Karen Read reveals when defense could rest case in her murder retrial

DEDHAM, Mass. — Karen Read answered several questions outside of Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon, most notably revealing when her lawyers could rest their case in her murder retrial.

Read, 45, 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 on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night of drinking.

Wednesday marked Day 27 of her second murder trial. It was a half day for the jury, and witness testimony wrapped up before 1 p.m.

After Canton snowplow driver Brian “Lucky” Loughran and Canton resident Karina Kolokithas testified on behalf of the defense, Read was swarmed by a gaggle of reporters outside of court before slipping into an awaiting black SUV.

Kolokithas told the court she saw Read and O’Keefe lovingly embracing each other at the Waterfall Bar and Grill on the night before his death. Jurors were also shown a video of the couple inside the bar.

“The witness [Kolokithas] was talking about your relationship with John that night. What more can you share?” a reporter asked.

“I think the video speaks for itself. Happy, loving, affectionate, no tension,” Read answered.

When asked if she thought O’Keefe and ATF Agent Brian Higgins were “at odds,” Read responded, “It appears that way.”

Higgins was at the Waterfall with O’Keefe and Read. He later went to the party at Albert’s home.

When asked, “When do you think you’ll [defense] wrap?” Read said, “Tuesday, give or take.”

Since the prosecution rested its case last week, Read’s legal team has called seven witnesses to the stand: Motor vehicle accident reconstructionist Matt DiSogra, Michael Proctor’s childhood friend Jonathan Diamandis, dog bite expert Dr. Marie Russell, former Canton Police Officer Kelly Dever, and Dighton Police Sgt. Nicholas Barros, in addition to Loughlan and Kolokithas.

Read previously said it could take anywhere from seven days to two weeks for the defense to present its case.

The court will not be in session on Thursday due to concerns about the expected 90-degree heat, Judge Beverly Cannone said. Testimony resumes on Friday.

Prosecutors allege Read intentionally backed into O’Keefe after she dropped him off at the 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.

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.

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

Get caught up with all of the latest in Karen Read’s retrial.

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