Karen Read Retrial Concludes with DUI Guilty Verdict
After a lengthy and highly publicized retrial, jurors in the case of Karen Read have reached a verdict on charges related to the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe. The verdict, which concluded after over 30 days of testimony and four days of deliberation, found Read not guilty of second-degree murder, the top charge against her, but guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence with a blood-alcohol level of 0.08% or greater. The special prosecutor, Hank Brennan, has requested a 1-year probation period and enrollment in a 24D outpatient program as a penalty for a first-time DUI offense.
Retrial After Deadlocked First Trial
The retrial followed a deadlocked first trial, where jurors were unable to reach a verdict on the charges. This case has drawn significant attention, particularly due to the involvement of a Boston police officer and the alleged incident during a blizzard on January 29, 2022. Read, 43, was found with O’Keefe’s body around 6 a.m. after the party, and multiple witnesses, including her friends Jennifer McCabe and Kerry Roberts, testified that Read called them in a panic, stating she couldn’t find O’Keefe.
Defense and Prosecution Arguments
During the retrial, the defense, led by high-powered attorneys including Brennan, Alessi, Jackson, and Yannetti, argued that a collision never occurred. They claimed that O’Keefe’s injuries were the result of a dog attack and an altercation with other men at the party. In contrast, prosecutors maintained that Read hit O’Keefe and drove to his house without him. Read’s friends, including McCabe, testified that Read admitted to hitting O’Keefe, with McCabe stating that Read repeated the phrase