BOSTON — The high-stakes legal battle surrounding Karen Read’s case reaches Massachusetts’ highest court, where her attorneys are set to argue Wednesday for the dismissal of several charges related to the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
Read faces accusations of hitting O’Keefe with her SUV and abandoning him during a snowstorm, but her defense team maintains that she is being framed, alleging that other law enforcement officers are implicated in O'Keefe’s death. Following a mistrial in June, in which jurors were unable to reach a unanimous verdict, a retrial on second-degree murder and related charges is scheduled for January. However, both parties have requested a delay until April.
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In support of an evidentiary hearing, the defense argues that juror affidavits indicate a “clear and unambiguous decision” that Read is not guilty of second-degree murder and leaving the scene. They also referenced a recent ruling in the case of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, where a federal appeals court instructed the judge to examine claims of juror bias.
The defense brief criticizes the mistrial declaration, asserting that the judge failed to consider a partial verdict and made the decision abruptly without consulting the attorneys. “The court gave no indication of considering alternatives, and counsel was not provided a full opportunity to be heard,” the defense stated, challenging the process as potentially prejudicial against Read.
In August, Judge Beverly Cannone ruled that Karen Read can be retried on charges of second-degree murder and leaving the scene, concluding that "no verdict announced in open court" allows for a retrial without violating double jeopardy. In their brief, prosecutors argued against dismissing these charges, emphasizing that the jury repeatedly stated they were deadlocked, leading to the mistrial.
Prosecutors contended that no acquittal was issued since no official verdict was reached and noted the importance of a formal, public announcement to prevent potential miscommunication or juror coercion. They argued that Read, a former adjunct professor at Bentley College, struck O’Keefe with her SUV after the two had been drinking, leaving him outside where he ultimately died from hypothermia and blunt force trauma.
In contrast, the defense claimed that O’Keefe, a Boston police veteran, was killed inside the home of fellow officer Brian Albert and later moved outside. They argue Read is being framed as a "convenient outsider" to protect other law enforcement officers from scrutiny.