Karen Read

‘This is funny, Ms. Read?' Watch judge snap at Karen Read as jury deliberates

As Judge Beverly Cannone was explaining policy on verdict slips to defense attorney Alan Jackson, she appeared to notice a reaction from Read that she didn't appreciate

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There was a dramatic exchange in Norfolk Superior Court Wednesday while the jury in the Karen Read trial deliberated the charges.

It ended with Judge Beverly Cannone snapping at Read: "Excuse me, this is funny, Ms. Read? All right, we're done."

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Court reconvened about 10 a.m., without the jury present. Cannone asked what they were doing there, and defense attorney Alan Jackson argued that the verdict slip given to the jurors is inappropriate because of the placement of not guilty boxes on the slips.

Tensions ran high in court Wednesday as the jury in the Karen Read murder trial deliberated for the first full day.

Cannone explained that if jurors don't check the guilty block, the verdict reads not guilty.

"That is not how it should be, and it's over our strong objection. They need to see that there is a not guilty option," Jackson said.

But Cannone disagreed and said she thought the verdict slip was appropriate. As she was explaining that to Jackson, she appeared to notice a reaction from Read that she didn't appreciate, leading to her comment that ended the session.

It's the question that's been on the minds of many for months: is Karen Read guilty of murdering her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, or was it all a cover up? The jury in this high-profile case could decide Wednesday.

NBC10 Boston obtained copies of the verdict sheets in question:

While the initial exchange was testy, Cannone did ultimately assent to changing the forms — the prosecution didn't oppose the change and Jackson expressed gratitude for it.

When the jury returned to court for a question, Cannone read further instructions about changes they planned to make to the form and what that meant for them.

"We have to indent something and change the spacing to make it a little bit clearer for you," Cannone explained.

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