Karen Read Trial II: 2025
The links below are for the 2025 trial only. Use the general Search then search “Karen Read” for 2023 hearings, 2024 Trial and 2025 second trial hearings.
Karen Read Trial II: Week 1
April 16-25, 2025
Wednesday, April 16, 2025:
9
Wednesday April 16 Motions:
Attorney Elizabeth Little for the defense on a “forensically sound” sallyport from January 29, 2022.
Motion on “the view” of seeing 34 Fairview Road where John O’Keefe was found January 29, 2022.
Prosecution on voir dire (determination of expertise) of Garrett Wing regarding bite imprint testimony for the defense.
Dr. Crosby for the prosecution bite expert regarding if the bites came from Chloe. (Household German Shepard)
Exhibits and “chalk” discussion.
Prosecution wants the use of a “reader” of texts between O’Keefe and the defendant, a male and female reading the parts.
ARCCA (Advanced Research and Crash Analysis. ), initially hired by the Department of Justice, leads to discovery disagreements.
No objection to video and visuals used in both the prosecution and defense openings.
Prosecution agrees the sustained findings on Trooper Proctor, Trooper Bukhenick, Lt. Tully can be brought in. Still in question is are findings on Canton Police officer, Kevin Albert.
Aidan Kearney’s attorney Bradl says his client will take the fifth if called to testify in the Read case. Judge states he can invoke his 5th Amendment right and thus can be present to report on the Read case since he will give no testimony if called. Kearney may not be present in court to report on the case when certain witnesses appear who are named in the still on-going witness intimidation case against Kearney.
Day 1: Tuesday, April 22, 2025:
Day 1, Part 1: Karen Read Trial II. Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Opening Statements by Prosecutor Hank Brennan and Defense Attorney Alan Jackson.
Prosecutor Brennan states in the opening that they know exactly when John O’Keefe was hit by Karen Read’s Lexus based on “black box” data of the vehicle.
Defense Attorney Jackson states they will prove John O’Keefe was never hit by a vehicle.
First Witness of the Commonwealth: Timothy Nattall of the Canton Fire Department who was on the scene at Fairview where John O’Keefe was found.
Under Direct Testimony the witness states under what circumstances Read told him, “I hit him, I hit him.” Under cross the defense argues how this is possible if Read is not near the witness when those circumstances arise on the video presented in court.
Day 1, Part 2: Karen Read Trial II. Tuesday, April 22, 2025
Defense Attorney Alan Jackson continues Timothy Nattall under cross
On redirect, Prosecutor Brennan uses video to show the circumstances the defendant said she hit him to the witness.
Prosecutor Brennan uses video of Karen Read interviews on her statements around “could I have hit him.”
Next witness for the Prosecution: Kerry Roberts, Canton Resident.
Testifies that John O’Keefe and the witness knew each other at Braintree high school but became closer after they both lived in Canton. John O’Keefe moved to Canton after both his sister and brother-in-law passed and he took over the care of his sister’s two children.
Under direct the witness testifies to a screaming call from the defendant saying John did not come home. Testifies Read said, “Kerry, Kerry, John’s dead” at 5AM.
Witness testifies that she called Canton police and hospitals to see if a man named John O’Keefe was injured in the area.
After the Jury leaves a Hearing on compliance
Prosecution states ARCCA communications with the defense have not been given over despite the court’s order for discovery. Needs information to cross ARCCA.
Prosecution says it plays by the rules and yet the defense wants to ambush the prosecution regarding new opinions and testing.
Judge wanted to know why text messages with ARCCA were deleted.
Defense Attorney Robert Alessi states they are in compliance. States texts are over 2 years old. All e-mails. All existing texts have been given. Attorney Alessi asserts you cannot be given an order of preclusion based on the prosecutions assertion that there must be more material. Defense was under no order to preserve the text of text message. The defense has never gotten communications between the State’s experts and its witnesses. States there is no basis for preclusion. You cannot be in violation of not turning over something that does not exist.
Argues the tight timeline was caused by Commonwealth. Runs a timeline regarding receiving material from the State’s experts. Argues it took the Commonwealth six months to release their experts report and it’s the defenses job to reply to that report when received. ARCCA worked for the US Government. The defense said ARCCA experts cannot figure out what the Commonwealth experts are trying to express in their report.
Argues robust compliance on discovery.
On ARCCA transparent on texts and emails.
Judge Beverly Cannone’s response:
Found the defense in violation of the reciprocal discovery and that it was deliberate. And this needs to be figured out before ARCCA can testify.
Will have a voir dire hearing Friday. Needs the witnesses Friday. Order for production of records.
NOTE: There has been a date change. The ARCCA experts will be on the stand for voir dire hearing on Monday, April 28, 2025
Day 2: Wednesday, April 23, 2025:
9
Day 2, Part 1: Karen Read Trial II. Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Court Business: Day starts with Vodiere on ARCCA (accident re-constructionist team originally hired by the federal government) logistics and retention of communications between the defense and ARCCA. Discussion regarding cell phone data “cut and paste” presentation by the prosecution.
Witness for the Prosecution: Kerry Roberts, Canton Resident continues:
Continues under direct:
Next witness for the Prosecution: Kerry Roberts, Canton Resident.
Witness under direct describes to Prosecutor Brennan how she and Karen Read did CPR with Roberts doing chess compressions.
Witness under cross from Defense Attorney Jackson describes when Read asked if she had hit him after noticing her taillight outside O’Keefe’s home. Jackson notes the home video does not support this claim. Roberts states it happened on their (Roberts, McCabe, Read) way out of the home. (no video on the group leaving the home is available.)
Jackson drills down on Robert’s statement that Read asked Jen McCabe to google “how long…hyperthermia” in her grand jury testimony. Roberts stated in federal inquiries that she never heard Read ask McCabe to google that search. Jackson asked if her testimony before the grand jury was influenced by the timeline she and McCabe created to which Roberts said yes. Jackson asks directly if she lied when she said she heard Read ask to google “hyperthermia” to which Roberts said she misunderstood prosecutor Lally’s question when it was asked back at the grand jury.
Day 2, Part 2: Karen Read Trial II. Wednesday, April 23, 2025
Witness Peggy O’Keefe, mother of John O’Keefe:
Describes how the minor children would be cared for after the passing of her daughter and son-in-law soon after. John O’Keefe would be the primary care-taker and she would help along with family. She took them on weekends and to school.
Describes John O’Keefe’s professional background and John as a person.
Describes that morning that Kerry Roberts called to say John was found in a snowbank. Roberts said she would use her car to take Mr. and Mrs. O’Keefe to the hospital.
Describes scene at the hospital.
Describes conversation with Karen Read in the car (assume phone) as Roberts and the O’Keefe’s were on their way to the hospital.
Mrs. O’Keefe is now the children’s full-time care-taker.
Described how Karen and her father came into the house. That she never told Karen he looked like he was hit by a car. That she was busy looking after the children but wished she’d kept the Read’s from going upstairs to get Karen’s things.
The defense had no questions.
Two Clips are introduced of Read talking about the taillight and what happened at the house with Mrs. O’Keefe.
Witness State Trooper Nicholas Guarino:
Testifies to methods of cell phone extraction regarding defendant’s phone
The witness is not cross-examined but is subject to recall.
Witness Daniel Whitely of the Canton Fire Dept.
Talks under direct from prosecutor Brennan about his arrival at the scene.
Said he does know Kerry Roberts from his neighborhood.
Said Read asked how long O’Keefe could be outside and survive.
Said Read said, “I cannot take care of these kids.” Witness said it looks like your have a strong support system. Witness said Read said he would not say that if he knew Roberts.
Stated Read refused to get into a Johnny at the hospital and was not cooperative regarding giving a urine sample.
Under cross by defense attorney Yannetti asks if information was taken regarding Reads Multiple Sclerosis.
Asked about referring to the defendant as “snarky” in his testimony.
Asked witness when he knew State Trooper Proctor, known to the witness personally, was the lead investigator.
Day 3: Thursday, April 24, 2025:
9
Witness Daniel Whitely of the Canton Fire Dept.
Cross under defense attorney Yannetti continues regarding distinction on the statement of survival in the cold without a coat “for many hours” witness said Read made.
Clip of defendant saying Peggy O’Keefe (mother of John) said to Read in John’s home that he looked like he’d been “hit by a car.”
Managers of both CF MCarthy’s and Waterfall Bar and Grille are brought in to testify to verify videos of their establishments.
Witness Michael Camerano (friend of John O’Keefe) on a celebrating the kids getting into Bishop Feehan at John’s home the early evening of Jan. 28th, John’s moving of the cars so Read could come into the garage, their discussion as they head to CF McCarthy’s, on his observances of the relationship between Read and O’Keefe, on his picking up John’s niece after a panic call that John did not come home, on his returning John’s niece to the home after the call that John had died.
Witness State Trooper Nicholas Guarino on his extractions from Read’s and O’Keefe’s phone. Verbalizes texts between the defendant and O’Keefe on the disagreement on how to handle Read’s broken water heater.
Clips are introduced with Karen Read interviews where she describes how much she had to drink the night of the bars Jan. 28th. to closing.
Day 4: Friday, April 25, 2025:
9
Day 4. Part 1 of 1.