The retrial against Karen Read begins with jury selection Tuesday.
At her upcoming retrial, Karen Read's defense team will be able to point the blame for John O'Keefe's death, for which she's been charged with murder, at only two of three three other people they've suggested were responsible.
Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone ruled Monday that the team has offered "insufficient evidence that Colin Albert had the motive, intent, and opportunity to commit the crime."
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While she will allow the defense to suggest Brian Albert (Colin's uncle) and Brian Higgins are the real killers as evidence presented in the trial allows, she called their evidence "barely sufficient."
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All three men testified at Read's first trial last year, and all three were named on lists of prospective witnesses submitted by the prosecution and the defense ahead of the retrial.
"It is the defendant who wants to put them there and responsible for the death of John O'Keefe," said NBC10 Boston legal analyst Michael Coyne.
The defense won't be able to refer to Higgins or Brian Albert in their opening statement — the same restriction was in place for all potential third-party culprits in the first trial.
Read the ruling here:
Read more about the people involved in the Karen Read investigation here.
More Karen Read news
The retrial begins April 1, with jury selection.
