By The Epoch Times | Created at 2025-04-01 17:11:38 | Updated at 2025-04-02 21:03:25
1 day ago
Jury selection is underway in the high-profile case after last year’s mistrial left jurors deadlocked over charges that Read ran over John O’Keefe.
Jury selection began on April 1 in the retrial of Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of striking and killing her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV during a snowstorm in January 2022.
The retrial comes less than a year after a Norfolk County jury was unable to reach a verdict following a four-month trial that drew national attention and fierce public debate.
Read, 45, a social media influencer, financial analyst, and former college lecturer, is again facing charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision.
Judge Beverly Cannone, presiding over the case in Dedham, told prospective jurors on Tuesday that the trial is expected to last six to eight weeks once a full panel is seated.
She emphasized the importance of impartiality amid intense public interest and warned that the court would not be swayed by “the clamoring of the public.”
Prosecutors allege that after a night of drinking in Canton, Read dropped off Officer John O’Keefe, 46, at a house party hosted by another Boston police officer and then struck him with her vehicle as she left, leaving him in the snow where he later died.
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They plan to present evidence of a deteriorating relationship, including arguments and alleged infidelity, just as they did in the first trial.
Read’s defense team, led by high-profile attorney Alan Jackson, maintains that she is innocent and claims she is being framed to shield other law enforcement officers who were at the party. They argue that O’Keefe was killed inside the home and moved outside to cover up the crime after Read left the scene.
One of the prosecution’s key witnesses is former State Trooper Michael Proctor, who led the initial investigation but was later fired for sending crude, derogatory messages about Read that were read aloud during the first trial.
His credibility is expected to be a central focus for the defense, which claims his bias compromised the case from the outset.
Judge Cannone ruled on March 31 that while the defense cannot name potential third-party culprits in opening statements, it may develop evidence during the trial related to two men who were at the scene: retired Officer Brian Albert and his friend, Brian Higgins.
The first proceeding ended in a mistrial last July. Jurors had deliberated for five days before informing the court they were hopelessly divided.
Some later said they had unanimously agreed Read was not guilty of the most serious charge, though the judge was not formally told of any partial verdicts before declaring a mistrial.
Defense attorneys argued unsuccessfully that retrying Read on those same charges constitutes double jeopardy. State and federal judges denied those motions, clearing the way for the second trial.
While many of the same lawyers and nearly 200 witnesses are returning, this trial features a new lead prosecutor: Hank Brennan, a former defense attorney known for representing famous or notorious clients, including mobster James “Whitey” Bulger.
Judge Cannone opened jury selection by telling the packed courtroom that the law “must be steady, reliable, and evenhanded” and reminded potential jurors that Read is presumed innocent and bears no burden of proof.
“This criminal trial will be decided by an independent jury free from outside interference,” she said.
A limited documentary series on the trial, “A Body in the Snow: the Trial of Karen Read,” debuted on Max last month, redrawing attention to the upcoming retrial. Read and her legal team were heavily featured along with friends of O’Keefe.
Dozens of Read’s supporters, who became a fixture during the first trial, are expected to return, echoing calls for her acquittal. The case continues to spark passionate reactions online and in person, with some portraying Read as a scapegoat and others convinced of her guilt.
Opening statements are expected once jury selection concludes, which may take several days due to the high-profile nature of the case.
Alice Giordano and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
