Karen Read‘s legal ordeal has come to an end.
Following her acquittal for the 2022 murder of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, charged with second-degree murder, she expressed gratitude towards those who stood by her throughout the years.
She shared with the crowd assembled at the Massachusetts courthouse on June 18, “Let me express two points: I wouldn’t be here today without the incredible backing of these remarkable individuals who have supported me and my team.
Let me make it clear that I’ve been more relentless than anyone else in advocating for John O’Keefe’s justice.
2022 saw an incident where Read allegedly struck a 46-year-old Boston police officer, O’Keefe, with her car on January 29th, in a hit-and-run accident that occurred during a house party in heavy snowfall conditions. Although she was acquitted of motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident during the June verdict, she was found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence and was sentenced to one year of probation for this lesser offense.
2024 saw the initial trial for O’Keefe’s murder, but the verdict remained undecided following 25 hours of jury deliberations, resulting in a deadlock.
In the month of April, my second trial commenced, during which I claimed that my predicament was a setup – a clever ploy to mask a scuffle that had taken place within the residence of Brian Albert, a well-respected law enforcement figure and a colleague of mine, O’Keefe. Prior to this alleged incident, I asserted that he was forcibly removed onto the front lawn.
In his closing argument on June 13th, as reported by NBC Boston, defense attorney Alan Jackson emphasized three times that there was no collision. He highlighted the fact that the lead investigator, Michael Proctor, did not enter the house upon arrival at the scene. His implication was that the investigation was fundamentally flawed from the outset because the investigator himself was compromised from the start.
He added of the prosecution, “They cannot prove a collision. John O’Keefe was not hit by a car.”
For more about the investigation into O’Keefe’s death, read on.
In his closing statement on June 13th, as reported by NBC Boston, defense attorney Alan Jackson emphasized three times that no collision occurred. He pointed out that the lead investigator, Michael Proctor, did not enter the house upon arriving at the scene. Jackson argued that the investigation was fundamentally flawed from the beginning because its lead investigator was compromised right from the start.
He added of the prosecution, “They cannot prove a collision. John O’Keefe was not hit by a car.”
For more about the investigation into O’Keefe’s death, read on.
Karen Read shared with authorities that on January 28, 2022, herself and her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, spent the evening drinking with friends at C.F. McCarthy’s bar in Canton, Massachusetts. They then moved to Waterfall Bar & Grille across the street for approximately an hour. Read stated that she later drove O’Keefe to the home of Boston Police Detective Brian Albert in Canton around midnight and returned to O’Keefe’s residence.
At the manslaughter hearing held on February 2, 2022, it was argued by prosecutors that there was proof suggesting Read struck O’Keefe with her vehicle, then departed the scene, leaving him exposed to harsh winter temperatures.
The financial analyst residing in Mansfield stated that she went to Albert’s house the day after O’Keefe didn’t return home and couldn’t be reached by phone. She mentioned that she contacted a few individuals who were with her, Read explained, when they discovered him unconscious in the snow outside the Albert residence at 6 a.m.
As an overly devoted admirer putting words to my own experience, I’d rephrase it this way: “I found myself in a state of horror, seeing a 46-year-old officer with deep gashes on his right arm and eyes swollen shut, all covered in a gruesome mixture of blood and vomit. The authorities shared this heartrending sight with me. He was rushed to Boston’s Good Samaritan Hospital, and tragically, he was declared deceased later that very morning.
After an autopsy, it was determined that O’Keefe had sustained several skull fractures and lacerations on his head and nose. In the end, the medical examiner concluded that he died from exposure (hypothermia) and blunt impact injuries.
On February 1, 2022, the individual was apprehended and indicted for manslaughter, fleeing the site of a fatal traffic accident, and vehicular homicide.
Investigators found her 2021 black Lexus SUV, which bore a broken taillight and scrapes on the back bumper, parked at her parents’ residence, according to prosecutors.
Read pleaded not guilty Feb. 2 and was released from custody after posting $50,000 bail.
Regarding the recent incident, I’d like to clarify my stance as a lifestyle expert. My legal representative, David Yannetti, stated during the arraignment that the manslaughter charge levied against me is an extraordinary stretch. He emphasized that there was no criminal intent on my part in this situation. To set the record straight, the person involved was not just some casual acquaintance. Instead, he was my boyfriend – someone whom I deeply cared for and cherished.
The Boston Police Department announced that the individual accused of causing John’s demise has been apprehended, while also describing O’Keefe as a caring individual who prioritized his family.
At her court hearing, prosecutors stated that one of O’Keefe’s acquaintances who went to search for him with Read informed the police that their mutual friend had called at 5 a.m., expressing concern, “John’s dead… I wonder if he’s dead… It’s snowing, he might have been hit by a plow.
Firefighter Lieutenant Anthony Flematti later recounted during the trial that she exclaimed at the incident site, “I struck him, I struck him. Oh my goodness, I struck him.
Katie McLaughlin, the firefighter, stated that Read appeared extremely upset and was merely visibly distressed. Additionally, she recalled hearing Read utter “I hit him” on multiple occasions.
At the trial, it was established that what she shouted at Flematti was essentially asking, “Did I strike him? Was it possible for me to have struck him?” in a different way.
Firefighter Matthew Kelly declared that he distinctly recalled Read stating, “He’s gone, he’s utterly gone.
A grand jury indicted Read on a charge of second-degree murder on June 9, 2022.
During Read’s court hearing on June 10th, Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally claimed that there had been a prolonged argument between Read and O’Keefe prior to his death. He also stated that weeks before the incident in question, O’Keefe attempted to end their relationship, but Read refused to leave his residence when asked. Furthermore, Lally asserted that on the fateful night, Read, under the influence of alcohol, accidentally collided her Lexus into O’Keefe and subsequently left him to perish in the snow.
Read posted an additional $100,000 bail and later pleaded not guilty to murder.
During the June 10 hearing, Yannetti contended that Read administered CPR on O’Keefe with the intention of resuscitating him. Furthermore, the lawyer argued, the nature of Officer’s injuries did not align with those typically sustained from being struck by a vehicle.
Yannetti stated in court, “There are mysterious scratches running the length of his arm. He also has two black eyes and seems to have a broken nose. Something more than meets the eye is happening with him.
On September 22, 2022, in court, Yannetti claimed that O’Keefe was brutally assaulted at Albert’s residence. He further asserted that the detective exploited his influence within the Canton Police Department and Massachusetts State Police to attempt a cover-up by falsely implicating his client.
Yannetti underscored the fact that Brian Albert’s sibling, Kevin Albert, is a detective with the Canton Police Department, and Michael Proctor, who led the Read investigation as a Massachusetts State Trooper, is a close family friend of the Albert family. (It was reported by a family representative that Brian retired from service in 2023 due to an injury. Contrary to speculation, Brian himself denied any physical conflict with O’Keefe at his residence, and both Kevin and Michael have asserted their innocence regarding any misconduct related to the investigation.)
Defense lawyer Alan Jackson stated unequivocally on NBC’s Dateline in July 2023 that his client is absolutely innocent.
In John O’Keefe’s case, the environment within the house was hostile as stated by Jackson. Upon exiting his vehicle, O’Keefe approached the house only to be unexpectedly hit, causing him to fall and injure himself. Unfortunately, afterward, his body was relocated from its initial position.
In a past legal matter, Jackson (formerly of Los Angeles prosecution) and his colleague Elizabeth Little, both from Werksman Jackson & Quinn LLP, previously defended Kevin Spacey in a 2016 sexual assault case on Nantucket. The accusations against the actor were eventually dismissed.
In a video statement released on August 25, 2023, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey refuted claims of a fight at the Albert residence where O’Keefe met his demise. According to his account, none of the eleven individuals who provided statements reported witnessing the officer enter the house, and no one claimed to have seen him go inside. The data retrieved from O’Keefe’s phone, which was discovered near his body, allegedly indicates that the device did not cross the threshold of the home.
The prosecutor deemed it “unjustified” to accuse any of the witnesses of murder. Furthermore, he stated that Proctor lacked both the chance to plant evidence and the reason to do so. (It was reported that she claimed her taillight broke when she pulled out of her garage to search for O’Keefe, but it was allegedly damaged only after her vehicle was in police custody.) Proctor did not have a “significant personal connection” with anyone involved in the investigation, Morrissey said, and any assertion to the contrary is false.
During a court hearing in January 2024, Prosecutor Lally opposed a defense motion to access the communication records between Proctor’s wife and Jennifer McCabe, a person who was present when O’Keefe’s body was discovered. In his argument, Lally clarified their relationship by stating, “As we understand it, Trooper Proctor is connected to Jennifer McCabe through a series of familial ties: Trooper Proctor has a sister, who has a friend, whose husband has a brother, who is married to the woman in question – Jennifer McCabe.
On April 12, 2023, defense attorneys Yannetti and Jackson claimed that fresh cell phone data from McCabe’s phone offered proof that “clearly cleared Karen” as it demonstrated that other individuals were conscious of John’s peril in the snow before Karen was even informed he was missing.
Around 2:30 a.m., it was claimed by the defense in a court motion on April 12, as reported by NBC Boston, that McCabe searched online about “How long does it take to die from cold.
Initially, prosecutors mentioned that it remained unclear if the defense accurately understood the raw data. They emphasized that they persistently requested the defense to share any solid evidence supporting their assertions which could potentially clear them of the charges.
During Read’s murder trial, McCabe testified that the defendant questioned her about how long it takes for someone to perish in the cold after they discovered O’Keefe. She stated that at 2:27 a.m., she had been researching something else, and subsequently used the same browser tab to perform the second search. She emphasized that she did not delete any search history or phone numbers from her call log. In her own words, “I would never have abandoned John O’Keefe to freeze to death because he was my dear friend whom I cherished.
In court, the prosecution brought forward their in-house digital investigator to support their claim that the time of McCabe’s search was exactly 6:23 a.m.
In a court document submitted in January 2025, prosecutors attempted to prevent the defense’s data analyst from testifying once more at the retrial. They argued that his previous “opinions” were found to be incorrect or invalid. (However, this motion was rejected, allowing the expert to continue testifying.)
On February 22, 2024, I found myself in the midst of an intriguing development as prosecutors submitted a detailed memorandum, outlining the findings from the crime scene investigation. Among these revelations, my DNA was detected on Read’s shattered taillight and a single strand of my hair was discovered adhered to the rear passenger side of her Lexus.
In their court document, as reported by NBC Boston, prosecutors stated that the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory found DNA belonging to the victim on a shattered taillight and tiny fragments of red and clear plastic within the victim’s clothing through trace analysis and forensic examination. A comparison test was then carried out, indicating that these microscopic pieces of red and clear plastic match with the broken pieces from the defendant’s rear taillight.
During the court proceedings, the defense asserted that the DNA evidence was possibly planted, aligning with their broader claim that Read was falsely accused. However, they also suggested that the DNA might have found its way onto the vehicle through some other means besides colliding with O’Keefe.
Outside court on June 14, Yannetti stated, as reported by CBS Boston, “The evidence was found on the vehicle; in other words, it was.” He continued, “The real question is how did that mysterious hair endure a 30-mile journey through a snowstorm?
Prosecutors and law enforcement denied all accusations of planting or mishandling evidence.
Judge Beverly Cannone, sitting at Norfolk Superior Court, delayed the commencement of Read’s trial from March 12 to April 16, 2024, following the disclosure of approximately 3,000 relevant documents by federal investigators examining the O’Keefe inquiry, amidst defense allegations of a cover-up.
During the court proceedings on February 26th, the defense maintained that the released documents contained evidence clearing their client. However, the prosecution contended that most of the findings aligned with previous testimonies. In a motion hearing held on March 4, 2025, special prosecutor Hank Brennan announced that the federal investigation had been completed without any charges being brought against law enforcement.
At a hearing held on March 13, 2024, the defense proposed to have the case dismissed, contending that the prosecution misled the grand jury during the indictment process against Read. This is due to the fact that the grand jury was unaware of the personal connections among the investigators and witnesses involved in the case.
According to court documents revealed by NBC Boston, it was asserted that most of the witnesses who appeared before the grand jury were not summoned due to their alleged involvement in the incident involving O’Keefe. Instead, they were apparently brought in to provide testimony on “irrelevant past misdeeds” aimed at biasing the panel against Read, with allegations of lying to the grand jury, causing confusion, and wasting time being the primary concerns.
In response to the hearing, Assistant District Attorney Lally countered by accusing the defense of playing a game similar to “three-card monte,” which is essentially saying, “Look here, look there.” The defense, according to Lally, is intentionally clouding the issue with numerous relationships. They don’t want you to focus on the substantial evidence. Instead, they are trying to divert your attention to who sent messages to whom.
Cannone denied the defense’s motion March 26, paving the way for the trial to begin as scheduled.
On April 29, 2024, during his initial statement, Yannetti argued that O’Keefe sustained fatal blows in an attack, and his client was wrongfully accused.
As an ardent enthusiast, let me share some intriguing insights: The renowned and influential law enforcement family, the Alberts, resided at that particular address in Canton. Given their involvement and their close ties to the investigators handling this case, it was unfortunately Karen Read who was falsely accused and convicted for a crime she didn’t commit.
In response, the defense argued that Read, feeling wronged, had been under the influence of alcohol when she accidentally hit O’Keefe with her vehicle and then fled, unaware that he was mortally wounded.
The case ended with a hung jury and Cannone declared a mistrial on July 1.
In July 2024, defense lawyers for Read requested that TopMob News review their motion to dismiss her murder trial. They based their argument on the concept of double jeopardy, stating that three jurors from the initial trial had explicitly communicated to them, without being asked, that they all believed she was not guilty of murder and fleeing the scene or causing personal injury or death. Consequently, they claimed the judge could have requested a partial verdict in this case.
In February 2025, the Massachusetts Supreme Court decided that “juror post-trial disclosures contradicting their courtroom communications” would not overturn a mistrial decision nor be considered as a verdict of acquittal.
Despite feeling “extremely invaded,” she refused to retreat at this point. In an interview with Vanity Fair last August, she – who chose not to testify during her trial – made this statement.
Though the thought of being imprisoned is terrifying,” she asserted, “I’d rather face incarceration for a crime I didn’t commit than admit guilt. I refuse to let them claim victory in this case.
In the spring of 2020, during the pandemic, she developed feelings for O’Keefe shortly after they reconnected on Facebook – 16 years after their brief romance. However, issues began to arise, as Read stated. During a New Year’s vacation in Aruba with other couples, she claimed she witnessed him kissing another woman. (This allegation was disputed by the woman during Read’s trial.) Furthermore, Read admitted to sending flirtatious messages to a federal agent known to O’Keefe, to provide emotional support at that time.
However, Read mentioned that as of January 2022, he had pledged to look after his orphaned niece and nephew jointly. As the primary guardian of his late sister’s children, according to his family, he didn’t wish to disrupt their bond.
On January 29, 2022, when she accompanied O’Keefe to the Alberts’ house following their invitation for additional drinks, O’Keef initially wanted to assess the environment inside before deciding whether to stay or leave, according to what Read told Vanity Fair. When he failed to respond to her messages, Read became angry and presumed he was involved with an old flame residing nearby. “I didn’t think he was incapacitated physically,” she said. Waiting approximately 10 minutes after leaving, she drove away, following which she sent him more texts and voicemails filled with anger.
In my reflections, I pondered whether I might have struck Mr. O’Keefe with my vehicle, as I shared with Vanity Fair, and I remember expressing to my parents that I would take responsibility and face the consequences if I were ever to act unwisely or improperly in any way.
At that moment, O’Keefe’s relatives expressed their belief that she was responsible for his demise when speaking with the magazine.
In a unique turn of events, the O’Keefe family stated that Karen Read has excessively capitalized on her notoriety in murder accusations and wrongful death lawsuits against her, unlike most people in similar situations. They claim her extensive media campaign aimed at influencing potential jurors intensifies their grief from their tragic loss, while also causing delays and denying her accountability.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Proctor acknowledged on the witness stand during Read’s initial trial that he had used misogynistic language and made disparaging comments about Read in text messages to friends, relatives, and colleagues. In one instance, when asked if the homeowner of the house where O’Keefe was found would also receive some trouble, he responded, “Nope. The homeowner is a Boston cop as well.
On the witness stand, Proctor acknowledged that he had let emotions overtake him, stating “I allowed my feelings to take control.” However, he clarified that despite his unprofessional and regretful words, they had no impact on the manner in which he handled the investigation.
In an unexpected turn of events on March 19, 2025, I found myself abruptly dismissed, just shy of two weeks before the much-anticipated retrial of Read was scheduled to commence. This stunning revelation was unveiled in a state police personnel order, which TopMob News had the privilege of reviewing.
Last July, he faced a suspension, and it’s important to note that this wasn’t due to any “scandalous claims of cover-ups, collaboration, or plots” brought forth by the defense. Instead, it was primarily because of inappropriate words used in his private messages.
In response to his dismissal, Proctor’s family stated to NBC News that the trial board’s verdict was “unprecedented” and “unfairly singles out one of their own,” who has a 12-year history of impeccable service as a trooper. The content of Proctor’s text messages showed he was merely a human, not someone who was corrupt, incompetent at his role as a homicide detective, or unsuitable to remain a Massachusetts State Trooper.
The five-part documentary series, titled “Body in the Snow: The Trial of Karen Read“, which aired on March 17, concluded with Read’s situation remaining uncertain following the declaration of a mistrial.
In order to ensure absolute fairness, given that we were aware of an upcoming trial, director Terry Dunn Meurer shared with Vanity Fair that careful consideration was put into finalizing the project.
As a lifestyle expert, I find myself in the midst of a highly contentious situation, one where everyone’s perspectives should be respected. If you identify with ‘Free Karen Read’, wonderful. If your stance leans towards the prosecution, that’s equally acceptable. However, it’s disheartening to observe the escalation of negativity – the name-calling, the vitriol, and the personal attacks. This case has been played out in the public eye on social media platforms, which I believe is regrettable. It undermines our justice system and does a disservice to Karen herself.
Read pushed back against any notion that she was making the most of her newfound celebrity status.
In an interview with Vanity Fair last summer, Read stated, “Anyone in my situation, who’s facing false accusations, would be making a loud public protest. However, if you believe that anyone has worked more tirelessly to uncover the truth about John’s case and to make it clear to everyone what happened to John, you are mistaken – no one has been more relentless than I.
Read’s retrial got underway on April 1, 2025.
In the recent turn of events, I’m elated to share that the climactic series of events culminated in the favorable result: On June 18, it was determined that Read was not responsible for second-degree murder or motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a collision.
As a responsible individual, I was placed on probation for a year due to my mistake of driving while intoxicated by alcohol.
Read More
- Masters Toronto 2025: Everything You Need to Know
- We Loved Both of These Classic Sci-Fi Films (But They’re Pretty Much the Same Movie)
- ‘The budget card to beat right now’ — Radeon RX 9060 XT reviews are in, and it looks like a win for AMD
- Forza Horizon 5 Update Available Now, Includes Several PS5-Specific Fixes
- Street Fighter 6 Game-Key Card on Switch 2 is Considered to be a Digital Copy by Capcom
- Valorant Champions 2025: Paris Set to Host Esports’ Premier Event Across Two Iconic Venues
- Gold Rate Forecast
- The Lowdown on Labubu: What to Know About the Viral Toy
- Karate Kid: Legends Hits Important Global Box Office Milestone, Showing Promise Despite 59% RT Score
- Mario Kart World Sold More Than 780,000 Physical Copies in Japan in First Three Days
2025-06-19 00:49