Judge in Karen Read’s retrial orders everyone out of courtroom to address ‘issue’ with jury

DEDHAM, Mass. — Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone ordered everyone gathered for Karen Read’s murder retrial out of the Dedham courtroom on Wednesday morning, delaying the resumption of testimony.

Live court video, updates: Day 20 of witness testimony in Karen Read’s retrial

Cannone’s order came after she told the court she needed to question each member of the jury individually due to an “issue.”

“Good morning, jurors. So, any issue has come to my attention that is going to make it necessary that I talk to each one of you individually over at sidebar with council,” Cannone told the court. “That process will take a little while.”

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Cannone, who also asked that all cameras be turned off, didn’t detail what the issue was.

Everyone was also told to vacate the second floor and that they couldn’t wait outside the courtroom.

Day 20 of witness testimony was set to begin at 9 a.m. It resumed at 11 a.m. with Cannone only reminding all 18 jurors not to talk about the case.

Read, 45, of Mansfield, is accused of striking John O’Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, with her Lexus SUV and leaving him to die alone in a blizzard outside of a house party in Canton at the home of fellow officer Brian Albert following a night of drinking.

Prosecutors allege Read intentionally backed into O’Keefe after she dropped him off at a house party and returned hours later to find him dead. The defense has claimed that she was a victim of a vast police conspiracy and that O’Keefe was fatally beaten by another law enforcement officer at the party.

A mistrial was declared last year after jurors said they were at an impasse and deliberating further would be futile.

Read has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death.

Judge Cannone tells everyone to exit courtroom and court security tells everyone to leave the 2nd floor. Nobody can wait outside courtroom apparently
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) May 21, 2025