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Karen Read Retrial Begins in Contested Death of Boston Police Officer

Jury selection starts as Read faces second-degree murder charges, with her defense alleging a police cover-up and the prosecution presenting evidence of a fatal hit-and-run.

Karen Read watches attorney Robert Alessi make a point during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court at Dedham, Mass., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool)
Boston Police officer John O'Keefe was found dead on the morning of January 29, 2022, in Canton, Massachusetts.
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From left, Attorney Emily Little, Alan Jackson, Karen Read and David Yanetti in Norfolk Superior Court at Dedham, on Feb. 25, 2025.

Overview

  • Karen Read is on trial again for the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, after the first trial ended in a mistrial due to a deadlocked jury.
  • Prosecutors allege that Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV and left him to die in a snowstorm, supported by vehicle data and physical evidence from the scene.
  • The defense claims O'Keefe was killed inside a house party hosted by a fellow officer, then staged outside to frame Read, citing alleged investigative misconduct.
  • Michael Proctor, the former lead investigator fired for sending vulgar texts about Read, is expected to testify again, raising questions about the integrity of the investigation.
  • The retrial features a new lead prosecutor, Hank Brennan, and restrictions on defense arguments about third-party culpability, with jury selection expected to take weeks.