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Karen Read Acquitted of Murder, Faces Probation for DUI Conviction

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan decried supporters’ intimidation of witnesses as a threat to the judicial system.

Prosecutor Hank Brennan, left, speaks to jurors during closing arguments in the murder trial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court, Friday, June 13, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Mark Stockwell/The Sun Chronicle via AP, Pool)
Karen Read at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., on June 18.

Overview

  • A Norfolk County jury found Read not guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal crash after a 2025 retrial following a 2024 mistrial.
  • Read was convicted solely of drunken driving and sentenced to one year of probation as a first-time offender.
  • Special prosecutor Hank Brennan said his independent review pointed only to Read and condemned a “campaign of intimidation and abuse” against case witnesses.
  • Investigators faced criticism for storing blood samples in Solo cups and mislabeling evidence bags before lead investigator Michael Proctor was fired over misogynistic text messages.
  • O’Keefe’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read and two Canton bars, and supporter Aidan Kearney has been charged with witness intimidation.