delusional.

The court is still in session at this time.

To take a look at our previous coverage of this ongoing trial, Click here.

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