Defense to begin calling witnesses in Karen Read retrial. Follow live updates.
Defense to begin presenting its case — 8:44 a.m.
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By Travis Andersen, Globe Staff
Testimony resumes Friday in Karen Read's murder retrial, with her defense team slated to begin presenting its case in Norfolk Superior Court.
Prosecutors rested their case Thursday.
Read, 45, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges for allegedly backing her SUV in a drunken rage into her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, early on Jan. 29, 2022, after dropping him off outside a home on Fairview Road in Canton following a night of bar-hopping.
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Her lawyers say she was framed and that O'Keefe entered the house, owned at the time by a fellow Boston police officer, where he was fatally beaten and possibly mauled by a German Shepherd before his body was planted on the front lawn.
Read's first trial ended with a hung jury in July and she remains free on bail.
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Boston Globe
35 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Testimony resumes in Karen Read retrial. Follow live updates.
Testimony resumes Wednesday — 8:39 a.m. .cls-1{clip-path:url(#clippath);}.cls-2,.cls-3{fill:none;}.cls-2,.cls-3,.cls-4{stroke-width:0px;}.cls-5{clip-path:url(#clippath-1);}.cls-3{clip-rule:evenodd;} Link copied By Travis Andersen Testimony resumes Wednesday in Karen Read's murder retrial in Norfolk Superior Court Jurors on Tuesday heard testimony from Dighton police officer Nicholas Barros, who testified that when he saw Read's Lexus SUV outside her parents' residence, just one section of the right side of her taillight was missing, whereas a photo of the taillight later at the Canton police garage showed more extensive damage. Advertisement Barros initially told prosecutor Hank Brennan that he mentioned the difference when he testified at Read's first trial last year. But after Brennan showed him a transcript of that testimony, he acknowledged he didn't mention it. 'I know what I saw,' Barros told Brennan. 'And that wasn't it.' Read, 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder for allegedly backing her SUV in a drunken rage into her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, early on Jan. 29, 2022, after dropping him off outside a home on Fairview Road following a night of bar-hopping. Her lawyers say she was framed and that O'Keefe entered the house, owned at the time by a fellow Boston police officer, where he was fatally beaten and possibly mauled by a German Shepherd before his body was planted on the front lawn. Advertisement Read's first trial ended in a hung jury and she remains free on bail.
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Severity of damage to Karen Read's taillight comes into question during testimony of Dighton officer
Fireworks on the stand during the retrial of Karen Read after a Dighton Police officer testified Read's taillight wasn't damaged that bad before it was seized by Massachusetts State Police troopers. Dighton Police Sergeant Nicholas Barros said Read's taillight had damage, but not to the extent of what pictures presented in court showed. 'That was the black Lexus,' he said. 'That was not the taillight the day I was there.' Barros described seeing a hole about the size of a dollar bill before State Troopers seized the Lexus from Read's parents Dighton home. 'Did you see anybody from the State Police in any way tamper with that vehicle?' Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan asked on cross. 'I did not,' Barros replied. Barros appeared confident with his memory until Brennan began peppering him with questions. 'Would be fair to say, based on all the additional information you've read and seen, had some effect on your memory?' Brennan questioned. 'I guess,' Barros said. 'His testimony hasn't changed,' Karen Read said outside court. 'He was subpoenaed by the prosecution and said it was damaged and not completely broken a year ago and then he said that again today.' More fireworks during the testimony of the defense's dog bite expert Dr. Marie Russel, when Read's lawyer Robert Alessi demanded a mistrial over the prosecutor's questioning. Alessi argued that Brennan brought up the absence of dog DNA on O'Keefe's clothing when it wasn't in evidence. Brennan pushed back. 'It might be hurtful for the defendant's theories, for the creation they portrayed, for this jury yesterday,' he said. 'But it is not improper.' Judge Beverly Cannone sided with Brennan and rejected the mistrial request. Russell was asked about statements Read has made about a possible collision with O'Keefe. Russell said people suffer something called 'acute grief reaction,' where they blame themselves when bad things happen. Outside of court, Read was asked if she will take the stand. She said she has mixed feelings and did not give a 'yes' or 'no' response. A plow driver is expected to testify on Wednesday. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
17 hours ago
Judge denies Karen Read another mistrial in killing of boyfriend
Judge Beverly Cannone denied Karen Read a mistrial in her second murder trial in the killing of her cop boyfriend John O'Keefe on Tuesday. Attorneys for Karen Read asked the judge to declare a mistrial with prejudice in her second murder trial after prosecutors questioned a defense witness over whether she was aware no dog DNA was found on O'Keefe's sweater from the night of the murder, in an attempt to discredit the defense's theory. Dog bite expert and forensic pathologist Dr. Marie Russell testified that markings on O'Keefe's arm were caused by dog bites and scratches, supporting the defense's claim that O'Keefe was attacked by a dog and beaten by other parties before being thrown out into the snow the night of the murder. Prosecutors -- for the first time in this trial -- admitted O'Keefe's sweater into evidence and cited a forensics report that said there was no evidence of dog DNA. Prosecutors have alleged Read hit O'Keefe with her car outside the home of fellow police officer Brian Albert -- causing the marks on his arm -- then left him there to die during a major blizzard. Read is accused of killing O'Keefe in 2022. Read is charged with second degree murder, manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under the influence and leaving a scene of personal injury and death. She has denied the allegations and maintained her innocence. Read's first murder trial ended in a mistrial after the jury was unable to reach a verdict. At least four jurors who served on her first trial last year confirmed she was found not guilty of murder and leaving the scene. The prosecution rested last week and the defense began presenting its case. On Tuesday, prosecutors introduced evidence -- O'Keefe's sweatshirt from the night of the murder -- to the defense's expert witness, asking her if she was aware that holes in the arm of the sweatshirt had been swabbed for traces of dog DNA. The evidence had not been previously presented to this jury. Before she could answer, the defense objected. After a short sidebar between attorneys and the judge, the jury was removed from the courtroom. After the jury and the witness on the stand -- Russell -- left the courtroom, Read's defense team requested the judge declare a mistrial with prejudice. "Attorney Brennan -- just with regard to Dr. Russell -- in open court, in front of the jury, used the concept of DNA in this case. He has introduced it and brought it in for the very first time in front of the jury. He has done so intentionally," defense Attorney Robert Alessi said Tuesday. "Based upon that intentional mention, the defense moves strongly, vigorously for a mistrial with prejudice," Alessi said. Lawyers for Read argued that during this trial, prosecutors did not call a witness who, in her first trial, testified about the testing of DNA evidence. "For whatever reason, the prosecution has chosen not to bring that witness in who would testify, perhaps to DNA. As a result of that strategic decision that the prosecution made, there's been no mention," Alessi said. The defense said that it has purposefully not mentioned DNA in the trial so far and it is not permissible for prosecutors to present it now. "The prosecution has put in the jury's mind that topic. That is irremediable. That cannot be reversed," Alessi said. "The prosecution has to suffer the consequences of its own intentional actions of bringing up that topic," Alessi said. "The only remedy is a mistrial with prejudice." Prosecutors claimed they had always planned on bringing an expert to discuss DNA on rebuttal and argued that asking the defense's witness about the presence of dog DNA is permissible and essential. "The defense is on notice that there is no dog DNA in the sweater of John O'Keefe," prosecutor Hank Brennan said in court Tuesday. Alessi argued that there was no swabbing of the wounds in O'Keefe's right arm for DNA. He also argued that there is a series of concerns about the chain of custody of O'Keefe's sweater. O'Keefe's sweater was "left on the floor of the ambulance, left on the floor of the hospital, carried around by Mr. Proctor for weeks maybe even months, not submitted for testing for months," Alessi said. "There are huge issues that prevent a fair determination about whether there was even proper determination of whether there was DNA or not," Alessi said. Prosecutors argued that the defense had brought up DNA evidence in previous hearings in the case, making it permissible for them to ask a witness about DNA. After a short recess, the judge allowed prosecutors to continue questioning the witness about the presence of DNA evidence in the sweater. Russell testified that there are many reasons why there was no evidence of dog DNA in testing, but said the report stating there is no evidence of dog DNA does not change her determination that a dog caused the marks on O'Keefe's arm.
