Karen Read’s second murder trial has commenced regarding the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, in January 2022. The trial is presided over by Judge Beverly Cannone, who recently granted the jury a day off while legal teams finalize instructions for jurors. Testimony concluded Wednesday after the defense wrapped up questioning biomechanist Andrew Rentschler, an expert on accident reconstruction.
Throughout the eight-week trial, over 40 witnesses have testified about the circumstances leading to O’Keefe’s death, who was found lying outside the home of another officer, Brian Albert, during a severe blizzard. Read, 45, is accused of deliberately running O’Keefe over with her Lexus SUV after dropping him off at a party hosted by Albert. Prosecutors allege that Read acted out of drunken jealousy and left O’Keefe to die. She is facing charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision.
The defense has claimed that law enforcement was biased against Read and argued that the investigation did not adequately consider Albert or others present at the party. Questions have also been raised about whether O’Keefe’s injuries reliably indicate a car crash. Read’s first trial ended without a verdict, resulting in a hung jury.
Judge Cannone has denied the defense’s motions for a not-guilty verdict, asserting that there is sufficient evidence to proceed. The jury is scheduled to return for closing arguments, marking a critical moment in the trial covered closely by CourtTV since the discovery of O’Keefe’s body.
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