Jurors resumed deliberations Monday in the Karen Read trial, who stands accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
On Monday, at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Judge Beverly Cannone confirmed that jurors had not been exposed to any information about the case over the weekend before instructing them to begin deliberations.
As reported earlier by CrimeOnline, Read, a 45-year-old former adjunct professor, has entered a plea of not guilty concerning O’Keefe’s death. Prosecutors allege that Read struck O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV amid a snowstorm on January 29, 2022, during a house party in Canton, Massachusetts.
Her first trial ended in a hung jury last year.
On Friday, following the closing arguments from the attorneys, the 12 jurors deliberated for about 90 minutes. Judge Cannone recommended that both legal teams remain within five minutes’ distance of the courthouse while the jury deliberates.
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)
