Two years ago, on a frigid morning, Boston Police Officer John O. Keefe was discovered unconscious in the front yard of another officer’s suburban residence. Shortly after his death, his girlfriend, Karen Read, was accused of killing him.
The 44-year-old Read asserted her innocence and said that there was a large-scale plot by police to blame her in the murder.
Jurors were unable to reach a consensus following a nine-week trial and five days of deliberations in a Norfolk County courthouse located just outside of Boston. On July 1, a court ruled a mistrial.
A new trial was set for April 1 after prosecutors promised to retry Read.
Read was accused of driving under the influence, leaving the scene of a collision that resulted in death, and second-degree murder.
According to court documents, jurors unanimously decided to acquit Read of two of the accusations, including murder, thus her attorneys have asked the judge to drop those charges.
The defense’s request has been rejected by the prosecution, who have called it “legally inappropriate” and based it on rumors and speculation.
The defense’s request was denied on August 23 by the case’s presiding judge, who stated that the jurors never publicly declared their verdict.
This is how the trial proceeded.
Who are John O Keefe and Karen Read?
O Keefe, 46, passed away on January 29, 2022, after 16 years as a Boston Police Department officer. He had spent two years working as an equity analyst at Fidelity Investments alongside Read.
Problems in the couple’s relationship seemed to worsen in the months leading up to O Keefe’s passing, especially during a trip to Aruba for the New Year, according to Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally.
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