BOSTON, Mass. (NewsNation) — Karen Read, recently acquitted of both second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, has been reportedly approached with a movie deal from LBI Productions.
Read, along with her chief defense attorney, Alan Jackson, plans to collaborate with the production company to craft a screenplay inspired by her recent legal journey, as reported by The Hollywood Reporter and Variety. The film is expected to explore aspects of Read’s story that remain undisclosed.
On June 18, Read was declared not guilty in the case concerning the death of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, who served as a Boston police officer. However, she was convicted of the lesser charge of drunken driving. Her initial trial concluded in a mistrial.
Karen Read’s lawyers say she was framed by police
During her most recent trial, Read’s lawyers said she was framed by the police for O’Keefe’s death after she dropped him off at a party of a fellow police officer. Prosecutors said that Read hit O’Keefe when she drove off, drunk, but the defense said he was murdered inside his home and later put outside on the lawn.
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Karen Read watches jurors enter the courtroom to resume deliberations during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) -
Karen Read, who is accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O’Keefe, in 2022, during her murder trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) -
Karen Read listens during opening arguments at Norfolk Superior Court on April 22 in Dedham, Mass. (Stuart Cahill /The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) -
Karen Read arrives with her defense team for her trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) -
Defendant Karen Read, right, confers with her attorneys Alan Jackson, left, and Robert Alessi, center, before Read’s trial in Norfolk Superior Court, Friday, May 16, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle, Pool) -
FILE – Karen Read looks toward the jurors, as they are greeted by Judge Beverly J. Cannone during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool, file) -
A half-dozen people supporting the O’Keefe family heckled Karen Read supporters and called for her conviction in her murder trial, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, was charged with second-degree murder after being accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor’easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (AP Photos/Michael Casey) -
Supporters of Karen Read gather near Norfolk Superior Court, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor’easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. A jury is deliberating Read’s fate, as her trial is nearing its end. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) -
Supporters of Karen Read display signs near Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, June 25, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is on trial, accused of killing her boyfriend Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, in 2022. The jury began deliberations in the trial Tuesday. (AP Photo/Nick Perry) -
A half-dozen people supporting the O’Keefe family heckled Karen Read supporters and called for her conviction in her murder trial, Friday, June 28, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, was charged with second-degree murder after being accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor’easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (AP Photos/Michael Casey) -
Dedham, MA – April 29: Karen Read supporters held signs as they stood a short distance down the road from Norfolk Superior Court where her trial was taking place. (Photo by Jessica Rinaldi/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) -
Dedham, MA – May 13: Karen Read leaves court after another day in her murder trial, flanked by her attorneys. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images)
In a statement on Friday, Read said, “I’ve lived in this town with John. I saw what it takes for a small group of powerful people to be ‘above the law.’ I struggled for over three years to overcome this power and corruption. … It was ultimately a groundswell of local residents and a grassroots campaign that afforded me the resources I needed to fight back.”
Karen Read film about ‘when a single voice refuses to be silenced’
The upcoming film is said to focus on “what happens when a single voice refuses to be silenced.” LBI Production head Julie Yorn said, “This isn’t just a legal thriller. … We will have an opportunity to show layers that have never been brought to light, and we are committed to telling the story with urgency, nuance, and care.”
Alex Kohner, who is with Yorn Levine, reportedly handled negotiations for Read and Jackson. Jared Levine from Yorn Levine represented LBI Productions. Plans are also underway for a book with Read and Jackson being involved. The publishing rights are being offered by literary agent Luke Janklow with Janklow & Nesbit.
