The second murder trial of Karen Read opened Tuesday after months of legal wrangling, with two new lawyers making the arguments over whether Read killed John O’Keefe in Canton three years ago.
Our team, inside court and outside, shares what’s been different so far this year, and our legal experts share what stood out when Hank Brennan and Alan Jackson made opening statements, as well as the questioning of the first witness.
What to Know
- Karen Read is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence and leaving the scene
- She is accused of striking John O'Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to die alone in the snow outside of a house party in Canton, Massachusetts
- Her defense team has said she is the victim of a vast police conspiracy and that O'Keefe was fatally beaten by another law enforcement officer at the party
- Opening statements were made and the first witnesses were called Tuesday in Norfolk Superior Court
Opening statements were presented Tuesday morning in the second murder trial of Karen Read, a case that has made national headlines.
Read is accused of hitting John O'Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, with her SUV in 2022 and leaving him to die alone in the snow outside of a house party in Canton, Massachusetts. She is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence and leaving the scene.
Her defense team has said she was a victim of a vast police conspiracy and that O'Keefe was fatally beaten by another law enforcement officer at the party.
A mistrial was declared last year after the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
Opening statements concluded Monday morning, and the first witnesses were called. Court ended with a brief but intense set of arguments over the relationship between Read's legal team and the crash reconstruction experts they intend to call — they'll now have to be questioned on Friday.
Follow along with what happened as it happened in court Tuesday below, and for more analysis, watch Tuesday's edition of "Canton Confidential" in the video player above:
