VERDICT WATCH: Jurors Continue Deliberations in Karen Read Murder Trial; She’s Accused of Killing Boston Police Officer Boyfriend John O’Keefe
Share this @internewscast.com

In Massachusetts, jurors embarked on their second day of deliberating Tuesday in the murder trial of Karen Read. She is charged with fatally striking her boyfriend, a Boston police officer, with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to succumb to his injuries.

As reported by USA Today, the 12-member jury dedicated over nine hours to examining the case, yet a verdict has not been reached. Deliberations continued at 9 a.m. at the Norfolk Superior Court located in Dedham.

Read arrived at court Tuesday with crowds of supporters gathered outside.

On Monday, Judge Beverly Cannone dismissed the defense’s motion to adjust the verdict forms. Read’s attorneys advocated for the inclusion of extra checkboxes to avoid what they claimed caused confusion during the initial trial, according to 7 News Boston.

The defense said several jurors from the first trial later stated they found Read not guilty on two of the three charges but still declared a deadlock.

Karen Read and John OKeefe
Karen Read/LinkedIn and John O’Keefe/police handout

As CrimeOnline previously reported, Read, a 45-year-old former adjunct professor, has pleaded not guilty in connection with O’Keefe’s death. Prosecutors accused Read of hitting O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV during a snowstorm on January 29, 2022, at a house party in Canton, Massachusetts.

Her first trial ended in a hung jury last year.

The defense previously argued that O’Keefe was beaten up at fellow police officer Brian Albert’s residence, attacked by a German Shepherd named Chloe, and left outside the home during a blizzard.

Prosecutor Hank Brennan, however, focused on Read’s actions on the morning in question and the physical evidence in the case. He pointed out that Read, intoxicated and angry that the relationship was ending, struck O’Keefe with her vehicle and left him to die.

Calling O’Keefe a “decent man” who “looked out for others,” Brennan said Friday that O’Keefe was in need that night, and the only person in a position to assist him, by dialing 911 or seeking help from neighbors, was Read. Instead, she fled the scene.

Brennan argued that data from Read’s SUV and O’Keefe’s phone supported the prosecution’s timeline. He then highlighted testimony from first responders who said Read admitted, “I hit him.”

CBS Boston reports that the verdict is anticipated to be announced within around an hour of being reached.

Read has pleaded not guilty to charges that include second-degree murder, vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident.

Check back for updates.

[Feature Photo: Defendant Karen Read listens to her lawyer Alan Jackson question witness Massachusetts State trooper Michael Proctor during her, Wednesday, June 12, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court in Dedham, Mass. Read is facing charges, including second degree murder, in the 2022 death of her boyfriend Boston Officer John O’Keefe. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)]

Share this @internewscast.com
You May Also Like

Daughter Charged with Murder After Mother Found Stuck to Bed: DA

Inset: Tyrossale Peak (Richmond County Sheriff’s Office). Background: The 2900 block of…

Mother Sentenced After Abandoning Infant in Dumpster Near Taco Truck

Left: Everilda Cux-Ajtzalam (Harris County Sheriff’s Office). Right: Authorities recovering Cux-Ajtzalam’s newborn…

‘A Hero’: Loved Ones Remember Victims of Tragic New York Shooting

A New York City police officer and an executive at an investment…

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs Requests $50 Million Bail Release Ahead of October Sentencing

On Tuesday, Sean “Diddy” Combs asked a New York federal court to…

Police Say Son Abandoned Father to Die in Bathtub During House Fire

Inset: Clinton Hadley (St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office). Background: The 1900 block…

Terrifying Incident at Devil’s Den: Parents Tragically Killed While Shielding Daughters From Notorious Trail Killer

Manhunt underway in Arkansas after a mom and dad were killed at…

Florida Mom Fatally Shoots Kids’ Dad During Daycare Pickup

A woman in Florida has been accused of murder after surveillance footage…

Final Statements Underway in the Case of Dentist James Craig, Accused of Murdering His Wife

Closing arguments began Tuesday morning in the murder trial of James Craig,…

Former State MP Gareth Ward Sentenced to Prison Following Sex Abuse Convictions

A disgraced NSW MP has been escorted behind bars days after he…

Fire Chief and Spouse Arrested After Adopted Teen Found Severely Undernourished at 55 Pounds

A district fire chief from a county in Wyoming, along with his…

Lawyer Accused of Attempting to Abduct Toddler from Daycare: Police Report

Share copy link Inset: Tracy Zahl (Oklahoma County Jail). Background: Westminster Presbyterian…

Attorneys Challenge Trump’s Effort to Remove Deportation Safeguards

Donald Trump, left, shakes hands with Kristi Noem at a campaign rally…