Jury in Karen Read’s murder trial visits the home where boyfriend and police officer John O’Keefe was found dead outside
Karen Read is on trial for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, who was found dead outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts. During the trial, jurors visited the site where O'Keefe's body was discovered in order to better understand the evidence and context of the case. Prosecutors claim Read struck O'Keefe with her vehicle after a night out and left him in the snow, while the defense argues that a conspiracy involving police officers led to fabricated evidence against Read. The defense also suggests that O'Keefe was attacked inside the house and left outside to die, rather than being struck by Read's vehicle. The trial's site visit is intended to help jurors observe and consider the location as part of their deliberations, but they are instructed not to take notes or conduct any independent investigations.
Karen Read stands accused of killing her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, by hitting him with her SUV after a night out, leading to charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death.
The incident took place outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts, where Read allegedly left O'Keefe in the snow after attending an after-party at a colleague's house; she later returned with friends to search for him, eventually finding his body.
A crucial aspect of the trial involves a site visit to the location where O'Keefe's body was found, with jurors instructed to observe the scene without taking notes or conducting investigations, guided by Judge Beverly Cannone's directions.
Prosecutors point to evidence such as a broken taillight on Read's SUV and pieces found at the scene, suggesting she struck O'Keefe with her vehicle, while the defense alleges a conspiracy and cover-up by the police to frame Read.
The defense proposes an alternative theory that O'Keefe was beaten inside the home, possibly by a German shepherd, and later left outside to die, challenging the prosecution's narrative and highlighting potential police misconduct.