The Karen Read case has become a national spectacle, but at its core the trial and death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe is a tragedy for all the families involved.
As the controversial Karen Read murder trial continues, we're hearing from the families of those involved.
Emotions are high in a case that has become a national spectacle. Read is charged with the second-degree murder of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, whom prosecutors say she hit with her SUV two years ago in Canton, Massachusetts. She has long held that she is being framed in a wide-ranging coverup.
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"It's hell," said William Read, her father. "I never thought we'd be in this position."
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For the Read family, court has already taken its toll just two days into testimony.
"If you've been in that courtroom, and if you've listened, it's difficult not to feel the same way I feel and my family feels," William Read said.
O'Keefe's family is also seeking justice. The officer was just 46 years old when his life was cut short in January of 2022.
His brother, Paul O'Keefe, and Paul's wife, Erin, took the witness stand on the first day of the trial.
"Definitely one of the worst weeks of our lives," Paul O'Keefe said. "I don't know, I can only just pray my family gets the answers they need."
He recalled seeing his brother's body in the hospital.
"He was pretty banged up," he said. "His eyes had swelled up."
More on the Karen Read trial
"I woke up to my husband on the phone with his mother, saying, 'He's going to be OK, he's going to be OK,'" Erin O'Keefe said.
Court was not in session Wednesday. The trial resumes for a half day Thursday. It is expected to last six to eight weeks in total.
Watch the Karen Read trial live on nbcboston.com, NECN, NBC Boston streaming platforms (including Roku, Peacock and Samsung TV) and NBC10 Boston's YouTube page. Every night of the trial at 7 p.m., come back for analysis and more.
Email questions to canton.confidential@nbcuni.com.
