DEDHAM, Mass. — Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone questioned nearly 90 more prospective jurors on Wednesday, ultimately seating another five in the retrial of Karen Read.
Read, 45, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting John O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in the cold after a night of drinking.
The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and then dragged outside and left for dead.
She has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death.
Through the first two days of jury selection in Read’s second murder trial, a total of seven jurors have been selected: four men and three women. The court needs to seat a jury of 12, including at least four alternate jurors.
The 2nd day of jury selection in the Karen Read trial has concluded.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 2, 2025
A total of 7 jurors have been seated.
5 today. 2 yesterday.
The selection process continues Thursday.
My reports on #Boston25 at 5 and 6pm
Of the 87 jurors questioned by Cannone on Wednesday, 77 said they had heard or talked about the case, 38 admitted to having already formed opinions, and 14 revealed that they had “bias or prejudice” to either the defense or prosecution.
Two jurors were seated on Tuesday. Cannone will question a fresh batch of prospective jurors on Thursday.
Cannone has informed the court that, based on evidence in the case, the trial will last anywhere between six and eight weeks.
Read’s first trial ended with a hung jury in July 2024.
Also, on Wednesday, Cannone ruled that California-based crash expert Dr. Judson Welcher will be allowed to testify on behalf of the prosecution during trial.
Welcher is expected to say that the wounds found on John O’Keefe’s arm are from Read’s taillight and not dog bites, as the defense contends.
As the second day of jury selection unfolded, a lawsuit filed against Cannone by four Massachusetts residents came to light.
Plaintiffs Jason Grant, Allison Taggart, Lisa Peterson, and Samantha Lyons are suing Cannone over her decision to reinstate a 200-foot buffer zone outside Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court for the retrial of Karen Read, arguing that their “constitutional guarantees” to protest have been violated.
That lawsuit is expected to be heard in federal court on Friday.
On Tuesday, an independent audit of the Canton Police Department finds missteps in the handling of the Karen Read investigation, but no evidence to support claims she was framed.
Jury selection resumes at 9 a.m. Thursday.
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