Mass. SJC set to issue highly-anticipated ruling in Karen Read murder case
ByFrank O'Laughlin, Boston 25 News Staff
ByFrank O'Laughlin, Boston 25 News Staff
BOSTON — The Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts on Tuesday morning is expected to publish its ruling on Karen Read’s fight to drop two of three criminal charges she faces in the January 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe.
Today’s opinions: Read v. Commonwealth (SJC 13663); Gannett v. Board of Bar Overseers (SJC 13449); Commonwealth v. Maraj (AC 23-P-1142), available after 10 a.m.
They have also argued that polling the jury will show the panel reached “not guilty” verdicts on the two charges and that they were only hung on Read’s manslaughter charge.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office has opposed Read’s bid to get the charges dropped, arguing that Cannone was correct when she ruled all of Read’s charges should remain for her retrial.
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Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read and John O'Keefe
All stand as the jury files out to the courtroom, to start their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Pat Greenhouse/AP)
Karen Read jurors tell judge they’ve been unable to reach unanimous verdict Karen Read jurors tell judge they’ve been unable to reach unanimous verdict
Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial
Karen Read awaits the juries verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP) (Greg Derr/AP)
Closing arguments in Karen Read trial
Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury verdict slip Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury verdict slip
Karen Read murder trial
Streets lined with Karen Read supporters as her fate rests in hands of the jury
Streets lined with Karen Read supporters as her fate rests in hands of the jury
Norfolk Superior Court Dedham Some witnesses are in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Jennifer McCabe.
Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read trial Karen Read, center right, is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Kayla Bartkowski/(Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial Karen Read is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Kayla Bartkowski/(Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial
Karen Read, John O'Keefe
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read murder trial Karen Read smiles after listening to her attorney Alan Jackson during her trial at Norfolk County Superior Court, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool) (Charles Krupa/AP)
Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read and Officer O'Keefe
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool) (David McGlynn/Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool))
Karen Read Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool) (David McGlynn/Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial Day 1
Karen Read opening statements begin
Karen Read
Karen Read
Read is accused of hitting O’Keefe, her boyfriend, with her Lexus SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking.
The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and then dragged outside and left for dead.
The retrial of Read has been delayed until April 2025.