Source: Rich Legg / Getty
The case of the man accused of killing two young girls in Delphi promises to be the highest profile trial Indiana has seen in at least a decade.
And Richard Allen’s murder trial could be one of the first in Indiana to be viewed by millions worldwide under a new rule that will allow cameras in Indiana courtrooms.
Starting May 1, the Indiana Supreme Court is giving judges the authority to decide whether to allow cameras in their courtrooms, ending a near-total ban that goes back to the dawn of television.
Allen’s trial was delayed last month and a new date has not yet been set, which means it will begin after the new camera rule takes effect.
Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush said people should have the chance to see how justice works in our state.
“We have 2.8 million cases pending in Indiana courts right now and those cases involve every facet of Hoosier life,” Rush told WRTV during a recent interview at the Indiana Supreme Court’s Law Library. “For people to trust the courts, I think they need to know what’s going on in the courtrooms.”
Three decades in the making
For Daniel Byron, this change is the culmination of 30 years worth of work.
As the lawyer for the Indiana Broadcasters Association, the 85-year-old Byron has been one of the people leading the fight to bring Indiana in line with 48 other states that allow cameras in court.
“So now there is only one state in the union and that is Louisiana, and we are free from them,” Byron said. “I’m very pleased.”
Read more from WRTV here
