The selection process for the jury has concluded in the second murder trial of Karen Read, accused of causing the death of her boyfriend, a police officer named John O’Keefe. Opening statements are slated for next week. An 18-member panel, composed of nine men and nine women, was finalized by Tuesday, with 12 serving as jurors and six as alternates. The opening statements are scheduled for April 22.
Read’s legal team had filed an emergency appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking a delay in the trial. They argued that retrying her on charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene constituted double jeopardy. However, the Supreme Court denied the delay and is expected to review her appeal on April 25.
Residing in Mansfield, Massachusetts, Read is accused of striking O’Keefe with her SUV and abandoning him to succumb in a snowstorm in 2022, outside a house party in Canton. Her defense contends that O’Keefe was killed by someone else, potentially another law enforcement officer present at the party, and insists she was framed.
Last year, the trial ended in a mistrial after jurors reported being at an impasse, rendering further deliberation futile. Following the trial, some jurors revealed they were unanimous in finding Read not guilty of the charges. Despite efforts by Read’s attorneys to have these charges dismissed, she faces the same counts as in her initial trial. Attempts to dismiss the entire case on grounds of governmental misconduct also failed.
Read, previously a financial analyst and a lecturer at Bentley College, confronts charges of second-degree murder in relation to the death of 46-year-old O’Keefe, a long-serving police officer. After a night of drinking, prosecutors allege Read dropped O’Keefe at the party and, while making a three-point turn, struck him before driving away, returning hours later to find his body.
Prosecutors will attempt to demonstrate that Read’s actions were intentional, citing witnesses who will discuss the deterioration of the couple’s relationship before O’Keefe’s death. Among the witnesses is O’Keefe’s brother, who testified in the first trial about ongoing arguments between the couple, including disputes over Read’s interactions with O’Keefe’s children and a specific incident in Cape Cod. His brother’s wife also testified about an argument in Aruba following an incident of infidelity.
The defense plans to challenge the investigation’s integrity, highlighting alleged biases due to the investigators’ close ties with law enforcement present at the party. A key witness for the defense is former State Trooper Michael Proctor, dismissed for sending inappropriate messages about Read. He will also appear on the prosecution’s witness list. In the initial trial, the defense suggested that Proctor’s communications indicated bias and a premature focus on Read, neglecting other suspects.
The defense is anticipated to argue that Read was wrongfully implicated, proposing that O’Keefe was killed inside the house during a conflict with another attendee and subsequently moved outside. In preparation for the second trial, debates arose about whether Read’s defense could argue alternative culpability for O’Keefe’s death. Judge Beverly Cannone ruled that potential third-party culpability cannot be mentioned in opening statements, though evidence against individuals like Brian Albert, a retired police officer, can be developed. Albert’s nephew, Colin Albert, is protected from implication by the defense.
An audit commissioned by Canton’s Police Department after O’Keefe’s death provided several recommendations, including better photographic documentation of the scene and improved interviews of critical witnesses.
Following the mistrial, Read’s lawyers sought dismissal of main charges by arguing that the mistrial declaration was made without polling the jury. They claimed jurors indicated consensus on acquitting Read of the primary charges. Judge Cannone, alongside state and federal courts, dismissed the double jeopardy argument, with prosecutors labeling it as speculative and not reflective of jury deliberations.
The upcoming trial will largely mirror the first, held in the same courthouse before the same judge. Read’s supporters are expected to actively demonstrate. The primary defense team and many witnesses remain unchanged. However, the prosecution will see a change with Hank Brennan stepping in as the lead prosecutor. Brennan, who has a history of representing high-profile clients, is anticipated to bring a more assertive approach to the case.