Executive Summary
- The O’Keefe family is asking a judge to force Karen Read to provide facts supporting her claim that third parties killed John O’Keefe.
- Read asserts O’Keefe died inside a Canton home but states she cannot identify the specific individual responsible.
- Defense attorneys argue the motion is premature as discovery has just commenced and accuse plaintiffs of refusing to confer.
- A status hearing to address the discovery dispute is scheduled for Friday.
Attorneys representing the family of John O’Keefe have filed a motion requesting a judge compel Karen Read to provide specific evidence substantiating her defense that third parties are responsible for O’Keefe’s death. The legal action is part of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family against Read, accusing her of causing the death of the Boston police officer.
According to court filings, the dispute centers on Read’s responses to interrogatories—written questions formally submitted by the plaintiffs. The O’Keefe family’s legal team argues that Read’s answers offer “improper objections and evasive, unsupported accusations.” The motion contends that the court should not allow Read to withhold critical information while publicly leveraging claims of third-party culpability. Lawyers for the family stated in the filing that integrity of the discovery process requires Read to either disclose the facts supporting her defense or admit she is unable to do so.
In response to the interrogatories, Read stated her belief that O’Keefe was killed inside the residence at 34 Fairview Road in Canton. However, she acknowledged that she does not know “which specific individual or individuals within the house fatally wounded Mr. O’Keefe.” Read’s attorneys argue that she has provided all information currently available to her and that it is impossible to provide more specific details given that the discovery phase of the lawsuit has just begun.
Read’s legal counsel further asserts that the plaintiffs refused to confer with them to resolve the disagreement before filing the motion. They described the filing as an attempt to introduce incorrect information to the media and public. Additionally, lawyers for the individuals present in the Canton home at the time of the incident have denied any involvement in O’Keefe’s death.
Procedural Next Steps
This discovery dispute highlights the procedural challenges in civil litigation running parallel to high-profile criminal matters. The court must now weigh the plaintiffs’ right to detailed information against the defendant’s assertion that discovery is in its preliminary stages. A status hearing regarding the lawsuit is scheduled for Friday. It is important to note that all individuals are presumed innocent of any criminal accusations until proven guilty in a court of law.
