Background of the Case

As of May 21, 2025, it is not yet determined whether Karen Read will be found innocent, as her retrial for the death of John O'Keefe is currently underway in Norfolk Superior Court, Massachusetts.[1] [2] The verdict will ultimately be decided by the jury in this ongoing legal proceeding.

Karen Read is accused of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death in connection with the January 29, 2022, death of her boyfriend, off-duty Boston Police officer John O’Keefe.[1] [3] Prosecutors allege that Read, then 45, drunkenly drove her Lexus into O’Keefe and left him to die in a blizzard outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts.[1]

Current Status of the Retrial

Conversely, Read's defense team maintains that O’Keefe was killed by other individuals present at the Canton home, and that law enforcement officers subsequently engaged in a vast conspiracy to cover up the true circumstances of his death and frame Read.[1]

While the core allegations remain the same, several significant differences distinguish the retrial from the first proceeding, potentially influencing the jury's decision:

Key Differences in the Retrial

The current proceeding is a retrial, as Read's first trial, which concluded in 2024, resulted in a hung jury and a mistrial.[1] [2] Testimony in the second trial began in May 2025.[2] Read has pleaded not guilty to all charges.[1]

New Legal Teams

Both the prosecution and defense have altered their legal representation for the retrial.[1]

• Prosecution: The lead prosecutor in the first trial, Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally, has taken a backseat, with special prosecutor Hank Brennan now leading the prosecution team. Brennan is notable for his past defense of mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger and was appointed by Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey, who cited Brennan's expertise in complex law enforcement matters.[1]
• Defense: Read's defense team has added New York-based attorney Robert Alessi, who is known for his scientific and technical background and has handled cross-examinations of expert witnesses. Additionally, attorney Victoria George, who served as an alternate juror in the first trial, has joined the defense, potentially offering insights into jury dynamics.[1]

Karen Read's Media Interviews as Evidence

A notable change is the introduction of Karen Read's own public statements as evidence by the prosecution.[1] Read did not testify in her first trial, but she has since spoken extensively about her case in various media outlets, including interviews with TV reporters, Vanity Fair, and an Investigation Discovery documentary series titled "A Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read."[1]

Prosecutors have presented clips from these interviews to the jury, using Read's own words to support their case. For instance, prosecutor Hank Brennan played a video of Read telling "Dateline" that she wondered if she "could have clipped him, could I have tagged him in the knee and incapacitated him?"[1] This statement seemingly corroborates earlier witness testimony from Kerry Roberts and Jennifer McCabe, who stated Read asked them if she could have hit O'Keefe.[1] Prosecutors have also used Read's statements to contradict defense arguments, such as a clip where she described personally picking up pieces of a broken taillight, which appeared to undermine the defense's claim of evidence tampering by investigators.[1]

U.S. Supreme Court Decision on Double Jeopardy

Lead Investigator's Firing

Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, who was the lead investigator in Read's case, has been fired from his position.[1] In the first trial, Proctor admitted to sending sexist and offensive texts about Read in a private group chat, which included derogatory remarks and comments about her medical issues.[1] These "unprofessional" comments undermined his testimony and the prosecution's case during the initial trial.[1] Proctor was relieved of duty after the mistrial was announced in July 2024 and was formally fired in March 2025 for violating department policies.[1] The defense has indicated plans to focus on Proctor in the retrial, alleging that he lied and fabricated evidence, describing him as a "cancer" in the case.[1]

Prior to the retrial, Read's legal team appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to prevent the retrial on double jeopardy grounds.[2] They argued that jurors in the first trial had privately and unanimously agreed to acquit Read on the murder and leaving the scene charges, even though this was not revealed in open court before the mistrial was declared.[2] Read's attorneys asked the Supreme Court to consider whether an unannounced, unanimous jury decision constitutes an acquittal precluding retrial and whether a defendant is entitled to a post-trial hearing to substantiate such an acquittal.[2]

Cited Sources

Given that the retrial is actively in progress, the ultimate determination of Karen Read's innocence or guilt rests with the jury's deliberations and verdict in Norfolk Superior Court.[1] [2]

Conclusion

On May 19, 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court announced its decision to deny Read's request without further comment, thereby allowing the retrial to proceed.[2] This decision means that Read's double jeopardy claim was not accepted by the nation's highest court, and the state is permitted to retry her on the original charges.[2]

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