DEDHAM, Mass. — Karen Read returned to court Tuesday for a continuation of last week’s hearing, which ended abruptly after the judge expressed “grave concern.”
Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone said that she had “grave concern” over new information shared by the Commonwealth that “may have profound effects” on the future of the Karen Read murder case.
“The Commonwealth just provided the court with information that causes me grave concern,” Cannone said. “The implications of that information may have profound effects on the defense and defense council.”
Cannone’s call for the recess came immediately after special prosecutor Hank Brennan said in open court that Read’s defense team communicated with ARCCA, accident reconstruction experts about their testimony prior to Read’s first trial. Those ARCCA experts were originally hired by the feds.
Brennan read from what appeared to be emails between the defense and ARCCA and referred to a $23,000 bill that he says ARCCA sent to the defense.
Brennan called it “unfair, imbalanced, and hidden”.
At Tuesday’s hearing, lawyers have been told to be prepared to address the issues from the last hearing, especially prior representations made by the defense concerning the ARCCA witnesses.
Brennan recently filed a motion to block the defense’s ARCCA witnesses from testifying in Read’s retrial. In his motion, Brennan said, “Both Dr. Wolfe and Dr. Rentschler admittedly did not review all pertinent and relevant evidence that exists in this case.”
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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))
Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV on January 29, 2022, and leaving him to die after a night of drinking at the bar.
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.
Sources tell Boston 25 that prosecutor Hank Brennan plans to announce that the federal investigation is over in court during Tuesday’s hearing.
Karen Reads retrial has been delayed until April 2025.
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