A jury has reached a verdict in the retrial of Karen Read, charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a collision causing death following the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The trial lasted over two months and included extensive witness testimony but lacked direct evidence, such as eyewitness accounts or video footage of the incident, which occurred during a blizzard on January 29, 2022. O’Keefe, aged 46, died from blunt force trauma to the head, with hypothermia as a contributing factor.
Prosecutors alleged Read deliberately reversed her SUV into O’Keefe, motivated by intoxication and frustration with their relationship. Analyzing data from Read’s SUV, a biomechanical engineer confirmed it had reversed at high speed, contradicting Read’s claim that she had merely dropped O’Keefe off. Although Read stated she did not hit him, her words, “I hit him,” were used against her by the prosecution. The defense argued evidence was misconstrued and highlighted law enforcement misconduct in the investigation, suggesting a need for a third-party culprit defense, which was later barred by the judge.
The defense focused on dismantling the circumstantial evidence, presenting testimony from various experts who disputed the collision’s dynamics and injuries. A snow plow driver testified he saw no sign of O’Keefe in the yard prior to the response. Notably, the retrial lacked testimony from former investigator Michael Proctor, whose biases had been previously criticized. The special prosecutor defended the strength of the physical and scientific evidence without Proctor’s input, emphasizing the case’s reliance on data and medical findings rather than reliance on questionable investigative practices.
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