Karen Read’s defense team aimed to undermine a crash expert’s credibility by highlighting substantial expenditures and alleged inconsistencies in experiments as the state approaches the final stages of testimony in their case.
Read is charged with the murder of her then-boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, by hitting him with her Lexus SUV outside a house party at 34 Fairview Road and leaving him in freezing temperatures shortly after midnight on January 29, 2022.
The state’s expected final witness, Dr. Judson Welcher, a crash reconstructionist from Texas-based Aperture LLC, steadfastly maintained his findings that Read’s vehicle allegedly struck O’Keefe.
“Would you agree that you did a blue paint test with the vehicle going at two miles per hour?” Alessi asked.
“Of course,” Welcher said.
“You didn’t do a blue paint test with the vehicle going at 20 miles per hour, correct?” Alessi said.
“That is correct,” Welcher said. “I was not going to hit myself with the Lexus at 20 miles an hour.”
Wednesday marked the second day of testimony from Welcher, as the state is expected to rest its case this week.
Read pleaded not guilty and is facing the possibility of life in prison if convicted of the top charge, second-degree murder.
“The model being followed here is very good and professional,” Lu said. “What you have here is a very nice judge meets a very nice lawyer,” adding, “This results in a looser, less-focused cross-examination. It’s working out fine here, partially because the witness is not being super evasive.”
