The case of Karen Read is in the final decision stage, and the jury has just started in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts. Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter upon operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident with injury, or death in the case of her boyfriend, who was a Boston police officer, John O’Keefe. The case has been in the national spotlight not just because of the heavy charges but also because the versions about how O’Keefe ended up dead do not match.
The Charges and the Incident
This happened on January 29, 2022, when the prosecutors say that Karen Read ran over O’Keefe with her SUV as she was backing out of a driveway party in Canton in Massachusetts. They allege that she has left him to die in the snow in extreme winter weather. Prosecutors believe the blow injuries and environmental factors created the injuries that led to the death of O’Keefe.
Paints a quite different picture, however, does the defense force of Read? They made a claim that O’Keefe was already hurt at a time when Read went to the house, implying that he was beaten up and assaulted, perhaps also bitten by a dog, and dumped outdoors. The defense asserted that Read had been framed by a group of Boston police officers who, between them, conspired to falsify the true nature of the death of O’Keefe to protect themselves. Defense is accusing that there was some planting of evidence to frame Read and that the investigation was hastily faulty in its very inception.
The Second Trial
This is the second attempt at trying Karen Read since the first trial also resulted in a mistrial because the jury failed to arrive at a unanimous decision. The trial currently took more than eight weeks, involved dozens of witnesses, and had to present complicated forensic evidence, witness testimonies, and arduous cross-examination processes on both fronts.
After lengthy closing arguments, Judge Beverly Cannone provided the jury with final instructions last Friday. The jury, consisting of seven women and five men, began their first full day of deliberations on Monday morning. The deliberations started shortly after 9 a.m. after Judge Cannone confirmed that none of the jurors had discussed the case outside the courtroom or read any media coverage.
Emotional Moments Outside the Courtroom
As deliberations resumed, Karen Read appeared in good spirits. When leaving the courthouse Monday morning, she smiled at her family and told reporters that she felt “strong.” Her emotional resilience has been notable throughout the trial, despite the enormous public scrutiny and the seriousness of the charges she faces.
This trial has drawn widespread attention due to its connection to law enforcement, the dramatic claims of police conspiracy, and the emotional weight carried by both the victim’s and defendant’s families. Public interest has remained high as people wait to see whether this retrial will finally bring closure.
What Happens Next
The jury can deliberate for as long as necessary to reach a unanimous verdict. In the first trial, deliberations lasted five days before ending in a hung jury. It remains to be seen whether this second panel of jurors will be able to come to a decision more quickly or if the case will once again end without a resolution.
The outcome of this trial will have significant legal and personal consequences for Karen Read. If convicted, she faces the possibility of a lengthy prison sentence. If acquitted, the ruling will bring relief to her and her defense team but may also reignite debate and controversy over how the case was handled from the beginning.
