Karen Read’s murder case has taken a new turn as her lawyers seek to dismiss two of the charges against her, including second-degree murder. The 44-year-old Mansfield woman was accused of intentionally hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her SUV while intoxicated. After a mistrial was declared due to a divided jury, the defense claims that the jury was actually in agreement on two of the charges and only deadlocked on one. Read’s lawyers assert that retrying her on those counts would violate laws against double jeopardy.
Prosecutors have pushed back against the defense’s claims, calling them hearsay and conjecture. However, they received voicemails from jurors suggesting otherwise, with one claiming that the jury was unanimous on charges 1 and 3. Despite these conflicting accounts, a hearing is scheduled for Friday afternoon in Norfolk Superior Court to determine the next steps in the case.
Karen Read’s supporters, who organize under the “Free Karen Read” movement, have remained vocal in her defense leading up to the hearing. They have organized demonstrations in multiple locations and continue to show their support for Read. The high-profile nature of the case and the ongoing legal battles have kept the public captivated, with many eagerly awaiting the next development in this unfolding saga.
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