PLYMOUTH, Mass. — Karen Read is set to return to a Massachusetts courtroom on Monday, facing a wrongful death lawsuit from the family of John O’Keefe.
The lawsuit, which will be heard at Plymouth County Superior Court on Monday, follows Read’s not guilty verdict in June for the second-degree murder of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
“People have won the criminal case but lost the civil,” said Boston 25 legal analyst Peter Elikann, referencing similar cases like O.J. Simpson’s.
The civil case against Karen Read was put on hold during her criminal trial, which concluded with her acquittal on the most serious charges related to O’Keefe’s death in January 2022.
Read’s criminal attorneys, Elizabeth Little and Alan Jackson, will join her side and argue a motion to dismiss one element of the wrongful death claim on Monday.
Elikann noted that the stakes in a civil case are lower than in a criminal trial, as the burden of proof is only a preponderance of the evidence.
He added, “The worst-case scenario is that you can obviously go to jail. In a civil case, the worst-case scenario is that they will be successful in their lawsuit against you for money.”
In civil cases, a jury must only find it more likely than not that the defendant is responsible, Elikann said.
She is expected to appear in court on Monday at 2 p.m.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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