DEDHAM, Mass. — The Karen Read case returned to court Friday with Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone hearing arguments on whether testimony from a digital forensics expert hired by the defense will be allowed during the Mansfield woman’s second murder trial.
During Read’s first trial, which ended with a hung jury in July 2024, Richard Green alleged that Jennifer McCabe searched “how long to die in cold” and “hos long to die in cold” on Google. McCabe testified that Read asked her to make the Google search after they found her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe dead in the snow outside of 34 Fairview Road in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022.
Green also testified that McCabe’s Google search happened at 2:27 a.m. in the morning, hours before the prosecution said it happened.
Jennifer McCabe searches Jennifer McCabe searches
During Friday’s hearing, special Prosecutor Hank Brennan argued that Green’s testimony should be excluded from Read’s retrial because his “baseless” claims “lack any evidentiary support” and “cannot be made in good faith.” The defense also said his claims were made without “scientific, forensic, or factual support.”
Defense attorney Robert Alessi argued that Green is qualified to make claims and that he used five different tools to come to his conclusion.
“To me, it’s rather odd right off the jump that there’s no challenge to five other areas of data forensics and there’s just this challenge to one aspect of his whole testimony and opinions,” Alessi said.
The prosecution wants a special hearing with Green and an expert from the Commonwealth who can explain the science and methodology of the Google search made on McCabe’s phone.
The defense says there is no need for the special hearing because the experts agree on the methodology, but that they will testify to having a difference of opinion. They also pointed out that more than 4,000 searches were made on McCabe’s phone with only one deletion.
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Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read and John O'Keefe
All stand as the jury files out to the courtroom, to start their fifth day of deliberations in the murder trial for Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Monday, July 1, 2024. (Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Pat Greenhouse/AP)
Karen Read jurors tell judge they’ve been unable to reach unanimous verdict Karen Read jurors tell judge they’ve been unable to reach unanimous verdict
Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial
Karen Read awaits the juries verdict in her murder case at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday June 26, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP) (Greg Derr/AP)
Closing arguments in Karen Read trial
Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury verdict slip Defense attorneys in Karen Read murder trial argue with judge over jury verdict slip
Karen Read murder trial
Streets lined with Karen Read supporters as her fate rests in hands of the jury
Streets lined with Karen Read supporters as her fate rests in hands of the jury
Norfolk Superior Court Dedham Some witnesses are in the courtroom on Tuesday include Brian Albert, Colin Albert, and Jennifer McCabe.
Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read trial Karen Read, center right, is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Kayla Bartkowski/(Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial Karen Read is seated Monday, June 10, 2024, in Norfolk Super Court, in Dedham, Mass., during her trial on charges in connection with the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police Officer John O'Keefe. (Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool) (Kayla Bartkowski/(Kayla Bartkowski/The Boston Globe via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial
Karen Read, John O'Keefe
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read murder trial Karen Read smiles after listening to her attorney Alan Jackson during her trial at Norfolk County Superior Court, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool) (Charles Krupa/AP)
Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read Karen Read
Karen Read
Karen Read and Officer O'Keefe
Karen Read murder trial
Karen Read Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool) (David McGlynn/Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool))
Karen Read Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool) (David McGlynn/Karen Read sits with her legal team team in court, Thursday, May 2, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. (David McGlynn/New York Post via AP, Pool))
Karen Read trial Day 1
Karen Read opening statements begin
Karen Read
Karen Read
Read is accused of hitting O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV on January 29, 2022, and leaving him to die 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 and then dragged outside and left for dead.
The case is slated to return to court next week.
Read’s retrial is set for April 2025.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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