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Politico
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Politico
Two Kraft campaign advisers exit
CAMPAIGN SHAKEUP — Two of the four Boston-based strategists who joined Josh Kraft's mayoral campaign in its early days exited the operation earlier this month. Chanda Smart, the co-founder of OnyxGroup Development and Realty and Ann Chinchilla DeGeorge, who previously worked on former District Attorney Rachel Rollins' campaign and for City Councilor Julia Mejia, confirmed they are no longer working with Kraft's campaign as of earlier this month. Smart declined to comment further. Chinchilla DeGeorge said she wishes Kraft the best. Eileen O'Connor, a spokesperson for Kraft's campaign, said in a statement that the 'campaign decided to honor earlier agreements to pay them each through November 4, and wish them the best.' In a post on Facebook last week, Chinchilla DeGeorge wrote that Kraft is 'a great guy and a friend,' but added that she does 'not agree with his campaign leadership team's direction and strategy.' Kraft's campaign announced on Feb. 7 that Chinchilla DeGeorge and Smart would be joining the operation, shortly after Kraft officially launched his campaign. 'Assembling a diverse and talented team is going to be critical to the success of our campaign,' Kraft said in a statement at the time, after announcing that Chinchilla DeGeorge, Smart and two other longtime Boston political strategists — Jacquetta Van Zandt and Michael Kineavy, who are both still with the campaign — would be advising Kraft. 'I'm thrilled that Chanda, Jacquetta, Ann, and Michael have agreed to join the campaign,' Kraft said in the February announcement. 'We are assembling a team that have deep and meaningful connections in the communities throughout the city and are as good at listening as they are at talking.' GOOD MONDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. As members of Massachusetts' all-Democratic congressional delegation are home in their districts for their summer recess, expect to hear a whole lot of criticism of the so-called One Big Beautiful Bill — and probably a little about the Epstein files fracas that's dogged the White House for the past few weeks. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark laid out Democrats' plan of action for the next few weeks during an interview on WCVB's 'On the Record' that aired Sunday. 'Our focus is going to be on what this bill is going to do to the American people … and our view for the future,' Clark said. Expect to see Democrats holding town halls warning about changes to Medicaid and Social Security. Epstein, Clark said, won't be 'the focus of our days of action.' But 'it is part of the story of choosing to make the winner's circle in this country very small.' TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attend the 50th anniversary Cabo Verdean Independence Celebration at 11:30 a.m. and meet with Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano at 2 p.m. at the State House. Driscoll attends the groundbreaking of the Residences at East Milton at 9:30 a.m. in Milton. Rep. Richard Neal celebrates the 60th anniversary of President Lyndon Johnson signing the Medicare and Medicaid Act into law at 11 a.m. in Wilbraham. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu announces grant funding that will be awarded to four community-led organizations at 10:30 a.m. in Dorchester. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ DATELINE BEACON HILL — Healey makes waves naming hospital lobbyist to HPC board by Chris Lisinski, State House News Service: 'After several days of fielding criticism about the move behind the scenes, Gov. Maura Healey on Friday named the state's top hospital lobbyist to a position at the regulatory agency that oversees virtually all major health care decisions — including those directly affecting his clients — in Massachusetts. Healey appointed six people to the Health Policy Commission's board of directors, including Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association President Steve Walsh, punctuating a flood of hand-wringing from business leaders, health care advocates and other segments of the industry worried about a potential conflict of interest. The Healey administration defended the selection of Walsh, saying he fulfills a statutory requirement for a member of the HPC's board to come from a hospital background.' — Tarr seeks expanded background checks for child care workers by Christian M. Wade, The Eagle-Tribune: 'A group of Republican lawmakers are pushing for 'expanded' criminal background checks of people working for licensed daycare and early education providers, saying the Healey administration isn't doing enough to screen foreign workers. The legislation, filed by Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr and four other GOP lawmakers, would require the state Department of Early Education and Care to expand background checks for job applicants who have lived outside of the United States in the previous five years, and gather 'to the maximum feasible extent' criminal record information from other countries.' FROM THE HUB — Fenway Park workers strike for third day amid contract dispute with Aramark by Maria Probert, The Boston Globe: 'As Boston Red Sox fans, wearing bright red ponchos and raincoats, crowded Fenway Park on Sunday for the third game in a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, chants from a nearby strike by Fenway concession workers could be heard from inside. … On the third day of the strike Sunday, some visitors obliged, stopping to buy and eat hot dogs outside, or eating lunch at a restaurant before heading to the game. But inside the park, it was business as usual as others opted to buy Fenway Franks at concession stands ran by replacement workers.' — South End neighborhood group calls for greater Mass and Cass policing, propose National Guard deployment by Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald: 'South End residents upped calls for a greater response to drug use stemming from the Mass and Cass area in a regular neighborhood group meeting, with proposing the deployment of the National Guard and decentralizing needle exchanges.' THE RACE FOR CITY HALL — Does mayoral candidate Rudy Alves live in Taunton? Elections head wants answers by Emma Rindlisbacher, The Taunton Daily Gazette: 'Rude 'Rudy' Alves is running for mayor in Taunton, and is registered to vote in Taunton at 68 Tremont St., according to information about candidates from the Taunton website. However, Taunton Elections Director Mark Pacheco raised questions at a Tuesday, July 23, 2025, elections commission meeting regarding whether Alves actually resides in Taunton. Pacheco said that on June 6, 2025, Alves had told elections department staff members: 'You guys know I never really lived in Taunton, right?' Pacheco said that he was not in the office when Alves made that comment, but that the comment had been heard by multiple staff members.' KENNEDY COMPOUND LAYING THE GROUNDWORK — The New York Times is out with a profile of former Rep. Joe Kennedy III, who's been spending his time out of the spotlight building up grassroots resistance in places few Democrats dare venture (deep-red states) through the Groundwork Project, an organization he founded in 2021. In addition to unpacking his organizing efforts in states like Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and West Virginia, Kennedy reflected on his past: 'Losing sucks,' he told The Times. 'But I made the decision to try to build something that keeps you engaged and energized.' And he ruminated on his political future: 'The question is, is what I would get out of going back into elective office worth the sacrifice that I asked my family to go through again?' Kennedy told The Times. 'I'm 44. … And at some point down the road, I wouldn't necessarily rule anything out.' FROM THE DELEGATION — Ed Markey, Ayanna Pressley renew push for fare-free MBTA, public transit by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'U.S. Sen. Ed Markey and Rep. Ayanna Pressley refiled legislation that seeks to make public transportation fare-free for all users. … First introduced in 2020, the Freedom to Move Act would seek to make public transportation, including the MBTA, free by establishing a $5 billion competitive grant program to support state and local fare-free efforts, investing in infrastructure and safety improvements, particularly in low-income communities, and ensuring grant recipients use funds to address equity gaps in transit systems.' FROM THE 413 — A personnel action rocks a Springfield councilor … and possibly her reelection bid by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: 'The political ecosystem in Ward 1 in Springfield received a jolt Saturday when the ward's incumbent city councilor lost her job amid serious, yet cryptic allegations. In a late afternoon press release, the New North Citizens Council (NNCC) announced it had terminated its housing chief, Maria Perez. Perez has served as the Ward 1 City Councilor since 2022. The brusque, shocking release all but accuses Perez of misappropriating NNCC funds, including those it received from the federal government by way of City Hall. More concretely, it alleges Perez had misused the nonprofit's funds for 'political purposes.' The release indicates it came to its conclusions after an internal review and had filed a complaint with the state Ethics Commission.' WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — Will 4th ex-cop implicated in Sandra Birchmore case be decertified? Why he might not be by Amelia Stern, The Brockton Enterprise: 'An attorney representing Joshua Heal — an ex-cop accused of having a sexual encounter with Sandra Birchmore when he was the animal control officer in Stoughton and lying about it — said at a Massachusetts Peace Officer Standards and Training Commission hearing that his client has no interest in working again as a police officer. … The Commission, an agency responsible for certifying officers in the state, will determine through its proceedings if Heal should be allowed to voluntarily let his certification expire or if he should be decertified.' — Absenteeism rates are 50 percent higher than they were pre-pandemic. Here are six ideas to get kids back in class. by Christopher Huffaker, The Boston Globe: 'Chronic absenteeism — missing 10 percent or more of school — surged to unheard-of levels in Massachusetts and across the country amid the pandemic. Despite educators' efforts to get kids back in class, absenteeism rates remain 50 percent higher than pre-pandemic, elevated in districts large and small, rich and poor.' — What happens when a Yankee progressive and Southern conservative team up? More housing, they hope. by John L. Micek, MassLive. — Gateway City leaders prepare for federal cuts, changes to Medicaid by Hallie Claflin, CommonWealth Beacon. — Last year a tax credit helped build 23 workforce rental homes on Nantucket. It's back. by Zane Razzaq, Cape Cod Times. MEANWHILE IN NEW HAMPSHIRE 2026 WATCH — Out-of-state politicians swinging through New Hampshire have already sparked some 2028 chatter, but Republican Rep. Nancy Mace indicated Friday she has her sights set on 2026. At the New England Council's 'Politics and Eggs' event Friday, Mace nodded to New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary status, while hinting that she could announce a bid for governor in South Carolina. 'Not only do you pick presidents, maybe you can pick the next South Carolina governor today, because we're going to be announcing our run very shortly, potentially, for that as well,' she said during the event in Manchester. The official decision could be coming soon: Mace told Fox News over the weekend that a decision could come in the next couple of days. SPEAKING OF 2028 — Sen. Ruben Gallego is heading to New Hampshire next month, WMUR first reported this morning. The Arizona Democrat has already traveled to Pennsylvania and is stopping in Iowa (another early voting state) next month. Gallego is slated to join a town hall with Rep. Maggie Goodlander (D-N.H.), a fundraiser for New Hampshire Democratic Senate hopeful Rep. Chris Pappas and will take part in his own 'Politics & Eggs' event, per WMUR. HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH NATIONAL STAGE — Gov. Maura Healey was elected to the National Governors Association's executive committee over the weekend, along with Govs. Jared Polis of Colorado, Josh Green of Hawaii, Mike Braun of Indiana, Jeff Landry of Louisiana, Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico, and Bill Lee of Tennessee. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to Beata Coloyan, Ayla Brown and to Northampton City Councilor Stanley Moulton.
Politico
4 days ago
- Politics
- Politico
Republicans meet the new media
VERY ONLINE — — Looking to woo their voting base with more than a year to go before people head to the polls, Massachusetts Republicans are turning to non-traditional media outlets to get their message out. Republican gubernatorial hopeful Mike Kennealy kicked things off with a written Q&A on X last month with an anti-Michelle Wu social media account that's amassed more than 45,000 followers, and fellow GOP challenger Brian Shortsleeve wasn't far behind with his own. Both have also turned to panels and interviews with Mike Urban, a realtor who has taken to talking about politics on his YouTube show. 'We're seeing a real shift in media and how media works to get your message out, especially this early in the campaign,' GOP strategist Wendy Wakeman told Playbook. The podcasters and social media personalities Republican candidates have been courting 'really speak to a conservative audience, and that is the pond that our candidates want to be fishing in at the moment.' Several conservative influencers have popped up in recent years and their popularity has exploded online, while the number and depth of local news outlets has dwindled. The goal, Kennealy campaign spokesperson Logan Trupiano said, is to meet voters where they are, and those influencers are 'speaking directly to Republican voters and talking about issues that are important to them that aren't necessarily covered in legacy media.' Shortsleeve sees it as a way to use 'all means possible … to get out our positive message of reducing utility bills, lowering the tax burden, growing jobs, auditing the legislature, and ending the costly migrant crisis,' he said in a statement. It's a key demographic Republican candidates will need to win over if they want to make it out of the primary next year. And it's a voting base that's lost trust in mainstream media, Wakeman pointed out. 'For a long time, conservatives have been claiming bias in the media, and that sort of general feeling among conservatives has given rise to these new media people who look at the issues and look at the debate with a similar eye toward the outcome as our candidates do,' Wakeman said. GOOD FRIDAY MORNING, MASSACHUSETTS. Happy Friday! TODAY — Gov. Maura Healey has no public events. Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll attends the High School Summer Career Academy in AI at 10:30 a.m. in Burlington. Rep. Seth Moulton speaks at a ribbon cutting to highlight an initiative to clean King's Beach at 10 a.m. in Swampscott. THIS WEEKEND — Rep. Seth Moulton is on NBC 10 Boston Weekend Today at 9:30 a.m. Sunday. Democratic Whip Katherine Clark is on WCVB's 'On the Record' at 11 a.m. Sunday. Have a tip, story, suggestion, birthday, anniversary, new job, or any other nugget for the Playbook? Drop me a line: kgarrity@ MORNING MONEY: CAPITAL RISK — POLITICO's flagship financial newsletter has a new Friday edition built for the economic era we're living in: one shaped by political volatility, disruption and a wave of policy decisions with sector-wide consequences. Each week, Morning Money: Capital Risk brings sharp reporting and analysis on how political risk is moving markets and how investors are adapting. Want to know how health care regulation, tariffs, or court rulings could ripple through the economy? Start here. DATELINE BEACON HILL — ADL says it's tracking group that took credit for State House vandalism by Alison Kuznitz, State House News Service: 'An anti-Zionist group claimed responsibility for the overnight vandalism at the State House gate Wednesday that drew a swarm of FBI agents to the scene, ADL New England reported. 'We are deeply concerned by the escalating activity of an extreme anti-Zionist group in Boston which has taken responsibility for last night's vandalism of the MA State House with paint and feces,' ADL New England said in a social media post late Wednesday afternoon without specifying the name of the group.' FROM THE HUB — Driverless cars run into resistance at Boston City Council by Saraya Wintersmith, GBH News: 'Boston officials Thursday showed a mix of skepticism and opposition to driverless cars, suggesting that Waymo and other driverless car companies looking to operate in the city may struggle to get the green light. The comments came across a pair of events including a rally organized by the App Drivers Union, Teamsters Local 25 and other labor groups, and a four-hour city council committee hearing on autonomous vehicles potentially operating in Boston. Multiple voices slammed the presumed threat to rideshare jobs and to drivers who depend on that income.' AT MASS & CASS — After the Boston Guardian reported earlier this week that a pair of Boston Globe reporters had to flee an incident at the intersection of Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard, Boston Globe editor Nancy Barnes sent out an email to the newsroom addressing security, per Media Nation's Dan Kennedy. RELATED — Squatter treats South End family's empty home as hotel as Boston's Mass and Cass spillover escalates by Gayla Cawley, Boston Herald: 'A South End family already grappling with Mass and Cass spillover was horrified to learn that a homeless intruder squatted in their home while they were away last weekend — bathing, eating their food, and sleeping in the main bedroom.' MIGRANTS IN MASSACHUSETTS — New Bedford Market Basket suspends 47 immigrants after I-9 audit by Kevin G. Andrade, The New Bedford Light: 'Market Basket suspended dozens of workers from its store on Sawyer Street this week – a direct result of recent 'operations' by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. According to the Centro Comunitario de Trabajadores, 47 workers at the New Bedford Market Basket were let go this week shortly after being asked to give Social Security cards they originally used to get their jobs. A spokesperson for Market Basket confirmed that it was the result of an ICE action.' — How rumored and real ICE activity has impacted local schools by Carrie Jung, WBUR. PLANES, TRAINS AND AUTOMOBILES — On massive bridge project for North Station trains, T chief 'confident' federal cash will come through by Jaime Moore-Carrillo, The Boston Globe: 'MBTA officials on Thursday said the agency is chugging along with the rehabilitation of an aging and essential segment of Massachusetts' rail network despite concerns about the fate of federal funding for the project. The agency's board of directors agreed to pay design consultancy HDR Inc. about $62 million over seven years to help manage the reconstruction of North Station Draw One, an almost century-old bridge traversing the Charles River. The bridge's two moveable spans link North Station to the entire northern half of the Commuter Rail and Amtrak's Downeaster line.' FROM THE DELEGATION ON THE ROAD — Sen. Elizabeth Warren is hitting the trail during Congress' August recess. She's among the high-profile Democrats heading to GOP districts to headline rallies as part of the 'Won't Back Down Tour,' a project of the political action arm of the left-leaning grassroots advocacy group MoveOn, POLITICO's Cassandra Dumay reports. — Markey and McGovern meet Khalil again, this time, far from a prison by Matt Szafranski, Western Mass Politics & Insight: 'Just over a month after a judge released him, Columbia University protester Mahmoud Khalil came to Capitol Hill to lobby on behalf of Palestinians. Of course, the context of Khalil's visit was not just the war in Gaza he had opposed as a student. Donald Trump and cronies had imprisoned Khalil, a lawful permanent resident with US citizen family, for his activism at Columbia after the war broke out. Among those Khalil met were members of the 413's delegation including Senator Ed Markey and 2nd Massachusetts District Rep James McGovern. Markey, McGovern and Boston Representative Ayanna Pressley had visited Khalil and Tufts student Ruymesa Ozturk at federal detention camps in Louisiana.' FROM THE 413 — Amherst seeks residents for Black Reparations Committee via the Daily Hampshire Gazette: 'With almost $600,000 in the town's Reparations Stabilization Fund, town officials are preparing to name residents to the Amherst Black Reparations Committee that will guide how money is disbursed to confront harms caused by support in town for slavery and post-reconstruction discrimination. The seven-member committee has a mission to make recommendations to the Town Council on priority areas for spending from the fund, likely drawing from the contents of the African Heritage Reparation Assembly's final report from 2023.' THE LOCAL ANGLE — Methuen mayor calls for Market Basket to end 'drama,' reinstate Arthur T. by Molly Farrar, 'The mayor of Methuen is calling on the Market Basket board to bring back Artie T., the popular CEO who was placed on paid leave amid alleged family drama. … Mayor D.J. Beauregard sent a letter to the board of Demoulas Super Markets, or Market Basket, Thursday calling on the leaders to end the 'drama' and 'the corporate chess.' Methuen has two Market Basket stores, he notes.' — Bourne Bridge replacement money raised as a concern at community forum in Sandwich by Rachael Devaney, Cape Cod Times: 'Anxiety and fear about plans for the completion of the Cape Cod bridges replacement project seemed to suck the air out of the Middle-High School auditorium Monday during the second quarterly community forum held by the state Department of Transportation. … As currently planned in the $4 billion project, the single Sagamore Bridge will be replaced first by two bridges, one for northbound traffic and one for southbound. Likewise, the single Bourne Bridge is to be replaced with two bridges. But questions about funding for the Bourne Bridge and continued concern about 13 homes and three commercial properties in Bourne that will be taken by the state for the new Sagamore Bridge dominated discussions at the forum.' WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD BE READING — Fire departments across Massachusetts fail to meet staffing standards, union survey shows by Patrick Madden, WBUR: 'Nearly all Massachusetts fire departments fail to meet national standards for staffing fire trucks, based on a survey of local unions launched after the deadly Fall River fire. Firefighters across the state say they're worried they don't have enough people to handle the next big fire.' — WBZ offers buyouts to photographers, engineers, as longtime reporter Beth Germano announces retirement by Nick Stoico, The Boston Globe: 'WBZ-TV has offered buyouts to several of its photographers and engineers, their union confirmed Thursday, a day after Dr. Mallika Marshall, an Emmy-winning health reporter at the station, announced she'd been laid off. Beth Germano, another longtime reporter at WBZ, said Thursday she will retire next month after almost 30 years at the Boston news station. Fletcher Fischer, business manager and financial secretary for IBEW Local 1228, said the news station is offering buyouts to six photographers and three people in the engineering department. The union currently represents 36 workers at WBZ, which is owned by CBS, he said.' HEARD 'ROUND THE BUBBLAH TRANSITIONS — Juliette Chandler is now deputy comms director for Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi's (D-Ill.) Senate campaign. She was digital director and press secretary for Rep. Lori Trahan. HAPPY BIRTHDAY — to state Rep. Hannah Kane, the Boston Globe's Sean Cotter and Milton Valencia, former World Bank president Robert Zoellick, Amanda McGowan, Andrew Feldman, Alan Chartock and David Marx. HAPPY BIRTHWEEKEND — to NAIOP CEO Tamara Small and Hadley Holmes, who celebrate Saturday; and to Sunday birthday-ers Mike Cusher, Linda Feldmann, Anna Fletcher and Miles Ketchum
New York Post
6 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
8 choir kids have mysterious seizures during church performance
Eight children who are part of a renowned French youth choir were rushed to a hospital in Massachusetts after they started mysteriously experiencing seizure-like symptoms during a church performance. The youngsters, ages 11 to 13, were giving the free performance at St. Paul's Church in Cambridge on Tuesday night when one of them suddenly became sickened by a smell and had trouble breathing, authorities said. By the time first responders arrived at the church, multiple other kids were also experiencing similar symptoms. Advertisement The children, ages 11 to 13, were giving the free performance at St. Paul's Church in Cambridge, Mass., when one of them suddenly became sickened by a smell and had trouble breathing, authorities said. Cambridge, MA Fire Department 'This was somewhat unusual,' the city's fire Chief Thomas Cahill told WCVB at the scene. 'It was a routine medical call that quickly escalated into transporting eight children to the hospital. Not common.' Advertisement Photos from the scene showed fire crews carrying some of the kids away from the church. A hazmat crew carried out a subsequent sweep of the building but no out-of-the-ordinary readings or smells were detected. Photos from the scene showed fire crews carrying some of the kids away from the church. Cambridge, MA Fire Department 'At this time we are not sure of what caused the reaction,' Cahill said, adding that the building was quickly ventilated. Advertisement Roughly 70 others who attended the concert reported no symptoms, authorities said. The children, who are members of the Chœur d'Enfants d'Île-de-France choir from Paris, are currently doing a tour of the US. 'Founded in 1970, the youth choir has travelled extensively and performed with some of the world's top conductors and soloist,' the church said in a social media post advertising the concernt. 'The concert will feature and exciting mix of sacred and secular repertoire, as well as popular French songs.'
Boston Globe
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
John Lawn, Watertown state lawmaker, pleads not guilty to drunken driving charge
Lawn, wearing a checkered navy blue suit, did not speak during his brief arraignment in Boston Municipal Court in downtown Boston. A judge said he cannot drive, and set Aug. 1 for his next court appearance. Lawn told responding officers that 'I am a state rep,' and that he was coming from an event at the State House when he was arrested, according to According to a heavily redacted report Boston Police released Wednesday, officers found Lawn sitting in his heavily damaged GMC Yukon near the corner of Beacon and Bowdoin streets after a bystander flagged down officers. Advertisement The bystander told police that he saw Lawn's SUV strike another vehicle on nearby Hancock Street, and drive away. He said he followed Lawn's vehicle, which ran a pair of stop signs before stopping at a red light near Beacon Street, according to the report. The bystander told police he got out of his car and tried to speak with Lawn, but that Lawn drove off when the light turned green. Lawn later stopped on Bowdoin Street, where police said his SUV had 'extreme damage to the passenger side front wheel.' Police said they also found pieces of his SUV's passenger side bumper on Hancock Street. Advertisement Police said Lawn's eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and his speech was slurred, according to the report. 'You know what I'd rather do, I want to take an Uber and go home,' he told police when asked to take a breathalyzer, according to WCVB. In a statement Wednesday, Lawn called the incident 'completely unacceptable,' said he 'deeply regret[s] and take[s] full responsibility' for his actions. 'I make no excuses,' he said. 'I am committed to taking the necessary steps to ensure that nothing like this ever happens again. To my family, friends, and constituents, I have let you down, and for that I am deeply sorry.' Lawn has represented parts of Newton, Waltham, and Watertown since 2011, and has served as chair of the Legislature's powerful health care financing committee since 2021. Matt Stout can be reached at
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Yahoo
Karen Read juror leaned guilty through trial. Here's what changed her mind
Going into jury deliberations for Karen Read's second murder trial, the outcome of acquittal was anything but certain. At least one juror told interviewers afterwards that she was leaning toward guilty as she met with her fellow jurors to deliberate. Janet Jimenez, in an interview with WCVB, told the news outlet that she had filled up a notebook and a half with notes on evidence and witness testimony. 'I was hoping that my fellow jurors could help me to go through all of this,' Jimenez said during the interview. 'So I went in with a very open mind but definitely leaning toward that she was guilty.' Read, 45, was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death in the 2022 death of her police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, who was found in the snow outside the Canton home of a fellow Boston police officer. The jury acquitted Read of the three most serious charges — second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident — but was convicted of operating under the influence. That verdict ended a near three-year saga as well as two trials, the first ending in a mistrial. Jimenez, who WCVB identified as a personal trainer, said she felt it was highly likely she would be selected to be a juror because she knew almost nothing about the case — unlike many who had followed along with the first trial. Jimenez told WCVB that she found the defense's argument about a Google search for 'hos long to die in cold' hours before O'Keefe's body was found unconvincing, and that she found lead investigator Michael Proctor's text messages about Read 'crude' but not proof of a coverup. What eventually swayed Jimenez was when she went looking for something among the 200 pieces of evidence, but didn't find it. Jimenez wouldn't tell WCVB what it was she was looking for, but when it didn't turn up, that was meaningful to her. 'It was one big part that led me closer to 'there's a lot of doubt,'' she said. Jimenez and the other jurors had a long period of deliberations. Overall it took about 22 hours for the seven women and five men to come to their decision. The jurors sent four notes to presiding judge Beverly Cannone and had a false start on Wednesday before delivering their verdict. Jimenez said she stands by her decision. 'I'm very comfortable with how I came to the decision,' she said. 'So I guess it will be part of my story.' That echoes another juror who has come forward, Paula Prado, who told the Today show she was convinced Read was not guilty and that 'We did the right thing.' MassLive reporter Charlie McKenna contributed to this article. Poll finds widespread support for Karen Read among eligible jurors Albert, McCabe families address Karen Read trial verdict in TV interview 'We did the right thing': Juror in Karen Read retrial confident in acquittal Karen Read's defense changed its strategy for retrial — and won Michael Proctor to speak in 2-hour Dateline special following Karen Read trial Read the original article on MassLive.
