“I didn’t murder two little girls. I wasn’t involved in killing two little girls,” Allen told police in the interviews.

But correctional officers at Westville Correctional Facility told jurors that Allen changed his tune in prison.

The so-called “confessions” of Richard Allen have long been known with prosecutors previously detailing how Allen made more than 60 confessions during his long stint behind bars. The defense has repeatedly claimed Allen was suffering from mental anguish and made the “confessions” due to the stress, strain and mental breakdowns he suffered while being kept in terrible conditions.

The defense pointed out how Allen’s mental state was unstable and pressed on this by pointing out how numerous confessions made by Allen weren’t even factually accurate or were to crimes that never happened, such as claiming to have murdered his grandchildren. Allen’s mental instability also extended to strange acts, such as smearing feces on the walls of his cell, his attorneys said.

In opening arguments, the prosecution stated that Allen made confessions that included information “only the killer would know.”

Tuesday afternoon was the first testimony into any of these numerous confessions.

John Galipeau, the former warden of Westville prison, took the stand. He told jurors about Allen’s time in prison and how he was in an observation cell. Allen also spent time on suicide watch during his stay at Westville.

Allen was housed in Westville Correctional Facility for 13 months. His attorneys have repeatedly argued that he was treated poorly and called a “baby killer” during his stay, which led to his mental decline. A judge once disagreed, however, and found Allen was “treated more favorably” than other inmates.

Galipeau said Allen was allowed to shower three times a week, provided three sets of clothing, had access to tablets and was allowed recreation time five days a week in an indoor rec room. While on suicide watch he would get a medical check daily.

The former warden told jurors about how on March 5, 2023, Allen wrote a request for an interview that included him stating he wanted to confess to killing Abby and Libby.