Latest news with #ABodyintheSnow
Tom's Guide
08-05-2025
- Tom's Guide
I'm obsessed with Max's Karen Read trial documentary — you should get on this wild ride
I believe in the Sixth Amendment. I believe people deserve a fair trial — especially when they're accused of murder. But "A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read," now streaming on Max, made me question how that's even possible when the criminal justice system is this broken. The three-part docuseries follows the 2024 trial of Karen Read, who was accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, by backing into him with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow. From the beginning, nothing about this case sat right with me. The story the state was telling didn't make sense. The evidence was flimsy. And the people building the case against Read were disturbingly close to the victim — and to each other. The series doesn't spin a conspiracy theory. It doesn't need to. It just presents the facts — and those facts are damning. This is a story about confirmation bias, conflict of interest, and a culture of protecting your own. It's about how deeply wrong things can go when the people in power decide who's guilty before the trial even begins. The facts of the case are strange. In the early morning hours of January 29, 2022, Read dropped O'Keefe off at a house party in Canton, Massachusetts, attended by fellow police officers. Hours later, his body was found on the front lawn, bloodied and covered in snow. The state argued that Read, after a fight, reversed into him while intoxicated and left him for dead. But their timeline doesn't add up — not to me, and not to the many supporters who've rallied behind Read since her arrest. If she hit him, how did he end up on the lawn? Why was there so little blood at the scene? And why did so many witnesses at the party suddenly remember helpful details months later — after talking to investigators? Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. The series introduces these questions slowly, letting the cracks in the prosecution's case widen in real time. It also highlights how investigators zeroed in on Read almost immediately — even as evidence began to suggest that O'Keefe may have been injured inside the house, possibly by a dog, before being dragged outside. A t one point, the docuseries shows footage of a federal investigator noting that no one else at the party was treated as a suspect. Not even for a second. Watching this play out, I kept coming back to one question: how is this legal? How can it be legal for the same local police department to investigate the possible involvement of their own officers and their friends? How can it be legal for a detective who was dating one of the partygoers to oversee the case? How can you have a fair trial when the people in charge of the evidence have already made up their minds? Read's defense team eventually argued that she had been framed, that O'Keefe was injured in the house and placed outside, and that a group of insiders helped cover it up. That's a huge claim. But after watching "A Body in the Snow," I don't know what to believe anymore. The only thing I'm sure of is that this was not a fair investigation. There's one moment that sums it all up. In the final episode, we see footage of the prosecutors announcing the indictment — not in a press release, not in court, but at a press conference flanked by officers, with applause erupting in the room. It felt less like a legal proceeding and more like a pep rally. And that, more than anything, told me everything I needed to know. This documentary isn't just about one woman's trial — it's about what happens when personal relationships and institutional loyalty are allowed to contaminate a criminal investigation. Whether or not Karen Read is guilty is beside the point. The documentary shows how bias, access, and unchecked power can tilt the scales of justice beyond repair. If you're someone who cares about civil rights, due process or the credibility of the legal system, "A Body in the Snow" is a must-watch. It forces you to ask: What does a fair trial really look like? And how many people are convicted without ever getting one?
USA Today
23-04-2025
- USA Today
Karen Read trial: Here's a list of podcasts, movies, shows on the death of John O'Keefe
Karen Read trial: Here's a list of podcasts, movies, shows on the death of John O'Keefe Show Caption Hide Caption John O'Keefe's family files wrongful death lawsuit against Karen Read A wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Boston police officer John O'Keefe accuses Karen Read of knowingly hitting O'Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die. Scripps News The case of Karen Read captivated the nation during her first trial last year, where she was accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, in 2022. After a hung jury was declared in July 2024, Read's case will head back to court this week for her second trial. Read has been vocal in denying the charges against her in a slew of media interviews, including a recently released docuseries on Investigation Discovery. As eyes shift back to this case, here's a list of shows, articles and podcasts you can catch up on everything that has happened so far. Karen Read case: Catch up with 'A Body in the Snow' documentary A multi-part docuseries following Read's first trial, "A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read," was released by Investigation Discovery earlier this month. It offers a comprehensive look at the case from Read herself, who is interviewed throughout the series. "Doing this film is my testimony," she said in the trailer. "I want to say what happened exactly as it happened." "A Body in the Snow" is available to stream free for Max subscribers. More: New Karen Read doc shows behind-the-scenes first trial. How to watch 'A Body in the Snow' 'Dateline,' '20/20' episodes on death of John O'Keefe NBC's "Dateline" and ABC's "20/20" have also covered the case. In October 2024, "Dateline" released "The Night of the Nor'easter," an episode featuring interviews with Read, her attorneys and even a member of the extended O'Keefe family. It is available to stream on Peacock. The month before that, "20/20" aired its episode "Karen Read: The Perfect Storm," including interviews with many people close to the case, like Read and several members of the O'Keefe family. It is available to stream on ABC or Hulu. More: 'Night of the Nor easter': How to watch Dateline's episode featuring Karen Read interview Other TV interviews on Karen Read case Local Boston television stations have also added their fair share of coverage to the case. Boston 25 News released a two-part extended interview with Karen Read last month, which is available to watch on YouTube. On the other side of the case, John O'Keefe's brother Paul O'Keefe spoke out in interviews with CBS Boston and WCVB last year. The wife and sister of Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case, broke their silence in an interview with WCVB earlier this month. Read about the Karen Read case: Vanity Fair, Patriot Ledger articles The Read case has been recounted in print as well. She gave an extensive, two-part interview to Vanity Fair last year. The Patriot Ledger is also continuing to cover the trial. The latest stories can be found below. Podcasts to listen to about Karen Read case The popular true-crime podcast "Crime Junkie" just released an episode about the O'Keefe case, which is available to listen to on its website or podcast streaming platforms. "Crime Junkie" will also be covering the second trial on YouTube. The "13th Juror" podcast also covered the case in its series, "Conspiracy in Canton," which can be streamed on YouTube. NBC10 Boston also has a daily podcast that follows the case — "Canton Confidential" is available to stream online. Melina Khan is a trending reporter for the USA TODAY Network - New England, which serves more than a dozen affiliated publications across New England. She can be reached at MKhan@
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
2 more jurors still needed as jury selection in Karen Read retrial enters 10th day
Sixteen jurors have been picked in the retrial of Karen Read, but two spots remain unfilled as jury selection in the high-profile murder cases enters its 10th day on Tuesday. Jury selection continues at 9:30 a.m. Boston 25 News will stream it live here Read, 45, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in the cold after a night of drinking. The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O'Keefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and then dragged outside and left for dead. Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone has indicated that she wants to start Read's second trial with at least 18 jurors seated. One new juror was added Monday, but another selected last week was excused, leaving the current juror count at eight men and eight women. Of the 56 prospective jurors brought in on Monday, 49 of them acknowledged they've seen, heard, or talked about the case, 24 indicated they have already formed an opinion, and four entered with bias or favor to one side or another. Cannone, along with the prosecution and defense, hopes to seat at least six alternate jurors should others leave during trial. Despite the jury selection process dragging into a third week, Read said outside the Dedham courthouse that she's not discouraged by the pace of how things have played out so far. 'I'm OK with it,' Read told reporters. 'We can use the time.' Bill Read, Karen's father, added, 'In fairness, if people have a judgment ahead of time and a bias ahead of time favorably or unfavorable toward our daughter us. My son here. I think it's in the interest of fairness and justice. I mean, that's all we want is justice.' The prosecution has also filed a new notice titled 'Intention to Introduce Extrajudicial Statements of the Defendant.' They plan to try and use interviews that Read has done against her, including her statements in the HBO Max series, 'A Body in the Snow.' Read told Boston 25′s Ted Danile that she's not concerned about the filing. She has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death. Read's first trial ended with a hung jury in July 2024. Get caught up with all the latest news in the Karen Read case. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Karen Read's true-crime documentaries may impact second trial: court docs
Karen Read's out-of-court statements, including in popular true-crime TV programs, will play a key role in her second murder trial in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, according to new court filings. Read is accused of backing her Lexus SUV into O'Keefe just after midnight on Jan. 29, 2022, then leaving him to die on the ground as a blizzard swept through New England. They had argued that morning, then spent hours drinking together and were allegedly involved in a fight outside another officer's house where an after-party was underway. She pleaded not guilty, and jurors couldn't agree by the end of her first trial last year, clearing the way for a new trial. Hank Brennan, a prominent Massachusetts defense attorney who was brought in to take charge of the case after the first trial ended in a mistrial, had previously requested subpoenas for unpublished transcripts of interviews with Read that included her statements, including remarks left on the cutting room floor for both TV and print publications. Watch 'Karen Read, Killer Or Convenient Outsider?' On Fox Nation "The defendant has made numerous statements to witnesses, first responders, medical providers, family members, and journalists, as well as recorded statements on John O'Keefe's cellphone," prosecutors wrote in a court filing unveiled Monday. "These statements range from the defendant's immediate impressions and state of mind in the minutes and hours surrounding John O'Keefe's death to crafted narrations, sometimes in the presence of counsel that recount for the defendant's version or impressions of events months and years after the murder." Read On The Fox News App Read made waves with multiple public interviews after the jury deadlocked last July, giving a magazine writer access to her former home for a weekend and sitting for multiple local and national TV interviews in which she alleged that she was being framed for O'Keefe's death by his law enforcement colleagues. More recently, she said she would've "cheered" the O.J. Simpson verdict if it were handed down today. Critics, including the relatives of the lead investigator who Massachusetts State Police fired over misconduct allegations stemming from her case, call her media tour an "unrelenting propaganda" campaign and an attempt to draw attention away from evidence against her. A separate discovery filing shows some of the Read elements that Brennan's team has turned over to her defense: They include "Dateline" and "20/20 episodes", a transcript of Read's interview for "A Body in the Snow" on HBO Max and interviews with her parents for the same true-crime docuseries. Brennan's team turned over 41 audio or video clips of interview statements but did not go into specific details about each one. Follow The Fox True Crime Team On X Prosecutors also included a copy of the recent audit of the Canton Police Department, resumes for expert witnesses and other discovery documents. Read the three filings in one PDF: Defense Lawyers Urged To Reexamine Convictions Led By Fired Karen Read Detective Both sides have agreed not to call a Boston Magazine editor to the witness stand, even though her reporting may be introduced at trial. This would exempt her from rules sequestering witnesses before they testify and allow her to continue covering the trial. She has a petition before the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to toss two of the three charges against her, arguing that while jurors never announced a verdict at the end of her first trial, they had cleared her of both second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident but got stuck on the third, manslaughter. Read faces up to life in prison if convicted on the top charge she currently faces. Jury selection continued Monday, and opening statements could happen any day once the full 12 jurors and six alternates are chosen. As of the end of the day on Monday, two spots were article source: Karen Read's true-crime documentaries may impact second trial: court docs
Fox News
15-04-2025
- Fox News
Karen Read's true-crime documentaries may impact second trial: court docs
Karen Read's out-of-court statements, including in popular true-crime TV programs, will play a key role in her second murder trial in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, according to new court filings. Read is accused of backing her Lexus SUV into O'Keefe just after midnight on Jan. 29, 2022, then leaving him to die on the ground as a blizzard swept through New England. They had argued that morning, then spent hours drinking together and were allegedly involved in a fight outside another officer's house where an after-party was underway. She pleaded not guilty, and jurors couldn't agree by the end of her first trial last year, clearing the way for a new trial. Hank Brennan, a prominent Massachusetts defense attorney who was brought in to take charge of the case after the first trial ended in a mistrial, had previously requested subpoenas for unpublished transcripts of interviews with Read that included her statements, including remarks left on the cutting room floor for both TV and print publications. "The defendant has made numerous statements to witnesses, first responders, medical providers, family members, and journalists, as well as recorded statements on John O'Keefe's cellphone," prosecutors wrote in a court filing unveiled Monday. "These statements range from the defendant's immediate impressions and state of mind in the minutes and hours surrounding John O'Keefe's death to crafted narrations, sometimes in the presence of counsel that recount for the defendant's version or impressions of events months and years after the murder." Read made waves with multiple public interviews after the jury deadlocked last July, giving a magazine writer access to her former home for a weekend and sitting for multiple local and national TV interviews in which she alleged that she was being framed for O'Keefe's death by his law enforcement colleagues. More recently, she said she would've "cheered" the O.J. Simpson verdict if it were handed down today. Critics, including the relatives of the lead investigator who Massachusetts State Police fired over misconduct allegations stemming from her case, call her media tour an "unrelenting propaganda" campaign and an attempt to draw attention away from evidence against her. A separate discovery filing shows some of the Read elements that Brennan's team has turned over to her defense: They include "Dateline" and "20/20 episodes", a transcript of Read's interview for "A Body in the Snow" on HBO Max and interviews with her parents for the same true-crime docuseries. Brennan's team turned over 41 audio or video clips of interview statements but did not go into specific details about each one. Prosecutors also included a copy of the recent audit of the Canton Police Department, resumes for expert witnesses and other discovery documents. Read the three filings in one PDF: Both sides have agreed not to call a Boston Magazine editor to the witness stand, even though her reporting may be introduced at trial. This would exempt her from rules sequestering witnesses before they testify and allow her to continue covering the trial. She has a petition before the U.S. Supreme Court asking it to toss two of the three charges against her, arguing that while jurors never announced a verdict at the end of her first trial, they had cleared her of both second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident but got stuck on the third, manslaughter. Read faces up to life in prison if convicted on the top charge she currently faces. Jury selection continued Monday, and opening statements could happen any day once the full 12 jurors and six alternates are chosen. As of the end of the day on Monday, two spots were open.
