Prosecution rests in Karen Read trial after 23 days of testimony
The prosecution rested its case on Thursday in the high-profile Karen Read case after weeks of testimony from 38 witnesses. Read's defense will now take over calling witnesses on Friday, attempting to convince jurors that she did not kill her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.
After the final witness, crash reconstruction expert Judson Welcher, completed his testimony on Thursday, special prosecutor Hank Brennan played an interview clip of Read wondering if it was possible that she unknowingly hit O'Keefe with her SUV. Brennan then told the court that the prosecution rested its case.
Read is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. Her first trial in 2024 ended with a mistrial due to hung jury. Read has pleaded not guilty.
Prosecution rests in Karen Read trial
Read's second trial began with opening statements on April 22. By comparison, during Read's first trial, opening statements were held on April 29, the prosecution rested on June 21, the defense finished its case June 24 and the mistrial was declared on July 1.
During more than a month of testimony in the retrial, Brennan attempted to show the jury that Read hit and killed O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV early on January 29, 2022 after a night of heavy drinking and left him to die in the snow outside Brian Albert's home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton.
The prosecution called dozens of witnesses, including first responders, O'Keefe's family members, the medical examiner, forensic experts, and the women who were with Read when they discovered O'Keefe's body in the snow.
Will Karen Read testify?
Unlike Read's first trial, the prosecution attempted to use her own words against her by playing various media interviews throughout the trial.
Read was asked while leaving court on Thursday if she plans to testify.
"TBD," Read said, adding that the defense expects its case to last 1.5 to 2 weeks. Read did not testify during her first trial.
Read said Matthew DiSogra, a digital forensic expert, will be the defense's first witness to take the stand.
When asked how she would sum up the prosecution's case, Read responded, "Unjust."
Who did the Karen Read prosecution not call?
There were several differences in what witnesses the prosecution called in Read's second trial compared to the first. Adam Lally, the lead prosecutor in the first trial, called more than 60 witnesses, compared to 38 called by Brennan.
Brennan did not call Brian Albert, who owned the home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton, or Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent Brian Higgins, who exchanged "flirty" text messages with Read. Lally called both men to testify last year.
Michael Proctor, a former Massachusetts State Police trooper Michael Proctor who was fired for his conduct was serving as a lead investigator in the case, was not called to the stand this time after testifying last year. The defense recently added four people to an amended witness list. Read said the men could authenticate text messages Proctor sent about her to family, friends and colleagues.
Read did not tell reporters if the new witnesses will be called. On Thursday she answered "TBD" when asked if Proctor will be called as a defense witness.
The defense will have to decide if it will call any of those key witnesses to the stand. If the defense does call those witnesses, there would be a major difference in how they are questioned. The defense would not be allowed to ask the tough, leading questions it typically asks on cross-examination.
If the witnesses take the stand and don't cooperate, they can be declared as a hostile witness. That would allow the defense to question them in any manner.
Lawyers in the case remain under a gag order, though Read has regularly provided updates on her legal team's feelings outside of court each day.
Karen Read defense takes over
Read's defense, led by prominent defense attorney Alan Jackson, will now begin calling witnesses as they attempt to prove that O'Keefe could have been killed during a fight inside the home, then dragged outside and left in the yard.
The defense has argued that Brian Albert, his nephew Colin Albert, and Higgins could have killed O'Keefe during a fight then dragged him into the yard. Before the trial, the judge ruled that the defense cannot blame Colin Albert as part of its third-party culprit case, which was different from the first trial.
During Read's first trial, her defense called all of its witnesses over the course of just two days. This time, her attorneys have said they plan to take longer.
