With a jury now in place, the heart of Karen Read's retrial is set to begin

Karen Read Retrial: Jury Seated in High-Profile Murder Case

In suburban Boston, the retrial of Karen Read, a case that has garnered significant attention due to allegations of law enforcement misconduct surrounding the death of her police officer boyfriend, has commenced. After a meticulous three-week jury selection process, a panel composed of nine men and nine women has been finalized. Read faces charges of second-degree murder and related offenses in this widely publicized legal proceeding, following a previous trial that concluded with a hung jury last summer. Opening statements are scheduled to begin on Tuesday, marking the substantive phase of the Karen Read murder retrial.

Key Dates in the John O’Keefe Case

Jan. 29, 2022: Discovery of John O’Keefe’s Body

John O’Keefe, a veteran of the Boston Police Department with 16 years of service, was discovered unresponsive on the property of Brian Albert, a retired Boston police sergeant. The incident unfolded in Canton, south of Boston. O’Keefe, aged 46, was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. A medical examiner’s report cited hypothermia and blunt-force trauma to the head as the cause of death for the Boston police officer.

Night Prior to O’Keefe’s Death

On the evening preceding his death, O’Keefe and Read were socializing with fellow law enforcement personnel in Canton. Subsequently, they proceeded to an after-hours gathering at Albert’s residence.

The events leading to O’Keefe’s demise were unwitnessed, and no video evidence exists. Read’s legal representatives, acting for the equity analyst who had been in a relationship with O’Keefe for two years, stated that she had dropped him off at Albert’s home, observing him enter the premises.

According to the defense, Read, upon realizing her boyfriend had not returned home hours later, initiated a search. She ultimately discovered his body in the snow outside Albert’s residence.

vCard.red is a free platform for creating a mobile-friendly digital business cards. You can easily create a vCard and generate a QR code for it, allowing others to scan and save your contact details instantly.

The platform allows you to display contact information, social media links, services, and products all in one shareable link. Optional features include appointment scheduling, WhatsApp-based storefronts, media galleries, and custom design options.

Brian Albert testified in court, asserting that O’Keefe never entered his dwelling. Following Read’s arrest and indictment on charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision, prosecutors presented a contrasting account of the investigators’ conclusions.

April 2024: First Trial and Allegations

Prosecution’s Case in the Initial Trial

During Read’s initial trial in April 2024, the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office depicted a deteriorating relationship and portrayed Read as an intoxicated defendant who, in a fit of rage, deliberately struck O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV and abandoned him to die.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally, the prosecutor in the case, highlighted vehicle data indicating Read reversed her Lexus for 60 feet at a speed of 24 mph outside Albert’s home. Forensic analysis, he stated, revealed O’Keefe’s hair on the vehicle’s bumper.

Lally further contended that remnants of a cocktail – O’Keefe was seen leaving a bar with a drink – and fragments of a drinking glass were also found on the bumper of the Lexus.

Defense’s Third-Party Culprit Theory

Read’s defense team was permitted to present a third-party culpability defense. This allowed them to introduce witnesses and evidence supporting an alternative explanation for John O’Keefe’s death.

This theory posited that O’Keefe was subjected to a fatal assault and dog attack inside Albert’s home. The defense lawyers alleged that Read was framed by Albert and another individual present at the party – an agent from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives who had previously exchanged flirtatious messages with Read before she allegedly ceased communication. Albert testified that while O’Keefe did not enter his home, he would have been welcomed.

The defense also leveled accusations against the lead investigator, former Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, alleging evidence manipulation, inadequate case examination, and biased investigative conduct. Text messages were presented as evidence, revealing Proctor using disparaging language towards Read in communications with friends, family, and superiors.

Testimony revealed that Proctor had expressed a desire for Read to commit suicide.

Proctor acknowledged making unprofessional remarks regarding Read and sharing investigative details with his sister, a close friend of Albert’s sister-in-law. However, he maintained that he only divulged “newsworthy stuff” and denied that his actions compromised the integrity of the investigation into the police officer death.

July 1: Mistrial Declaration

Following a nine-week trial and five days of jury deliberations, Judge Beverly Cannone of Norfolk County Superior Court declared a mistrial when the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict in the Karen Read murder case.

The Norfolk County District Attorney pledged to retry the case, appointing Hank Brennan, a former prosecutor and experienced criminal defense attorney, as lead prosecutor. Brennan previously represented notorious Boston gangster James “Whitey” Bulger.

The defense sought dismissal of the charges, citing “extraordinary governmental misconduct” and arguing that retrying Read for two of the charges, including murder, constituted double jeopardy. The double jeopardy claim was based on assertions from two jurors who reportedly stated post-trial that the panel would have acquitted Read of those charges.

Judges at both superior and federal court levels rejected these claims.

March 19: Termination of Lead Investigator

A trial board of the Massachusetts State Police terminated Michael Proctor’s employment after determining he had violated agency regulations. The violations included sending derogatory text messages about Read and disseminating confidential investigative information to unauthorized individuals.

The board further found that Proctor had consumed alcohol while on duty and subsequently operated his police vehicle.

Proctor has refrained from public comment regarding his dismissal. His family released a statement expressing “profound disappointment” with the board’s decision, which they characterized as “unfairly exploit[ing] and scapegoat[ing] one of their own, a trooper with a 12-year unblemished record.”

The family statement further asserted that despite extensive efforts by the Massachusetts State Police to discover incriminating evidence against Proctor, the messages about “the person who killed a fellow beloved Boston Police Officer” were the sole finding.

“The messages prove one thing, and that Michael is human — not corrupt, not incompetent in his role as a homicide detective, and certainly not unfit to continue to be a Massachusetts State Trooper,” the family statement concluded.

The role Proctor will play in the retrial remains unclear. Legal experts have suggested to NBC News that his actions and conduct are likely to be a significant factor in the ongoing proceedings of the Read retrial.

April 1: Commencement of Second Trial

Jury selection for Read’s retrial commenced in a Norfolk County courtroom on April 1st. Prosecutors and defense attorneys questioned hundreds of prospective jurors.

Following a three-week process of juror vetting, a panel of 18 jurors, including six alternates, has been impaneled.

Opening statements in the Karen Read case are anticipated to begin in the Massachusetts courtroom on Tuesday.