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Prosecution Faces Uphill Battle as Second Karen Read Murder Trial Begins in Boston Suburb

By James Seidel | CC News Network | Karen Read

CANTON, Mass. — The second-degree murder retrial of Karen Read, accused of fatally striking her police officer boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow, opened Tuesday with a sharper spotlight—and a steeper climb for the prosecution.

Read, 44, faces charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident in the 2022 death of John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer whose body was found outside a fellow officer’s home in this quiet suburb, 20 miles south of Boston.

But the Commonwealth’s case remains riddled with the same foundational challenges that led a jury to deadlock last year, prompting a mistrial. This time, prosecutors appear more focused—armed with a new special prosecutor—but defense attorneys say the story still doesn’t add up.

Karen Read Murder Trial: Same Evidence, Different Spotlight

Opening statements laid bare the contours of a case that has captivated the public. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan, a former defense attorney best known for representing Boston mobster James “Whitey” Bulger, told jurors that Read’s own words—both at the scene and in later interviews—would help seal her guilt.

“She admitted what she had done that night,” Brennan said, referencing paramedic Timothy Nuttall’s testimony that Read exclaimed “I hit him. I hit him. I hit him” when first responders arrived.

Brennan also played a televised clip of Read speculating about whether she could have accidentally clipped O’Keefe without realizing the severity of the injury. The prosecution is leaning heavily on these moments, seeking to frame Read’s reflections as confessions.

⚖️Karen Read Murder Trial: Defense: This Is “The Definition of Reasonable Doubt”

But defense attorney Alan Jackson wasted no time undercutting the credibility of the state’s interpretation.

“That is not a confession,” Jackson told the jury. “That’s a woman in shock, trying to piece together what happened to the man she loved.”

Jackson emphasized that Read’s alleged admissions were inconsistent, that Nuttall previously testified she said “I hit him” twice, not three times, and that this minor but key discrepancy highlights the prosecution’s broader evidentiary fragility.

Calling the entire case “the literal definition of reasonable doubt,” Jackson said the state is relying on flawed conclusions drawn from a compromised investigation—led by disgraced former State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was later terminated for vulgar and biased messages sent about Read.

“This wasn’t about seeking truth,” Jackson said. “This was about protecting friends and preserving loyalty.”

Karen Read Murder Trial: A Blow to the Defense—but Not a Knockout

Adding further complexity, Judge Beverly Cannone ruled pre-trial that the defense cannot mention alternate suspects in opening statements, particularly Colin Albert, the nephew of the officer hosting the party where O’Keefe was last seen alive. The defense can still introduce such theories later in the trial if supported by admissible evidence.

‍⚖️ The Stakes, the Spotlight, and the Supporters

The trial once again has all the makings of a courtroom drama. Read, who has become a symbol for critics of law enforcement corruption and has featured in multiple true crime documentaries, arrived at court to cheers from a devoted group of supporters waving American flags outside the courthouse.

Inside, her legal team prepared for what they described as a “botched and biased” investigation built around a politically sensitive police circle in Canton. As in the first trial, many of the same witnesses have returned, including paramedics, friends, and those present at the party.

️Karen Read Murder Trial: Key Witness: A Frantic 5 a.m. Call

The state’s second witness, Kerry Roberts, a friend of O’Keefe’s, testified that Read called her around 5 a.m. yelling, “Kerry! Kerry! Kerry! John’s dead!” Roberts then accompanied Read to search for O’Keefe, ultimately discovering his body in a snow mound outside the Albert home.

Roberts recalled that Read leapt from the vehicle shouting “there he is,” and ran directly to the snow pile.

“Once she got to it, you could tell it was a mound the length of a body,” Roberts testified.

Karen Read Murder Trial: The Burden on the State

Despite the emotional weight of such testimony, the prosecution’s task remains formidable. The first trial faltered under scrutiny of investigative missteps, conflicting timelines, and questions surrounding law enforcement credibility—issues that haven’t gone away.

At the heart of the case is whether the jury will believe that Read committed a spontaneous, alcohol-fueled murder, or whether, as the defense insists, she is a convenient scapegoat for a cover-up involving fellow officers.

“By the end of this trial,” Jackson concluded, “you’ll see that Karen Read is not guilty. You’ll see that she was never the killer. She was the setup.”

The trial is expected to last several weeks. CC News Network will provide ongoing coverage of key developments and testimony as they unfold.

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