A court spokesperson announced today that witness testimony in Karen Read’s second murder trial has been delayed due to “unavoidable circumstances.”
Jennifer Donahue, who serves as a spokesperson for Massachusetts state courts, informed USA Today via email that court proceedings have been postponed, though she did not provide further details.
Prior to the delay, prosecutors intended to call their next witness after Massachusetts State Trooper Yuri Bukhenik concluded his testimony on May 12. Bukhenik had testified for three days, stating that a broken taillight led police to suspect 45-year-old Read of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle in January 2022.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, Read is accused of dropping O’Keefe off at the home of retired Boston police officer Brian Albert after a night of drinking, then striking him with her Lexus SUV before she drove away. His body was later found in a snow bank with head injuries and signs of hypothermia.
Read told police she dropped O’Keefe off around midnight and later grew concerned when he stopped responding to her texts and calls. By morning, she and two others returned to the home and found his body in the snow, bloodied and partially buried near the front lawn.
Read allegedly told first responders, “I hit him. I hit him. I hit him,” but later claimed she was repeating what others suggested.
Prosecutors argued that her statements, along with damage to her vehicle and O’Keefe’s injuries, support the theory that she struck him during a failed three-point turn.
The defense argued that a cover-up began shortly after O’Keefe’s death. Read’s attorneys claimed someone inside the Albert home may have assaulted O’Keefe and left him outside, and that evidence was either mishandled or suppressed to protect people with ties to law enforcement.
Read has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. A previous trial ended in a mistrial after a jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict on the charges.
Check back for updates.
