DEDHAM, Mass. — Karen Read’s lawyers filed an emergency petition to the U.S. Supreme Court to delay her retrial while they review the charges against her as no new jurors were added to her case Monday.
Read’s defense had previously asked the country’s highest court to review and drop two of the three criminal charges against her: second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death.
The defense team is claiming Read’s constitutional rights are being violated under the double jeopardy clause after multiple jurors allegedly came forward claiming she had been acquitted on 2 of the 3 charges.
The Supreme Court has not yet made a decision on whether or not to drop those charges, prompting the request to delay the Norfolk County trial, which began April.
When asked about her bid with the Supreme Court, Read referenced a 1994 classic prison movie.
“What are your thoughts on the supreme court, is there any hope they’d step in?” Boston 25 Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel asked.
“To quote Shawshank Redemption, ‘Hope is a great thing, sometimes the best of things,’ so I’ll take any chance with the Supreme Court, Ted,” Read said.
On Monday, 45 new jury candidates were screened, with all but four of them acknowledged they’re familiar with the case.
With a gag order silencing all attorneys in this case, Karen Read is the only one from her team allowed to speak to reporters.
She says she’s not surprised at the speed of the jury selection process — even though no one new has been added since Thursday.
“It’s going as the same pace as last year despite more publicity so I’m not disappointed,” Read said.
Both sides are allowed to challenge or block up to 16 people from being picked — without giving a reason.
Read provided our first update on that.
“You think you’ve used about 10 challenges?” Boston 25 Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel asked.
“I think they used one more than us and I think we’ve used 10 and they’ve used 11, which is commensurate of where we are with the selection,” Read said.
Read, 45, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in the cold 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 at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and then dragged outside and left for dead.
She 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.
Last week, five men and five women were chosen for the jury.
Done for the day. No new jurors added today. We remain at 10.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 7, 2025
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