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CBS News
8 hours ago
- CBS News
Karen Read juror confident in verdict, says "we couldn't prove there was a collision"
Paula Prado is recounting the gravity and emotions of being one of the 12 jurors in the high-profile Karen Read retrial. She said it was an intense week and left court crying but is confident in her decision. "I was happy for Karen Read and her family of course. I think justice was served," Prado said. "But seeing John O'Keefe's family leaving the courthouse, was melt my heart. I'm a mother and I saw her pain through all those days." On Wednesday, the jury acquitted Read of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of bodily injury in the death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, in Canton, Massachusetts. Read was only found guilty of operating under the influence of alcohol (OUI). "Investigators didn't do their jobs" "I just want to tell them it's not our fault that Karen Read was not convicted," Prado said. "Even if there is any chance that she is guilty of something, of hurt him somehow, the Commonwealth or the investigators didn't do their jobs to prove that to us." Prado is a lawyer from Brazil. She says part of the reason why the jury reached their verdict, was because of the police investigation, saying there were too many inconsistencies and not enough evidence that a crash occurred. "At first for me, I thought Karen Read was actually maybe guilty of manslaughter in the beginning. But as the weeks passed by, I just realized there was too many holes that we couldn't fill and there is nothing that put her on the scene in our opinion besides just dropping John O'Keefe off," Prado said. "And the taillight, the injuries on his arm didn't make much sense that come from a taillight for us," she said. She said the last witness from ARCCA did a very good job making it clear for her. "We couldn't prove there was a collision, and she was responsible for John's death," Prado said. Hopes O'Keefe's case can be reopened She now hopes that the amount of pressure and attention given to Read's case will be put into getting justice for Boston police officer John O'Keefe. "I really, really hope there is a way for the case to be reopened and they can investigate again and find who actually did that to John," Paula said.
Fox News
15 hours ago
- Fox News
Juror reveals why Karen Read walked free in boyfriend's death
One of the 12 jurors who cleared Karen Read of murder charges in the death of Boston cop boyfriend John O'Keefe explained the panel's reasoning Thursday, a day after her second trial came to a close. The juror also explained brief confusion Wednesday afternoon that arose out of a verdict that jurors later retracted before it was read in court. Judge Beverly Cannone sealed that one. Within minutes, jurors handed down a verdict for real. "Everything on that initial slip was the same as the slip that was presented," Juror No. 4, identified only as "Jason," told TMZ Live. He said they pulled the first slip back over the OUI charge – operating under the influence of liquor, of which jurors found her guilty. WATCH: Juror No. 4's interview "In our deliberations, we had decided there was enough evidence and proof that she was driving under the influence," he said. Jurors found Read not guilty of murder, manslaughter and fleeing a deadly accident in a trial that stretched on for more than 30 days of testimony and four days of deliberations. The lesser included charge of OUI is the Massachusetts term for drunken driving. "I don't know what happened to John," Jason said. "I was only presented a limited scope of what happened at the night, and I can only base my opinion off of the evidence that was shown in the courtroom. So, I don't really know if there was a cover-up or not. "I know that's the big conspiracy around it, but I don't really know. All I know is there was a lot of holes in the investigation. Whether they were deliberate holes or not deliberate holes, it's kinda hard for me sitting back to know that — you know, what actually happened." He said the defense claim that O'Keefe could have been killed by someone in the house — in an attack that involved a dog — was an "example of reasonable doubt." "We were tasked with finding ... with deciding this person's fate based on the proof in the evidence that the commonwealth was able to present, and there was a lot of holes," he said. He said another important factor for the jury was video that showed Read's taillight. "We could see from the car, after the alleged incident happened, when we could see the taillight it was lit up red, where it shouldn't just have been red," he said. "I don't believe that the SUV collided with John O'Keefe." Still, he added, there was no way for jurors to know whether claims of a "corrupt" police investigation were true. "I don't know that there was any corruption going on," he said. "But do I know that there wasn't enough proof or evidence secured by the police to convict Karen Read? Absolutely." Also Thursday, Massachusetts State Police brass broke their silence on the years-long case marred by investigative missteps and the firing of a state trooper who played a central role in the case. Read was accused — and acquitted — of killing her boyfriend by slamming an SUV into him and leaving him to die on the ground during a blizzard after a drunken argument. Jurors found her guilty only of drunken driving, for which she received a sentence of one year probation and outpatient treatment. Col. Geoffrey Noble, the state police commissioner, said the entire department sends its condolences to O'Keefe's family. "The events of the last three years have challenged our department to thoroughly review our actions and take concrete steps to deliver advanced investigative training, ensure appropriate oversight and enhance accountability," Noble said in a statement. "Under my direction as colonel, the state police has, and will continue to, improve in these regards." He said the goal is to deliver "excellent" service and maintain public trust. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB Jurors did not appear to trust the investigation after four days of deliberation, when they rejected the prosecution's case almost entirely. The lead investigator on the case, former State Trooper Michael Proctor, lost his job in March after an internal investigation concluded he shared confidential and sensitive law enforcement information with civilians in a group text, the contents of which were also lewd in nature and mocked Read's health issues. It was Noble who announced the firing, days before Read's second trial began. Her first trial ended with a deadlocked jury last year after the texts were read in court and Read's defense exposed other glaring flaws in the investigation. "It is incumbent upon me, as well as every member of this department, to hold one another accountable when any member compromises our mission by failing to uphold our values," he said at the time. Noble and the department were also sued by true crime reporters and some of Read's supporters over the enforcement of a "buffer zone" around the Dedham courthouse that their lawyers called unconstitutional. Separately, local police in Canton, Massachusetts, were subjected to an external audit that recommended increased training and oversight while dispelling claims of a conspiracy to frame Read for O'Keefe's death. A federal investigation into the case ended without charges against members of either law enforcement agency.
Fox News
a day ago
- Fox News
The Karen Read Retrial: The Verdict
After 31 days of testimony and four days of deliberation, Karen Read's retrial has come to an end. Today, jurors found Read not guilty of second-degree murder in the death of John O'Keefe, as well as not guilty of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. She was, however, found guilty of operating under the influence of liquor, a charge for which she was sentenced to one year probation. FOX News Correspondent Bryan Llenas joins from outside the courthouse in Dedham, Massachusetts with the latest reporting. Follow Emily on Instagram: @realemilycompagno If you have a story or topic we should feature on the FOX True Crime Podcast, send us an email at: truecrimepodcast@ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Who is Karen Read? Boston woman acquitted of murdering cop boyfriend in 2022; jury declares her not guilty
Karen Read Karen Read, a 45-year-old financial analyst from Mansfield, Massachusetts, was found not guilty on Wednesday of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident in the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. The jury did find her guilty of operating under the influence (OUI), for which she received one year of probation under a standard Massachusetts alcohol-education programme. Karen Read Breaks Down After Verdict; Crowd Swarms, Cops Escort Her Verdict sparks strong reactions The verdict was met with cheers from hundreds gathered outside Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham. Read addressed her backers, saying, 'No one has fought harder for justice for John O'Keefe than I have. Than I have and my team.' She added she could not have stood trial without the support of those who stood by her 'financially and more importantly emotionally for almost four years.' Inside the courthouse, she hugged her lawyer Alan Jackson. In contrast, O'Keefe's family and close friends, including Jennifer McCabe and Brian Albert, issued a statement calling the decision a 'devastating miscarriage of justice,' blaming the outcome on defence-driven conspiracy theories and media narratives. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ibarra: Ecuatorianos: generen un segundo ingreso con Amazon CFD. InvestIQ Registrarse Undo Background of the fatal incident On the night of 28 January 2022, Read and O'Keefe, who had been in a relationship for two years, visited bars and attended a house party in Canton, Massachusetts. Early the next morning, O'Keefe was found unresponsive in the snow outside the home of a retired police officer. His death was attributed to blunt-force trauma and hypothermia. Conflicting accounts in court Prosecutors claimed Read struck O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV, citing vehicle damage and taillight fragments found near the scene. Witnesses also alleged she had admitted to hitting him. Blood-alcohol evidence indicated she was significantly over the legal limit. Read's defence argued she was framed. They claimed O'Keefe was attacked inside the house, possibly by a dog or during a fight, and that his body was later moved. They also highlighted misconduct by a key investigator, who had been removed after sending offensive texts about Read. Second trial follows mistrial The case first went to trial in April 2024 but ended in a mistrial after a hung jury. A retrial began in April 2025 and concluded on June 18, with Read acquitted of all serious charges. The only conviction remained the OUI charge. Civil suit continues Despite the criminal acquittal, O'Keefe's family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Read and two bars accused of over-serving her alcohol. That case is ongoing. The case has drawn national attention and fuelled debate about the influence of wealth and media on the justice system. Karen Read's legal team, supported by millions in funding, successfully argued that law enforcement wrongly targeted her to shield others.
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Karen Read trial: Boston woman found not guilty in cop boyfriend's death; all you need to know
Not Guilty! Jury clears Karen Read of murder, leaves only OUI conviction Karen Read was found not guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday in a high-profile case involving the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. The jury's decision clears her of the most serious charges following a second trial, leaving only a conviction for operating under the influence (OUI). The verdict sparked cheers outside the Norfolk County courthouse in Dedham, Massachusetts, where Read addressed a crowd of loyal supporters. 'No one fought harder' 'No one has fought harder for justice for John O'Keefe than I have. Than I have and my team,' Read said to applause. She also thanked those who stood by her: 'I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters who supported me and my team financially and more importantly emotionally for almost four years.' Read was accused of hitting O'Keefe with her car after a night of drinking in 2022 and then leaving him in a snowbank to die. Her defence team countered that she was being framed by a group of law enforcement officers and that O'Keefe's death was the result of a broader conspiracy. Jury dismisses key charges The jury rejected the charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of an accident causing death. The only conviction left standing was for drunk driving. Read got emotional in the courtroom and hugged her lawyer Alan Jackson after the verdict. Outside, her supporters cheered loudly and flashed hand signs to show their support. O'Keefe family calls verdict a ' miscarriage of justice ' While Read's backers hailed the decision, O'Keefe's family and close friends expressed deep frustration. The McCabe and Albert families, who testified for the prosecution, said in a statement: 'Today, our hearts are with John and the entire O'Keefe family. They have suffered through so much and deserved better from our justice system.' They added, 'This prosecution was infected by lies and conspiracy theories spread by Karen Read, her defence team, and some in the media. The result is a devastating miscarriage of justice.' Years-long legal battle Read's case has gripped the Boston area since 2022. The death of Officer O'Keefe and the unusual circumstances surrounding it led to widespread speculation and a divided public. Read's legal team, backed by significant resources, argued that law enforcement had turned against her and created a false narrative to protect their own. As she exited the courthouse for what may be the final time connected to the criminal case, Read placed her hand on her heart as her supporters erupted in cheers. Her legal team followed close behind as the car pulled away from the crowd. Civil suit still pending Despite the acquittal, O'Keefe's family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit, meaning legal proceedings will continue. Read now faces questions of her future and the many unresolved truths surrounding John O'Keefe's death. In August 2024, O'Keefe's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read and two Canton bars for overserving her alcohol. The civil case remains active, even as the criminal trial concludes
