The murder retrial of Karen Read, accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, could land in jurors hands by Friday.
As reported by USA Today, both the prosecution and defense informed Judge Beverly Cannone on Tuesday that jury deliberations in Karen Read’s second murder trial might begin as soon as Friday.
The defense’s final witness, biomechanist Andrew Rentschler, testified late Tuesday. He presented his analysis of the injuries sustained by O’Keefe to the brain, head, and arm.
Rentschler noted that his experiments showed impact forces far exceeding those indicated by O’Keefe’s injuries. According to him, tests conducted by ARCCA, such as a 29 mph field simulation, usually lead to broken bones and dislocations, none of which were observed in O’Keefe’s condition, as mentioned by ABC 5.
As CrimeOnline previously reported, prosecutors alleged that Read, 45, intentionally hit O’Keefe with the rear passenger side of her Lexus SUV on January 29, 2022, after dropping him off outside a home on Fairview Road in Canton.
She faces charges of second-degree murder and two other offenses.
Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan pressed Rentschler on the limits of his analysis, pointing to his crash dummies use and lack of recent peer-reviewed work. The prosecution then questioned his independence, noting his close ties to other defense experts.
The court also reviewed autopsy photos and paint-transfer results. Rentschler said the evidence didn’t match the prosecution’s sideswipe theory.
Read has pleaded not guilty. Her defense team argued she was framed and claimed that O’Keefe entered the house—then owned by another Boston officer, Brian Albert, —where he was fatally beaten and possibly attacked by a German Shepherd. They said his body had been thrown out into a blizzard.
A hung jury ended Read’s first trial in July 2024.
Forensic pathologist and former medical examiner Elizabeth Laposata, along with other defense experts, argued that an animal likely bit O’Keefe and that he passed out instantly after hitting his head on an object.
Meanwhile, Read said Tuesday that she had made up her mind to not testify during the retrial.
“I am not testifying. The case is — it’s our last witness. (The jury) has heard my interview clips. They’ve heard my voice,” Read told reporters. “They’ve heard a lot of me.”
[Feature Photo: Karen Read/LinkedIn and John O’Keefe/Boston Police Department]
