Libby German’s and Abby Williams’ families were informed that crime scene photos, including some very gruesome images of the girls, would be shown during testimony.

Although the photos have not been made public, they were shown to the jury, and members of the gallery could also see them. As the photos were displayed, Crime Scene Investigator Sergeant Jason Page described what was captured in the 42 crime scene photos, including more than 20 images of Libby and Abby.

Sgt. Page took the crime scene photos presented in court. Referring to the area as “ground zero,” Page explained that the taped-off section was roughly the size of a football field, though most of the physical evidence was concentrated within 30 to 40 feet of the girls’ bodies.

The photos clearly showed a significant amount of blood at the scene, with Sgt. Page testifying that there was enough blood to soak into the ground beneath the leaves.

One of the photos depicted Libby and Abby lying less than five feet apart, their feet angled toward each other. Fourteen-year-old Libby was nude, her pale skin stained with blood on her hands, thigh, chest, throat, and face. She was covered with twigs, which crisscrossed her throat, and a heavy bough lay lengthwise across her left side.

Thirteen-year-old Abby, lying to Libby’s right, was dressed in some of Libby’s clothing in addition to her own. Sgt. Jason Page noted that her jeans appeared damp.

During the photo presentation, an image unexpectedly flashed on the screen without warning or introduction. It was a close-up of Libby German’s bloodied face.

The image startled the courtroom, causing audible gasps from the families in the gallery, and prompted an apology from State Attorney James Luttrull Jr., who said he had intended to provide a lead-in to the picture.

Anticipating the prosecution’s introduction of audio and video recordings from Libby German’s phone, Richard Allen’s defense team filed a motion requesting that the judge prevent the jury from seeing or hearing the recordings that were provided to the defense.

The defense team argued that the audio and video supplied by the state had been manipulated, with the audio enhanced and sections of the recording looped.

The defense is not asking to block the jury from seeing or hearing the recordings but is seeking guidelines on how the jurors will view and listen to them. They also want specific limits on the questions that can be asked of witnesses regarding the recordings.

The request aims to prevent questions that would lead witnesses to interpret the words and sounds. The defense stated, “It is up to the jury to determine what words or sounds exist on the recordings.”

Richard Allen’s defense team claims that the audio and video clips from Libby German’s phone, provided by the state, had been enhanced and that certain sounds were looped, repeating a phrase spoken by either Libby or Abby, along with an audio clip of a man’s voice.

The defense argues that these enhancements are “investigatory tools” and that “interpreting the words and sounds on the enhanced video requires a completely subjective analysis.

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[Featured image: The Monon High Bridge at the end of the Monon High Bridge Trail is shown in Delphi, Ind., Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)]