The trial of Karen Read, a woman accused of striking her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him for dead in a snowbank, is entering its third week in Massachusetts. John O’Keefe, the victim in this case, died in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022. The defense alleges that state and local law enforcement officials framed Read and allowed the real killer to go free, pointing to the homeowner’s relationship with police as potentially tainting the investigation. Read, 44, has been charged with second-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty, with prosecutors arguing that a tumultuous relationship turned deadly.
After a night of drinking at bars, prosecutors say Read dropped O’Keefe off at a house party and struck him with her SUV as she made a three-point turn, before driving away and returning hours later to find him in a snowbank. Witnesses have testified to the couple’s stormy relationship before O’Keefe’s death, with first responders recalling Read saying she hit him. Jennifer McCabe, a witness, testified that Read asked if she hit O’Keefe before his body was discovered and appeared hysterical the next morning. The prosecution is relying on witness testimony and Read’s own statements to build their case against her.
On the defense side, Read’s lawyers are alleging that O’Keefe was beaten inside the home, bitten by a family dog, and left outside, suggesting a different scenario than what the prosecution is presenting. They have critiqued the investigation as shoddy due to the close relationships investigators had with police and other law enforcement at the house party. The defense argues that police focused on Read as a convenient suspect to avoid considering other possibilities and highlights that the crime scene was never thoroughly searched for evidence. They have raised doubts about the integrity of the investigation by questioning the relationships of investigators and prosecution witnesses.
The defense has also introduced the possibility of third-party culprits who could have had motives and means to kill O’Keefe, including Boston police detective Brian Albert, Colin Albert, or Brian Higgins from ATF, who were present at the gathering where O’Keefe was last seen. The defense has sought to show that these individuals had the capability to harm O’Keefe, pointing to past boxing experience and physical altercations. They also questioned potential motives and relationships between the individuals, suggesting alternative suspects beyond Read. The defense successfully argued for the introduction of third-party culprit evidence to explore these avenues.
Witness intimidation has also been raised as a concern in the trial, with at least two witnesses detailing harassment they have faced from supporters of Read. Allison McCabe, a friend of Colin Albert, testified about enduring harassment related to the case and the toll it has taken on her family. Colin Albert also mentioned that his family has faced harassment, mostly on social media, with accusations of being involved in the crime. The trial has brought to light the emotional and personal impact on witnesses and their families, highlighting the challenges of seeking justice in a high-profile case. Aidan Timothy Kearney, a blogger known as “Turtleboy,” has been charged with harassing, threatening, and intimidating witnesses in the case.
