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2w ago

Karen Read Cleared of Murder, Sentenced to Probation for DUI

Hank Brennan cautions that supporters’ campaign of witness harassment threatens judicial integrity following his finding that the evidence pointed solely to Read

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.
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Overview

  • A Norfolk County jury acquitted Read of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal crash in the January 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
  • The jury convicted Read only of operating under the influence, resulting in a one-year probation sentence as a first-time offender.
  • Special prosecutor Hank Brennan said he was disappointed by the verdict and that neither his independent review nor a federal investigation identified any other suspect.
  • The trial spotlighted alleged investigative flaws, including the firing of lead investigator Michael Proctor over misconduct and questions about evidence handling.
  • Read’s defense maintained she was framed by corrupted police work and jurors cited lingering doubts about a crash, with one juror noting a missing piece of evidence swayed her decision.