As murder defendant Karen Read approaches the mid-point of her second trial, she may find some relief from the overwhelming burden of unpaid legal fees through a surprising method: online crowdfunding.

Read revealed to Vanity Fair months ahead of her retrial that she has accumulated over $5 million in legal expenses owed to her defense team, a figure likely to increase with the hiring of two additional attorneys.

“Aside from feeling unjustly targeted and put on trial, I feel deeply violated,” Read mentioned in the Vanity Fair interview. She added, “Revealing the full truth of this case in a public forum is invaluable to me.”

“Many criminal defense lawyers will take a case pro bono or at a severely discounted rate if it’s a high-profile case and there’s a great deal of news and television coverage,” Stoltmann told Fox News Digital. “This often leads to a tsunami of new clients coming in the door for years after the trial takes place. This might be what’s happening in Karen Read’s case.” 

While Read’s fate remains in the hands of the jury, her chance to maintain her freedom – and clear her name – continues to come at an incredibly high cost. 

“I’m not backing down now,” Read told Vanity Fair. “As scary as a potential conviction is, I will go to jail for something I didn’t do before I plea out. I will never give them that win.”