Karen Read Murder Case Ends In Mistrial

The murder trial of Karen Read , accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe , ended in a mistrial on Monda y (June 30). The jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision after more than 26 hours of deliberation. The case, which began in April, has drawn national attention due to its contentious nature and the high-profile status of the accused and the victim.

Read, 44, was charged with second-degree murder in the death of O'Keefe, 46, whose body was found outside the home of a friend, Brian Albert , on a snowy night in January 2022. Prosecutors argued that Read, after a night of drinking, fatally struck O'Keefe with her SUV and fled the scene. However, Read's defense team contended that she was framed by law enforcement officers seeking to cover up a fatal fight that occurred at Albert's home.

The trial saw testimony from over 65 witnesses , including forensic experts, police investigators, and members of both Read's and O'Keefe's families. The case also stirred a fervent online following and attracted protesters advocating for Read's innocence to the courthouse, leading to the imposition of a 200-foot buffer zone around the courthouse.

The prosecution's case hinged on comments Read allegedly made after finding O'Keefe's body, including statements such as "Did I hit him?" and "I hit him." They also pointed to evidence of a strained relationship between Read and O'Keefe, including voicemail messages left by Read accusing O'Keefe of infidelity.

The defense, on the other hand, argued that O'Keefe's injuries did not appear to be from a vehicle strike and that the lead investigator in the case had shown bias against Read in private text messages.

A status update in the case is scheduled for July 22. It remains unclear whether Norfolk County prosecutors will seek to retry Read