Special prosecutor seeks to limit Karen Read’s opening in murder retrial
The special prosecutor appointed to lead the retrial of Karen Read, who is accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe, has filed a last-minute motion to block the defense from shifting blame to O’Keefe’s fellow police officers or their dog during opening statements next week.
In the motion filed just days before the retrial is set to begin, specially appointed assistant district attorney Hank Brennan argued that the defense’s plans to use photos of injuries to O’Keefe’s right arm could violate a prior order prohibiting the defense from trying to blame someone else for Read’s death before presenting evidence at trial.
“The Commonwealth moves for an order that defense counsel refrain from claiming in their opening statement that any of the victim’s injuries were caused by any person or animal that was inside the home at 34 Fairview Road,” Brennan wrote. “Based on the defense’s request to show the abrasions to the victim’s arm in opening statement, the Commonwealth notes that the Court has ruled the defense is precluded from mentioning any reference to third-party culprit claims prior to establishing a viable basis supported by admissible evidence and any mention of third-party culprit claims relative to the abrasions would be improper.”
O’Keefe’s death occurred outside a Canton, Massachusetts, home where some of his law enforcement colleagues and their spouses were attending an after-party following a night out in town on Jan. 28, 2022. Read is accused of striking him with her Lexus SUV during a drunken argument and then leaving the scene, where he was found dead on fellow Boston Police Officer Brian Albert’s front lawn the next day.
Prosecutors have determined that O’Keefe died from severe head trauma and hypothermia, but he also had injuries to his hands and right arm. The defense has been granted access to a dog bite expert to testify, but limitations have been placed on both the defense and prosecution’s experts in this area.
Judge Beverly Cannone denied a prosecution motion to exclude the defense expert on dog bites and partially granted a defense motion to limit testimony from a prosecution expert on the same topic. Dr. James Crosby will be allowed to testify for the prosecution generally about dog bites but is not allowed to specifically exclude Chloe, the German shepherd owned by Officer Albert, as the culprit.
Read, who has pleaded not guilty, is facing a retrial after the first trial ended with a deadlocked jury last year. She has also petitioned the U.S. Supreme Court to drop two of the three charges she is facing based on partial, unannounced results.
Opening statements for the retrial are scheduled to begin next week, and the court will continue to closely monitor the proceedings to ensure a fair trial for all parties involved.
