This is a true crime in real time update from True Crime Today and the Hidden Killers podcast.

Today we're peeling back the layers on a case that quite frankly feels like a twisted dive into a real-life psychological thriller.

I'm Tony Bruske. Now it's one thing to be accused but to live for 13 months in what can only be described as a descent into madness.

That's another realm altogether.

This isn't just about guilt or innocence.

It's about human rights, mental games, and a justice system that, depending on where you stand,

might seem more medieval than modern.

Accounts from the courtroom comes from one of our lead contributors, Bob Mata,

from the podcast Defense Diaries, who has been in the courtroom every day.

You see, Richard Allen, a man accused of unspeakable crimes, has been locked away under conditions

that would break even the most hardened

individuals. Solitary confinement, lights burning bright 24-7, never dimming, a relentless invasion

of his psyche, constant video surveillance, stripping him of even the most basic semblance of

privacy. His own space, a barren, claustrophobic cell became his tormentor.

And yet, through it all, he maintained his innocence, sometimes even to the disbelief of those

who were supposed to help him. But the plot thickens when Dr. Walla steps into the frame.

An experienced therapist, perhaps, but one whose interest in this case run deeper than professionalism.

As it turns out, Dr. Walla wasn't just treating Richard Allen. She was consuming everything about his case.

Engaging with true crime podcasts, listening to the theories, reading group discussions online,

even going so far as to use restricted databases to learn more.

And in the end, her testimony is now marred by accusations of bias and unethical behavior

as her private fascination with Allen's case could very well

...