Karen Reading Trial: Who is Karen Read? What you need to know about Karen Reading Trial
According to a report by NBC News, the opening statement recounts theories proposed during the first trial. Prosecutors continue to claim that Red killed O’Keeffe because their relationship was unveiled. Meanwhile, the defense argued that Reid was the victim of cover-up of misconduct in law enforcement. The first trial ended with a jury.
Who does Karen read?
Karen Read, 45, is a financial analyst based in Mansfield, Massachusetts. She is currently on trial in a case accusing her of killing her boyfriend O’Keefe. The case has attracted widespread public attention due to its complex circumstances and allegations covered up by the police.
Karen read case background
Back in January 2022, John O’Keefe found a coma in the snow outside a house in Canton, Massachusetts. He was pronounced dead. After the main investigation after his death, the suspicion of his girlfriend was to be a student. She was charged with second-degree murder, murder while drunk and left the scene of her death.
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According to prosecutors’ claims, Reading allegedly hit her boyfriend with her SUV. However, she pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Prosecutors accused Reading of killing her boyfriend, presenting new evidence
According to the NBC report, Special Attorney Hank Brennan told the new jury in his opening speech that a firefighter heard the book say she repeatedly beat him (John) at the scene. It added that the prosecution relies on new cell phone and car data. Prosecutors believe that the data will establish a timeline.
The report added that Brennan said data from the Read SUV dashboard showed she reversed and accelerated 75% of the power. The lawyer said it suggested that she hit O’Keeffe. He further mentioned the voicemails left after midnight and claimed that the defendant knew O’Keeffe was injured but did nothing.
Additionally, jury clips from Read’s media interviews were shown, including an interview she loudly wondering if she “cuts” him, but doesn’t believe he looks fatal to hurt.
Ministry of Defense claims this is not a car accident
Defense attorney Alan Jackson argued that the evidence showed O’Keeffe was not hit by a vehicle at all. The defense claims the investigation is flawed. They accused Detective Michael Proctor of lying, fabricating evidence and tampering with Red’s vehicle.
Jackson reportedly pointed to the possibility of a possible dog attack and claimed the deceased could have been injured in a fight inside the house. Questioning the inconsistency between witnesses’ past and current testimony, he urged the juror to declare all accounts not guilty.
Witness testimony
Timothy Nuttall, a firefighter and paramedic, was the first to testify. He said he found O’Keeffe in a nearly tobacco leaf in the snow, without a pulse, and his arms were scraped deeply. When identifying the book in court, he recalled that she said she hit O’Keeffe. However, during cross-examination, the defense emphasized the difference in its statement.
Meanwhile, one of the couple’s friends, Kerry Roberts, told the court that the defendant called her in a panic at 5 a.m., claiming that John was dead. She further said Red hinted that he might have been hit by the snow.
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What’s next
As many as 150 witnesses may have been called, including some controversial witnesses in the initial trial – they reportedly searched for “how long to die from the cold” during the accident.
The trial schedule this week is reportedly a half-day Friday, with a series of testimony held on Monday and a special hearing on experts on crash reconstruction on Monday.
The second trial may be faster than the first one, which lasted nearly two months.
FAQ
1. Who does Karen read?
Karen Read, a 45-year-old Massachusetts financial analyst, is accused of murdering her boyfriend John O’Keefe in 2022.
2. What is her accusation?
She was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while drunk and left the scene of personal injury or death.
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