Opening statements are scheduled for Tuesday in the second murder trial of Karen Read, concerning the death of her boyfriend, police officer John O’Keefe, in Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court. This follows the selection of nine men and nine women for the jury. Read expressed her readiness, despite feeling anxious about the proceedings. Her legal team had filed an emergency appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court to delay the trial, citing double jeopardy concerns, but the request was denied.
Read, a Mansfield, Massachusetts resident, stands accused of fatally striking O’Keefe with her SUV and abandoning him during a snowstorm in 2022 outside a Canton house party. Her defense argues that O’Keefe was murdered by another individual, potentially another law enforcement officer, and that Read was falsely accused. The first trial resulted in a mistrial after jurors were deadlocked, though some later indicated they believed Read was not guilty of the main charges.
Despite the previous trial’s outcome, Read faces the same charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene. Efforts by her defense to dismiss these charges, citing governmental misconduct, have been unsuccessful. Read, formerly a financial analyst and adjunct professor at Bentley College, continues to assert her innocence and claims she has been framed.
Prosecutors allege that after a night of drinking, Read dropped O’Keefe at the party and subsequently struck him while making a three-point turn. They aim to illustrate that her actions were intentional, by calling witnesses to testify about the turbulent nature of their relationship prior to O’Keefe’s death. Testimonies from O’Keefe’s family members described frequent arguments between the couple regarding various personal issues.
The defense plans to challenge the integrity of the investigation, suggesting bias due to the investigators’ connections to the police officers present at the party. They will call upon former State Trooper Michael Proctor, whose inappropriate conduct in the case was previously highlighted, to testify again. The defense intends to argue that Read was wrongfully framed, proposing that O’Keefe was killed in a conflict at the party and his body was moved outside.
Judge Beverly Cannone has ruled that while Read’s attorneys may not mention third-party suspects in opening statements, they may present evidence implicating Brian Albert, the homeowner, and his associate Brian Higgins during the trial. However, they are not permitted to involve Albert’s nephew, Colin Albert.
An audit by the Canton Police Department suggested several procedural improvements in response to O’Keefe’s death, but did not reinvestigate the case. It recommended better documentation of initial crime scene conditions and improved handling of witness interviews.
The defense’s argument against double jeopardy was rejected by multiple courts. Prosecutors contended that there was no confirmation the jury had reached a verdict during the first trial, leading to the mistrial declaration.
The retrial will feature many of the same elements as the first, including Judge Cannone, the courthouse location, and a similar lineup of witnesses. However, Hank Brennan, a new special prosecutor known for his experience in high-profile cases, will lead the prosecution, potentially bringing a different approach to presenting the case.