THE family of Karen Read’s deceased boyfriend might never achieve justice in their wrongful death lawsuit following a crucial decision made by the jury in her murder trial, according to a legal expert.
A jury acquitted Read, 45, this week of leaving John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer, to die in a snowstorm after hitting him with her car.
Read has consistently denied that she killed her boyfriend outside a house party in 2022, claiming she was being framed by the police as part of a cover-up regarding O’Keefe’s death.
And after the 36-day murder trial, a jury ruled that she didn’t even hit him her car – and only found her guilty of drunk driving.
She was sentenced to one year of probation and classes.
Despite facing a wrongful death suit filed by O’Keefe’s family in 2024, she could potentially evade it, as the jury in her criminal trial did not conclude that she struck him.
The civil case has been on hold pending the outcome of the trial.
Neama Rahmani, president of Los Angeles-based West Coast Trial Lawyers, spoke to The U.S. Sun about the verdict and Read’s future legal drama.
He said, “The verdict is nothing less than a complete and total vindication for Read, her supporters, and her defense team.
“One-year probation is nothing, not even a slap on the wrist.
“I tip my hat to them, but I also have to call out the Commonwealth for one of the most botched investigations and poorly handled prosecutions – twice – in the state’s history.
The most expensive OUI/DUI conviction ever.”
Attorney Neama Rahmani
“There are too many mistakes to name, but I’ll start with the conflict of interest, mishandled evidence, overcharging the case, unprofessional and offensive law enforcement witnesses, dishonest expert witnesses, and a failure to understand and counter the public relations battle.
“The prosecution spent millions of dollars to secure the most expensive OUI/DUI conviction ever.”
The investigation was widely criticized for being botched due to a failure to treat the scene as a crime scene, especially given the involvement of police officers at the location where the victim was found.
While dealing with heavy snow, investigators used solo cups and plastic bags instead of proper evidence bags, the jury heard.
The lead investigator, Michael Proctor, also faced accusations of bias due to offensive text messages he sent about Read.
Rahmani explained, “The jury didn’t even find that Read struck O’Keefe with her vehicle, just that she was driving under the influence of alcohol, which Read admitted to during her many interviews.
“The wrongful death trial has a different, lower standard, but the O’Keefe family’s civil attorneys have an uphill battle in proving liability in that case.
“The criminal jury unanimously found that Read was driving drunk, but that she did not hit O’Keefe.
“The civil jury would have to come to the complete opposite conclusion.
“It’s possible, but unlikely given the fact that two different juries have now found that Read did not kill O’Keefe and leave the scene of the accident.”
The O’Keefe family first filed the wrongful death suit in Plymouth Superior Court in Brockton in August 2024 after Read’s first criminal trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.
The suit is seeking at least $50,000 in damages for “conscious pain and suffering, fear of impending death, wrongful death, lost value to next of kin, severe and profound emotional distress manifesting in bodily symptoms, and other compensable damages.”
A judge ruled that Read would only be deposed or questioned after her criminal trial.
A timeline of Karen Read’s case
Karen Read, the Mansfield woman acquitted of fatally striking her cop boyfriend with her SUV in January 2022, began her retrial in April 2025.
A judge declared a mistrial on July 1, 2024, after a jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict after five days of deliberation.
- January 29, 2022: O’Keefe’s body is found outside of a friend’s home.
- February 1, 2022: Read was arrested and charged with manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide, and leaving the scene of a vehicle homicide.
- February 2, 2022: Read pleads not guilty in Stoughton District Court.
- June 9, 2022: A state grand jury indicts Read on upgraded charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene.
- April 12, 2023: Read’s attorneys publicly release court documents they say contain “bombshell exculpatory information,” including Jennifer McCabe’s Google search.
- Nov. 20, 2023: Residents of the divided community vote 903-800 to audit the Canton Police Department over the case.
- May 23, 2023: During another pre-trial hearing, the defense says that the murder of John O’Keefe is a massive cover-up involving members of law enforcement and their friends and family members.
- Feb. 22, 2024: Prosecutors unveil long-awaited results of crime scene evidence tests, alleging that O’Keefe’s DNA was recovered from the broken taillight of Read’s vehicle.
- April 12, 2024: Read’s defense attorneys say in court that Brian Albert, his son Colin Albert, and Brian Higgins could have each killed O’Keefe at the party that night.
- April 16, 2024: Read’s trial began in Massachusetts Superior Court.
- May 17, 2024: Jennifer McCabe, who was with Read when she discovered O’Keefe’s body, testifies that during their search, Read repeatedly said: “Did I hit him? Could I have hit him?” She also says Read later said when emergency workers were on the scene: “I hit him.”
- June 3, 2024: The defense accuses police of planting the shattered fragments of taillight from Read’s car at the scene of the crime.
- June 24, 2024: The defense rests their case.
- July 1, 2024: A judge declared a hung jury after five days of deliberation.
- April 22, 2025: Read’s second murder trial begins.
- June 18, 2025: Read is acquitted of second-degree murder and leaving the crime scene. She was only found guilty of drunk driving.
The family is also suing the two bars she was drinking at on the night he died; C.F. McCarthy’s and the Waterfall Bar and Grille in Canton.
They believe the venues are liable for serving Read alcohol before she drove her car in a state of intoxication, risking grave injury or death to John O’Keefe.
Los Angeles trial attorney Tre Lovell told The U.S. Sun she still has to deal with the civil suit for months to come.
“In the civil suit, she will be required to testify, meaning she has no right against self-incrimination such as during a criminal trial, and the burden of proof is much lower, a preponderance of the evidence instead of beyond reasonable doubt,” he said.
“She still could be facing exposure to significant monetary damages.
“If there are similar issues that existed in her criminal trial pertaining to whether or not she was intoxicated while driving, such could be used in her civil trial and not need to be revisited due to issue preclusion.”
O’Keefe’s family quickly left court after the verdict was read out on Wednesday, and are yet to comment.
A longtime friend of the officer told NBC10 Boston that they are devastated and feel as though it has been a three-and-a-half-year nightmare.
Protesters outside the courthouse wore pink and hugged each other after the verdict was read, as some broke out singing God Bless America.
Read told reporters, “No one has fought harder for justice for John O’Keefe than I have. Than I have, and my team.”
The Massachusetts State Police have broken their silence following the verdict in a statement released Thursday morning.
State police Col. Geoffrey Noble said the case has pushed the department to thoroughly review their actions and take concrete steps to deliver advanced investigative training, ensure appropriate oversight, and enhance accountability.
“Under my direction as Colonel, the State Police has, and will continue to, improve in these regards,” he said. “Our focus remains on delivering excellent police services that reflect the value of professionalism and maintain public trust.”
