Karen Read Murder Trial Advances Into Fifth Week at Norfolk Superior Court

Karen Read stood trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death, according to Axios Boston ^[1]. John O'Keefe, 46, died in the Boston suburb of Canton on Jan. 29, 2022. Prosecutors contended that Read dropped him off at a house party after a night of drinking, struck him while making a three-point turn, and drove away ^[2]. O'Keefe was a 16-year veteran of the Boston Police Department ^[3].

The prosecution's theory centered on physical evidence recovered at the scene. Prosecutors pointed to shattered taillight fragments found in the victim's clothes as evidence that Read's Lexus SUV struck O'Keefe ^[3]. They also pointed to angry voicemails Read left O'Keefe after dropping him off, and testimony from an emergency responder who said Read repeatedly stated, "I hit him," upon discovering O'Keefe's body ^[3]. Read pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and the related charges ^[2].

The defense advanced two principal counter-arguments. Read's lawyers alleged that after she dropped O'Keefe off, one or more police officers beat him during a fight inside the home of Brian Albert, then left him outside, and they cited forensic experts who said O'Keefe's injuries and the damage to Read's car were inconsistent with a collision ^[3]. Defense experts also disputed the cause of the arm wounds. Forensic pathologist and dog bite specialist Dr. Marie Russell testified that the injuries to O'Keefe's right arm were consistent with a possible dog attack, pointing to how the injuries were grouped together, and argued the wounds were inflicted by the teeth and claws of a dog, which the defense linked to the Alberts' German Shepherd, Chloe ^[4].

The integrity of the investigation itself became a contested issue at trial. Massachusetts State Police opened an internal investigation into "a potential violation of department policy" by Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case. Read's defense attorneys argued the federal investigation showed Proctor had concealed personal ties to witnesses ^[1]. O'Keefe's body was found on the front lawn of another officer, and the defense argued the homeowner's relationship with local and state police tainted their investigation ^[2]. Prosecutors rejected the framing argument, according to Axios Boston ^[1].

Read's attorneys had filed a motion to dismiss the case in March 2024, citing alleged conflicts of interest and federal crash reconstruction experts' finding that O'Keefe's injuries were inconsistent with the damage to Read's car. The judge denied that motion, citing extensive evidence supporting the indictments ^[1][5]. Read's first trial ultimately resulted in a mistrial on July 1, 2024, due to a hung jury ^[5]. A retrial followed, and Read was found not guilty of the most serious charges in her Massachusetts murder retrial in June 2025. Jurors acquitted her of second-degree murder and manslaughter, though she was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol ^[1].

References

[1] Axios Boston. (2024, May 28). Catching up on the Karen Read trial so far. https://www.axios.com/local/boston/2024/05/28/catching-up-on-the-karen-read-trial

[2] WBUR News. (2024, May 03). What to know about Karen Read's murder trial. https://www.wbur.org/news/2024/05/03/karen-read-john-okeefe-boston-police-murder-trial

[3] NPR. (2025, June 18). Karen Read's second murder trial ends with an acquittal. https://www.npr.org/2025/06/18/nx-s1-5435406/karen-read-acquitted-trial-verdict-not-guilty

[4] Court TV. (2025, June 06). Proctor's texts, dog bites & snow plows: Week 7 in Karen Read's retrial. https://www.courttv.com/news/proctors-texts-dog-bites-snow-plows-week-7-in-karen-reads-retrial/

[5] Wikipedia / Death of John O'Keefe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_John_O%27Keefe