Karen Read’s legal team made a final plea in Norfolk Superior Court on Wednesday for the dismissal of all her charges while accusing law enforcement of “egregious” misconduct.
Norfolk County Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan blasted Read’s lawyers for allegedly creating a false narrative and shifting blame.
The nearly 4-hour hearing, presided over by Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone, featured competing narratives in the now three-year-old case.
Read is charged with 2nd degree murder for the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe in Canton.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson repeatedly asserted that the prosecution engaged in bad police work rooted in bad faith. He claimed that evidence, including videos of Read’s Lexus, had been hidden and manipulated, and Jackson even alleged that potential jury tampering occurred during Read’s first trial.
Jackson referenced video of Read’s Lexus inside a garage at the Canton Police station that appeared “inverted” when shown to jurors in Read’s first trial. He claims it was manipulated to hide that now suspended State Trooper Michael Proctor was standing near Read’s taillight.
The prosecution alleges Read cracked her taillight when she drunkenly struck O’Keefe while nearly flooring her SUV in reverse during a snowstorm.
“The conduct in this case is so egregious, it’s so pervasive and it’s so deliberate that prejudice must be presumed,” Jackson stated.
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Karen Read
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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
Jackson said a state trooper from the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office played a role in the removal of a juror Jackson perceived as potentially favorable to the defense.
Judge Cannone questioned the integrity of Jackson’s claim. Cannone said state police do not supervise jurors and, “the only people who have any access to those jurors are the court officers and the Department of Security of the trial court.”
Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan accused Jackson of besmirching the Trooper.
Brennan described the jury tampering allegation as “one of the most serious claims that one can make,” arguing that it “questions the fabric of our entire judicial system.”
Brennan presented videos of Read’s Lexus taken before it was in police custody, arguing that they demonstrated pre-existing damage to the taillight, contradicting the defense’s suggestion that it was damaged by police to frame her.
“They would not have gotten the production…if the government was looking to hide anything,” Brennan stated, refuting claims of intentional withholding of evidence or bad faith.
Brennan also referenced an interview conducted by Boston 25 with Karen Read, criticizing the news outlet for what he perceived as a willingness to share Read’s “narrative.” At the time, Boston 25 also requested an interview with Brennan, which was declined.
Judge Cannone will rule on the motion to dismiss ahead of Read’s trial scheduled in April.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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