OPENING STATEMENTS IN THE MURDER TRIAL OF KAREN REED. THE STATE WILL PRESENT ITS CASE AGAINST REED WHILE ITS DEFENSE TRYS TO PROVE IT WAS SET UP. TODD KAZAKIEWICH FROM THE EYEOPENER LIVES OUTSIDE NORFOLK, SUPERIOR COURT IN DEDHAM WITH WHAT WE CAN EXPECT THERE TODAY. TODD, hello. GOOD MORNING. ANTOINETTE AND DOUG. AND IN A FEW HOURS, BOTH SIDES WILL PRESENT THEIR CASE FOR THE JUDGE, FOR THE JURY AND FOR THE PUBLIC, PRESENTING WHAT WE WILL SEE AND HEAR OVER THE NEXT 6 TO 8 WEEKS IN THIS TRIAL, KAREN REED IS CHARGED WITH MURDER IN SECOND DEGREE FOR HITTING AND KILLING HER BOYFRIEND, BOSTON POLICE OFFICER JOHN O’KEEFE, WITH HIS SUV OUTSIDE A CANTON HOME IN JANUARY 2022. SHE PLED NOT GUILTY. Reed and her defense team claim she is the victim of a cover-up and they plan to present their theory that someone else killed O’Keefe. THE JUDGE WILL ALSO ALLOW O’KEEFE’S FAMILY TO TESTIFY THAT HE AND REED HAD DIFFICULTIES IN THEIR RELATIONSHIP. NOW, ALTHOUGH THIS IS SUCH A HIGH-PROFILE CASE, THE JURY WILL NOT BE SEQUESTED, AT LEAST NOT NOW. FORMER MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL MARTHA COAKLEY SAYS SHE WILL BE IN COURT TO MAKE SURE JURORS REMAIN IMPARTIAL. We really need to trust the jurors more rather than trying to sequester them, because that’s a huge inconvenience for the jurors. THIS TRIAL IS GOING TO BE LONG. I don’t think judges sequester people these days unless they really feel compelled to do so. As Trooper Paul went through his analysis, the trial will be held in a different courtroom today due to defense concerns that seating the jury in the larger courtroom meant that some Jurors would not be able to see the faces of the witnesses who testify. IN THIS CASE. THE TRIAL IS EXPECTED TO LAST 6 TO 8 WEEKS, AND BEHIND ME YOU SEE THE BARRICADES ESTABLISHED HERE AT THE COURTHOUSE, THE BUFFER ZONE, THE 200 FOOT BUFFER ZONE REMAINS IN PLACE DURING THE DURATION OF THIS TRIAL. REPORTING LIVE THIS MORNING IN NORFOLK SUPERIOR COURT IN DEDHAM TODD KAZAKIEWICH WCVB NEWS CENTER FIVE. OKAY, TODD, THANK YOU. STAY WITH NEWS CENTER FIVE TO WATCH THE OPENING STATEMENTS LIVE THIS MORNING. THIS WILL BE
Live updates: Opening statements expected in Karen Read murder trial
Opening statements are expected Monday in the trial of Karen Read, the Massachusetts defendant who is accused in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend. Jury selection for the high-profile trial began nearly two weeks ago. Read, 43, of Mansfield, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. Prosecutors say she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle in front of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, after a night of drinking. His defense has long centered on allegations of a cover-up involving members of several law enforcement agencies. They claim O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, then left outside. Judge Beverly Cannone ruled Thursday that the defense would be allowed to argue that someone else killed O’Keefe, but not during opening statements. Live Updates: 6 a.m.: Local and national media gather outside the courthouse. to make their presentations. The judge also agreed to move the case to a smaller courtroom to allow jurors a better view of the witnesses. What you need to know about the case: Karen Read, 43, of Mansfield, is charged with second-degree murder and other charges. Prosecutors say she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with his vehicle in front of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, after a night of drinking. She pleaded not guilty. Read and her defense team claim she is the victim of a cover-up and plan to present a third-party guilty party defense. They claim O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, then left outside. In pretrial motions, prosecutors revealed the existence of text messages that they said suggested a “romantic relationship” with a friend who was present at the reading grounds and O’Keefe visited him the night of the incident. Other documents also suggest problems in the relationship between Read and O’Keefe. Read is also accused of having frequent contact with a controversial blogger known as “Turtleboy,” Aiden Kearney, who now faces charges in related cases. The jury selection process for the case took five days of courtroom work and culminated Wednesday in the selection of 19 jurors out of a total of 401 people. That number will likely be reduced to 16 before the jury officially sits. Last week, his attorneys filed a motion arguing that the current configuration of the Norfolk County Superior Courtroom would violate his constitutional right to confrontation because several jury members would not be able to see witnesses’ faces. In a response filed Monday, the prosecution points out that the courtroom has been used for more than a century and is the largest in the county. Cannone said Wednesday that she has a “firm belief” that the current jury box arrangement is legal. , but indicated several times Thursday that the trial would take place in a smaller courtroom. According to court documents, prosecutors plan to call up to 87 witnesses during the trial. The defense plans to call up to 77 people. Some names appear on both lists. Before the trial, which sparked contentious debate and protests, the judge ordered a “buffer zone” around the courthouse. A Supreme Judicial Court judge upheld the ruling, but that ruling is also under appeal, with the SJC agreeing to hear the case “on an expedited basis.”
Opening statements are expected Monday in the trial of Karen Read, the Massachusetts defendant who is accused in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend.
Jury selection for the high-profile trial began nearly two weeks ago.
Read, 43, of Mansfield, has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. Prosecutors say she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with his vehicle in front of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, after a night of drinking.
His defense has long focused on cover-up allegations involving members of several law enforcement agencies. They claim O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, then left outside.
Judge Beverly Cannone ruled Thursday that the defense would be allowed to argue that someone else killed O’Keefe, but not during opening statements.
Live Updates:
- 6:00 a.m.: Local and national media gather in front of the courthouse
- Last week: each party took approximately 45 minutes to make their presentation. The judge also agreed to move the case to a smaller courtroom to allow jurors a better view of the witnesses.
What you need to know about the case:
- Karen Read, 43, of Mansfield, is charged with second-degree murder and other charges. Prosecutors say she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with his vehicle in front of a home in Canton during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022, after a night of drinking. She pleaded not guilty.
- Read and her defense team claim she is the victim of a cover-up and plan to present a third-party guilty party defense. They claim O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a dog, then left outside.
- In pretrial motions, prosecutors revealed the existence of text messages that they said suggested a “romantic relationship” with a friend who was present at the locations Read and O’Keefe visited the night of the incident . Other documents also suggest problems in the relationship between Read and O’Keefe.
- Read is also accused of having frequent contact with a controversial blogger known as “Turtleboy,” Aiden Kearney, who now faces charges in related cases.
- The trial is expected to last 6 to 8 weeks once the jury is seated.
The jury selection process for the case took five days of courtroom work and culminated Wednesday in the selection of 19 jurors out of a total of 401 people. That number will likely be reduced to 16 before the jury officially sits.
Last week, his attorneys filed a motion arguing that the current configuration of the Norfolk County Superior Courtroom would violate his constitutional right to confrontation because several jury members would not be able to see witnesses’ faces. In a response filed Monday, the prosecution points out that the courtroom has been used for more than a century and is the largest in the county.
Cannone said Wednesday she “strongly believes” the current jury box arrangement is legal, but on Thursday she repeatedly indicated the trial would be held in a smaller courtroom.
According to court documents, prosecutors plan to call up to 87 witnesses during the trial. The defense plans to appeal up to 77. Some names appear on both lists.
Before the trial, which sparked contentious debate and protests, the judge ordered a “buffer zone” around the courthouse. A Supreme Judicial Court judge upheld the ruling, but that ruling is also under appeal, with the SJC agreeing to hear the case “on an expedited basis.”
