Karen Read’s retrial: Judge cancels testimony on Thursday. Here’s why

DEDHAM, Mass. — Jurors in Karen Read’s murder retrial will get an unexpected break on Thursday after Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone announced the cancellation of a planned day of witness testimony.

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 a half day in the Mansfield woman’s second trial, featuring testimony from two defense witnesses: Canton snowplow driver Brian “Lucky” Loughran and Canton resident Karina Kolokithas.

After Day 27 of testimony wrapped up, Cannone told the jury that she would see them on Friday due to extreme heat forecasted for Thursday.

“I am assured that not only are we on schedule, we’re ahead of schedule,” Cannone informed the jury. “I understand tomorrow is supposed to be very hot. Court officers are concerned about how we’re going to keep the fans and air conditioners going, and be allowed to hear the witnesses.”

Boston 25’s Shiri Spear said in her latest forecast that temperatures are expected to soar past 90 degrees.

Cannone continued, “I’ve talked to the lawyers. Everybody’s in agreement that because we’re ahead of schedule, we’ll give you tomorrow off. We won’t be in session tomorrow.”

Cannone said proceedings will resume Friday with a full day of testimony.

Before the court broke for the day, Loughran, who works for the town of Canton, testified that he was out plowing overnight before O’Keefe was found dead outside Albert’s home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton.

Just like in Read’s first trial, Loughran said that his route took him by Albert’s home and that he didn’t see anything on the lawn.

The prosecution alleges Read struck O’Keefe around 12:45 a.m. and that O’Keefe’s body was on the lawn until about 6 a.m. that morning. Loughran said he drove by the home at 2:45 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., noticing nothing suspicious.

“Did you see the area on the ground near the flagpole at 2:45 a.m.?” Read attorney David Yannetti asked.

Loughran responded, “Yes.”

Yannetti asked," What did you see?"

“I saw nothing,” Loughran said.

Karina Kolokithas, a Canton resident who was out with O’Keefe and Read the night before he was found dead, was called to the stand by the defense after Loughran was dismissed.

Kolokithas testified that she was invited out to the Waterfall Bar and Grill with the couple. She recalled drinking water that night due to her propensity for migraines.

While speaking with Read at the Waterfall, Kolokithas said Read praised O’Keefe for stepping in for his niece and nephew. She also said she saw Read and O’Keefe lovingly embracing each other at the bar, kissing and hugging.

“It just stood out to me, I was like, ‘wow, that’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen,’” Kolokithas said.

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.

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