The girlfriend of a Boston police officer who was discovered dead in a snowy yard two years ago will stand trial for his murder.
On January 29, 2022, the body of O'Keefe was found in the freezing snow outside the house of a Boston police officer in Canton, Massachusetts. His girlfriend, former finance teacher Karen Read, has pleaded not guilty to two charges - second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter while under the influence.
Folks living in Canton and nearby areas have been heatedly debating the details of the incident for months. Two theories are gaining traction: 1) Was O'Keefe assaulted inside the officer's house and then thrown out to die in the snow? Or, 2) Did Read strike him with her black Lexus SUV?
Members of the community are accusing the local authorities of sweeping the matter under the rug to shield the homeowner. There have been protests and angry rants at city council meetings, demanding clarity and answers. Some individuals have even created their own social media groups to pore over every aspect of that chilling evening. A case that started as a local police matter quickly turned into a national event.
Today, the judicial proceedings kick off in Norfolk County, which lies to the south of Boston. Finding a jury unbiased in such a high-profile event poses a challenge. Harvard Law School's Daniel Medwed commented on the trials, "It's safe to say that the majority of people in Massachusetts are aware of this case. The process for selecting a jury involves asking potential jurors if they've made up their minds already. It may result in a dozen jurors who have not formulated an opinion."
The suburb of about 24,000 residents is being sharply split by the incident.
The trial set to begin at Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, brings to light the following pivotal points.
The investigative focus revolves around a crucial 6-hour period
The focus of the legal battle revolves around the six hours preceding the discovery of O'Keefe's body. Video footage captured the moments when he and Read were seen at two bars in Canton, mingling with friends, including the fellow officer.
Sometime after midnight, O'Keefe and Read climbed into Read's SUV and went to the home of O'Keefe's coworker on Fairview Road for an after-party.
When Read later claimed that she dropped off O'Keefe at the Fairview Road house before driving home because she felt unwell, court records paint a different picture. She admitted to calling two female friends and all three women drove through Canton's near-whiteout streets searching for O'Keefe, including on Fairview Road.
The next morning, Read spotted O'Keefe's body in the frontyard of the house and started CPR immediately.
Read's lawyers, Alan Jackson and David Yannetti, claim that she's being framed. Jackson believes that O'Keefe entered the house on Fairview Road and got involved in a brawl.
On the other hand, the prosecution alleges that the couple fought, and Read, under the influence, got out of the car, striking O’Keefe and driving off, leaving him to die in the snow.
Read's legal team has also stated they believe one of the female friends, a relative of the house's owner, is complicit in a cover-up. Court documents show that her phone was searched and revealed a Google search for "Ho(w) long to die in cold" hours before O'Keefe was found.
Yet, that woman has not been charged with any crime, and her attorney Kevin Reddington insists all allegations of her participating in a cover-up are false.
Earlier, District Attorney Michael Morrissey stated that allegations of a vast conspiracy among law enforcement agencies are unrealistic.
"These people were not part of a conspiracy and never committed murder or any crime that night. The idea that multiple police departments, EMTs, fire personnel, the medical examiner, and prosecuting agencies came together to frame Read is a desperate attempt to deflect guilt."
Last month, the Massachusetts State Police divulged that they're investigating a state trooper linked to an ongoing case. They didn't clarify if this probes has anything to do with the charges facing Read.
This disclosure was made just as Read's legal team claimed the trooper hadn't disclosed his ties with crucial witnesses, according to WFXT. Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally for Norfolk County noted that this tactic was meant to divert attention from Read's supposed guilt, promoting it as a deceptive game.
"It's a three-card Monte trick... you know, card trick. On the corner, on the side. Look at all of this. Look at this relationship. Look at that relationship," Lally said.
Back in November, Canton residents voted to initiate an autonomous examination of the police department following a special town meeting that primarily focused on Read's case. At the time, Canton Police Chief Helena Rafferty told CNN that investigators discovered "absolutely no evidence of a cover-up in the unfortunate death of John O'Keefe."
Concurrently, pre-trial trials witnessed demonstrators fostering "Free Karen Read" sweatshirts and brandishing similar signs. In response, Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone enacted a safeguard to keep protesters at bay and control what they donned.
The order barred all individuals "from demonstrating in any manner, including carrying signs or placards" within 200 feet of the courthouse throughout Read's trial. Moreover, it forbade "individuals from wearing or exhibiting any buttons, photographs, clothing, or insignia relating to ... any trial participant."
While issuing the buffer zone, Cannone noted numerous instances of protesters taunting witnesses and accosting family members outside the court.
"There is a substantial risk that the defendant’s right to a fair trial will be jeopardized if prospective jurors are exposed to the protests and messages displayed on signs," Cannone wrote.
Read's advocates concluded the buffer zone was a transgression of their First Amendment rights. Regardless, protesters returned as per tradition, expressing support with "we're behind you" and "go get them" while Read arrived with her attorneys. Outside the court, they heeded the barrier imposed by the judge, with signs proclaiming, "No First Amendment Rights Beyond This Point."
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Source: edition.cnn.com
