Retrial of Karen Read gets heated as ex-Canton police officer testifies, along with dog bite expert

DEDHAM, Mass. — A medical doctor testified on Monday that John O’Keefe had multiple dog bites on his arm.

Dr. Marie Russell took up most of the day on the stand. She was the same dog bite expert from Karen Read’s first trial.

Two other witnesses were called by the defense today, including a former Canton Police officer, Kelly Dever, who was a reluctant witness.

Dever and Read’s lawyer Alan Jackson had a contentious back-and-forth in the morning session.

“Did you say, ‘I know you’re going to tear me a new one?’” Jackson asked.

“That’s what you’re trying to do,” Dever responded. “So yes.”

“Actually, what you said was you’re going to tear me a new [expletive],” Jackson said.

“I don’t recall that,” Dever responded.

Dever was a Canton Police officer in 2022 when O’Keefe was killed. Like many others involved with the case, she was questioned by FBI agents.

“Did you tell those law enforcement agents that you saw Brian Higgins and Chief Berkowitz together and alone with the SUV for a wildly long time?” Jackson asked.

“That was my recollection at the time,” Dever responded.

Dever now says she got that wrong. She called it a “distorted” memory.

She previously told Read’s defense team that by phone.

“How did they respond?” Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan asked on cross.

“They became very aggressive,” Dever said. “Raising their voices, and the one word that I can very definitely remember is they said that they would charge me with perjury.”

Dever is now a Boston Police officer. She confirmed she was called in to speak with the police commissioner Michael Cox about this case.

Outside of court, Karen Read had her own thoughts about Dever’s testimony.

“Are you suggesting that Dever may have been coaxed into changing her testimony?” Boston 25 News Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel asked.

“Yes,” Read responded. “We subpoenaed her to testify to what she told other authorities and just wanted her to be as honest with us as she was with them. And today, she’s now telling us that was a lie.”

Dr. Marie Russell will be back on the stand on Tuesday morning.

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