Speaking against Karen Read's motion to dismiss elements of her civil claim, O'Keefe family attorney Marc Diller says, "Karen drives drunk. She reverses her SUV. She knocks JJ (John O'Keefe) down. She leaves him to die in the cold....That's where Karen starts plotting"
Karen Read's attorney Damon M. Seligson just announced that Read plans to file an affirmative claim seeking damages against numerous members of State Police, several witnesses in her criminal case, State Police as an agency, Town of Canton (police).
Karen Read is back in court for the civil case brought by the family of John O’Keefe. She’s joined by attorney Alan Jackson and a number of other lawyers.
A large crowd of her supporters are filing in now. This is a much bigger courtroom than where her criminal trial was… pic.twitter.com/MieSQPr1EZ
The lawsuit, which will be heard at Plymouth County Superior Court, follows Read’s second-degree murder acquittal in June in the death of O’Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend.
“People have won the criminal case but lost the civil,” said Boston 25 legal analyst Peter Elikann, referencing similar cases like O.J. Simpson’s.
The civil case against Read, 45, of Mansfield, was put on hold during her criminal retrial, which concluded with her acquittal on the most serious charges related to O’Keefe’s January 2022 death in Canton.
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‘We’re still numb’: Karen Read and family celebrate not guilty verdict
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Not guilty verdict Karen Read chats with her defense team at Karen Read's second murder trial on April 22. She was found not guilty on all but one charge on June 18. The only charge the jury found her guilty on was driving under the influence. (Staff Photo By Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald) (MediaNews Group/Boston Herald vi/MediaNews Group via Getty Images)
Karen Read Trial Before the jury enters the courtroom Karen Read shares a lighthearted moment with her defense team, during her second murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court, Wednesday, May 21, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Karen Read during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) (Matt Stone/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Karen Read talks with her attorneys Robert Alessi and David Yannetti during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) (Matt Stone/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Karen Read and her defense team watch jurors leave the courtroom during Read's murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
Karen Read Trial Karen Read speaks with her defense attorney, Alan Jackson, during her retrial in Norfolk Superior Court, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell, Pool) (Mark Stockwell/AP)
Karen Read Trial Karen Read, who is accused of killing her boyfriend Boston police Officer John O'Keefe, in 2022, during her murder trial at Norfolk Superior Court, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) (Matt Stone/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Karen Read and attorney Alan Jackson look at the empty jury box while listening to Judge Cannone during Read's murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
Karen Read Trial Karen Read looks on during her trial Tuesday, May 20, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) (Matt Stone/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Defendant Karen Read talks with her attorneys during her murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, May 14, 2025. (Mark Chavous/Enterprise News via AP, Pool) (Mark Chavous/AP)
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Two jurors chosen on first day of jury selection in retrial of Karen Read
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Karen Read Pre-Trial Hearing Dedham, MA - April 12: Karen Read at her pre-trial hearing at Norfolk Superior Court. (Photo by David L. Ryan/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) (Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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Karen Read watches attorney Robert Alessi make a point during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court at Dedham, Mass., on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
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Karen Read (FILE - Karen Read and her defense team and the prosecution file motions in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Nov. 13, 2024 (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool, file))
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Judge approves joint motion to delay start of Karen Read’s 2nd murder trial Judge approves joint motion to delay start of Karen Read’s 2nd murder trial
Karen Read appears in Norfolk Superior Court on Nov. 26, 2024 (Karen Read appears in Norfolk Superior Court on Nov. 26, 2024)
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Mistrial Declared In Karen Read Murder Trial Dedham, MA - July 1: Karen Read looks toward the jurors, as they are greeted by Judge Beverly J. Cannone (not pictured) in Norfolk Superior Court. (Photo by Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) (Boston Globe/Boston Globe via Getty Images)
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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
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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.
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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))
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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)
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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
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The lawsuit alleges that Read “outrageously created a false narrative” and the O’Keefe family has suffered “emotional injuries, severe physical pain, anguish, emotional distress and other harm… caused by defendant Read’s negligence.”
Karen Read Trial Karen Read and attorney Alan Jackson look at the empty jury box while listening to Judge Cannone during Read's murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)
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Karen Read Trial Defense attorney Alan Jackson speaks as Karen Read listens during her retrial, Tuesday, June 10, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald via AP, Pool) (Matt Stone/AP)
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 Trial Karen Read speaks with her defense attorney, Alan Jackson, during her retrial in Norfolk Superior Court, Thursday, May 29, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell, Pool) (Mark Stockwell/AP)
Karen Read and Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Elikann noted that the stakes in a civil case are lower than in a criminal trial, as the burden of proof is only a preponderance of the evidence.
He added, “The worst-case scenario is that you can obviously go to jail. In a civil case, the worst-case scenario is that they will be successful in their lawsuit against you for money.”
In civil cases, a jury must only find it more likely than not that the defendant is responsible, Elikann said.
She is expected to appear in court on Monday at 2 p.m.
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