Jurors Deliberate in Second Murder Trial of Massachusetts Woman Accused of Killing Officer Boyfriend

Jurors in the retrial of Karen Read, accused of murdering her police officer boyfriend, raised four questions related to evidence and charges before continuing their discussions. Despite deliberating for over 11 hours by Tuesday, the second full day of deliberations, the 12-member jury had not reached a decision in the highly publicized case. Shortly after court reconvened, the jury submitted three inquiries to Judge Beverly Cannone. Their first question concerned the timeline associated with the lesser charge of operating under the influence (OUI). The second inquiry sought clarification on whether Read’s interviews could be considered evidence and how they should be evaluated. The third question dealt with the potential implications of convicting on a lesser charge and if it would equate to a conviction on the primary count, suggesting some misunderstanding of the verdict form.

Following a recess, Cannone reminded the jury that they possessed “all the evidence” and that they were the ultimate “fact finders” in the case. Both the defense and prosecution returned to court to address a fourth question raised by the jurors, who wondered if they would be deemed a hung jury if they reached a not guilty verdict on two charges but were divided on a third. Cannone explained that the query was hypothetical and therefore, she couldn’t provide an answer, despite objections from the defense.

Read is charged with second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision. Prosecutors claim that Read reversed her Lexus SUV into Boston police officer John O’Keefe, leaving him to die in the snow after a night of drinking. O’Keefe’s body was discovered outside a fellow officer’s home. In contrast, Read’s defense argues that officers inside the house assaulted O’Keefe, discarded his body in the snow, and deliberately mishandled the investigation to orchestrate a cover-up. These deliberations occur nearly a year after Read’s first trial ended in a mistrial due to a jury’s inability to reach a unanimous decision on her charges.