Canton residents remain divided on Karen Read murder trial

CANTON - Canton residents are divided on the Karen Read murder trial and are beginning to wonder if the trial will end with no unanimous decision after a week of deliberations ended with a hung jury.

Canton divided

"I would hate to be on that jury. I mean, that's so hard," one Canton resident said anonymously.

The trial is the talk of the town, with supporters on both sides speaking out on busy side streets, in their homes, and at supermarkets.

"Everybody is talking about that's the topic no matter where you go or who you see. I do know there is a lot of division among the people in the neighborhood," one neighbor said.

"Certainly has the town divided," another resident said.

Hung jury

On Friday, the fourth day of deliberations, the jury had not reached a verdict.

"It's a reminder to the jury that they are in a unique position to reach a unanimous verdict. If they still cannot reach a unanimous verdict, then the judge will declare a mistrial or what we colloquially call a hung jury, which means there will be no guilty or not guilty finding against Karen Read, and she could be tried again," Legal analyst Jennifer Roman said.

Supporters on both sides have been camped outside the courthouse all week long and throughout the trial.

"I think it has wakened up the towns because of our police department, and I think we have some very undertrained police," one neighbor said.

Roman says a decision of a verdict or a hung jury could come by Monday or early Tuesday morning.

"I do think it's gonna be will be a hung jury. The jury is a sampling of the population of people in Norfolk County, and given the split among people in general, I believe that's carrying over into the jury," Roman said.