The celebrations that followed included tears of joy.
Confetti fell and people dressed in pink erupted in cheers as the jury read “not guilty” verdicts for second-degree murder and OUI-manslaughter. Read was only charged with operating under the influence of alcohol.
Many hugged, chanted, and showed signs of support for Read as she left a free woman.
0 of 7
Karen Read Trial Karen Read gestures to supporters after she was found not guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
APTOPIX Karen Read Trial Karen Read, center, waves to supporters after she was found not guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
Karen Read Trial Nichole Tellier, a resident of Cape Cod, Mass., center, and fellow supporters of Karen Read, react as she leaves the courthouse at the start of the third day of jury deliberations in Read's trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
Karen Read Trial Supporters of Karen Read, react as she leaves the courthouse at the start of the third day of jury deliberations in Read's trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
Karen Read Trial Blogger Aidan Kearney, center, meets with fans and Karen Read supporters, from left, Linda Allen of Rockland, MA, and Shannon LoPorto of Weymouth, MA, outside the Dedham, Mass. courthouse on the third day of jury deliberations in Read's trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
Karen Read
The highly publicized case drew national attention.
One woman said she drove up from South Carolina to see the outcome.
“It’s just the best ending ever,” one supporter said. “Just after 3 and a half years of this so grateful and it was obvious. The jury saw through the shenanigans and everything the commonwealth was trying to put on.”
“I never saw this. I thought we were gunna be in for an other battle because the corruption is just so friggen deep,” another supporter said.
Karen Read Trial Karen Read suppporters react after she was found not guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Josh Reynolds) (Josh Reynolds/AP)
The crowd outside held up hand signals, which Read’s attorney Alan Jackson started on Friday because they needed to be quiet while she was arriving at court.
A “free Karen Read” chant could also be heard among the crowd outside.
Karen Read Trial Peggy O'Keefe, mother of John O'Keefe watches as the jury enters he courtroom to resume deliberations during Karen Read's trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
Many of the supporters Boston 25 News spoke to said despite their happiness for Read, they also feel sadness for the family of John O’Keefe.
They believe it’s important to uncover answers about what happened.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/7QOJU3BNCJERBNKJC5LWTBYFLU.png)
