Karen Read trial updates: 'Unavoidable circumstances' derail day 15
Witness testimony in the second murder trial of Karen Read will not occur on May 13 as expected, a court spokesperson announced.
The trial of the Massachusetts woman accused of hitting her police officer boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him for dead was expected to enter its 15th day, but "unavoidable circumstances" paused the court proceedings, Jennifer Donahue, a spokesperson for Massachusetts state courts, said in an email without providing additional details.
Prosecutors were expected to call their next witness after Massachusetts State Trooper Yuri Bukhenik wrapped up his testimony on May 12 following three days on the stand. He told the court that her broken taillight led police to suspect 45-year-old Read of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Office John O'Keefe, with her Lexus.
Additionally, Bukhenik, a witness for the prosecution, said he was told by first responders at the scene that Read had said "I hit him," referring to O'Keefe. This alleged admission, along with the taillight, went on to "form the case" police had put together against Read, Bukhenik said.
Prosecutors say Read deliberately hit O'Keefe, 46, outside the home of a fellow cop and left him for dead in a drunken rage. Read's lawyers say she was framed for O'Keefe's murder and, in opening statements, said the investigation was riddled with error, bias, incompetence and deceit.
Her first trial in 2024 ended in a hung jury.
In response to Bukheinik's testimony, Read's defense attorney launched a tense cross-examination and grilled Bukhenik about the integrity of his investigation and his former subordinate, Michael Proctor, who sent crude text messages during the case and was fired in March for unrelated reasons.
Read's case in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, has turned into a yearslong whodunnit legal saga that has captivated true-crime fans across the country, spurring an array of podcasts, movies, and television shows.
Her trial has drawn supporters from both sides of the case and led Judge Beverly Cannone to issue an order barring people from demonstrating within 200 feet of the courthouse.
The first full day of testimony began April 23. Cannone estimated the trial could last between six and eight weeks. It's unclear how many additional witnesses will testify.
(This story has been updated to add new information.)
Contributing: Michael Loria and N'dea Yancey-Bragg
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Karen Read trial: Day 15 plans derailed by sudden postponement
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Jane also found another sex worker named Anton through the same site. She alleged Williams later threatened to sell a tape of the two of them having sex and extorted her not to release it. Jane said Combs was "livid" and told her to call the police, but she didn't out of fear. On June 10, Jane said she, Combs and one of the escorts they allegedly hired used the nickname "trifecta" when they had sex. Jane claimed she was Kobe Bryant; Paul, the entertainer, was Shaquille O'Neal; and Combs was Michael Jordan. Jane said she frequently called Paul, the escort, her "boyfriend" and called Paul and Combs her "boys." While being cross-examined on June 10, Jane said she became worried Combs was struggling with substance use early in their relationship while they were on a trip to Turks and Caicos. She said Combs' eyes were jaundiced, his gums were gray from alleged drug use and his hands were shaking from what she believed was alcohol withdrawal. Jane said she suggested they go to Thailand, where there was a facility with a 30-day program, to which Combs allegedly responded, "What the hell, you think I need rehab?" "I felt that I encountered somebody that was overdoing the partying," Jane said, adding she would now call Combs a drug addict. She said she wanted "him to get back to his natural form and natural state." Combs' attorneys have once again had their push for a mistrial in his sex-crimes case denied. The embattled music mogul's legal team's latest request for a mistrial has been rejected by Judge Arun Subramanian. Combs' lawyers had renewed a motion for a mistrial due to alleged prosecutorial misconduct in a letter to the judge dated June 7. Combs' lawyers' latest push for a mistrial centered around testimony from Bryana "Bana" Bongolan, a friend of Ventura Fine. Bongolan testified about an incident where Combs allegedly held her up on a balcony in Ventura Fine's Los Angeles apartment in September 2016. Combs is facing federal sex-crimes and trafficking charges in a sprawling case that has eroded his status as a power player and kingmaker in the entertainment industry. He was arrested in September 2024 and later charged with racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. The rapper has pleaded not guilty to the five counts against him. Racketeering is the participation in an illegal scheme under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Statute, or RICO, as a way for the U.S. government to prosecute organizations that contribute to criminal activity. Using RICO law, which is typically aimed at targeting multi-person criminal organizations, prosecutors allege that Combs coerced victims, some of whom they say were sex workers, through intimidation and narcotics to participate in "freak offs" — sometimes dayslong sex performances that federal prosecutors allege they have video of. The trial will not be televised, as cameras are typically not allowed in federal criminal trial proceedings. USA TODAY will be reporting live from the courtroom. Sign up for our newsletter for more updates. Contributing: USA TODAY staff If you are a survivor of sexual assault, RAINN offers support through the National Sexual Assault Hotline at (4673) and and en Español If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text "START" to 88788. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Diddy trial recap: Jane testifies he forced her to have sex with 3 men
