Karen Read returns to court attempting to force Norfolk DA to return cellphones

Karen Read was back in a Dedham, Massachusetts courtroom Thursday asking a judge to force the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office to give back her cellphones while a special prosecutor has not ruled out new charges against Read.

Thursday's hearing took place in Norfolk Superior Court. No ruling was made and the judge took arguments under advisement. 

Special prosecutor Robert Cosgrove told WBZ-TV following the hearing that he wants the information on Read's cellphones to see if there is evidence of witness intimidation or tampering. 

"This is a separate investigation into a separate crime. It's a decision that I made as a special prosecutor without consulting with the Norfolk DA's office," Cosgrove said. "There are few things more important in the criminal justice system than the integrity of the process."

Karen Read hearing

Read's two cellphones were confiscated in January 2024 as part of the district attorney's investigation into potential witness intimidation or tampering with Aidan Kearney, the blogger known as "Turtleboy." This investigation resulted in no witness tampering charges being filed against Read and no indictment by a grand jury, according to multiple sources.

That case stemmed from the investigation into the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, for which Read was charged. O'Keefe and Read were dating at the time of his death. O'Keefe was found dead in the snow outside a Canton home. Prosecutors said Read hit him with her SUV after a night of drinking, while she accused several people, including law enforcement, of framing her. 

Read was acquitted of second degree murder in O'Keefe's death in June 2025 after her second trial. Read's first trial ended in a mistrial due to a hung jury.

Battle over Karen Read's cellphones

Read's lawyer, Ben Urbelis, argues that while Read's phones were confiscated in January 2024, prosecutors did not request a search warrant for the phones until 19 months later, after Read had already been acquitted of second-degree murder.

"It's been two years," Urbelis said. "They couldn't even indict her. Now they're trying to do what they can to get her on something else."

Cosgrove disagreed with Urbelis' contention. 

"I don't think the Norfolk District Attorney's office wants to get Karen Read or anybody else," he said.

Judge Peter Krupp denied that search warrant request by the Commonwealth on January 30, 2026, in an opinion that has since been impounded, or sealed.

Following that decision, Read's lawyer emailed prosecutors asking for the quick return of her phones, to which Cosgrove replied in part, "It is my intention have a conversation with the Norfolk DA's office as to how they wish to proceed …options being simple return of the phone, motion for reconsideration in whole or in part, appeal."

"This case is done"

Read's lawyer is now asking Judge Michael Doolin of Norfolk Superior Court to order the phones returned. 

"This case is done. There's been a decision," Urbelis said on Thursday during the hearing.

The Commonwealth is asking for more time on the issue as it awaits a decision from the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in an unrelated case that it claims could have impacts on Read's phones.

"We have 30 days to file a notice of appeal of the judge's decision and it seems reasonable that we have the option to exercise that right before any decisions are made," Cosgrove said at the hearing.

Cosgrove argued that if the phones were returned during the appeal process, the chain of custody would be destroyed.

No timeline for a decision was given.