Court Denies Karen Read's Appeal in Murder Case

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has denied Karen Read’s appeal to dismiss two charges related to the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The charges include second-degree murder and leaving the scene of an accident, following a mistrial in her first trial due to a deadlocked jury. Read's defense argued that after the mistrial, jurors indicated they would have acquitted her on these charges, suggesting double jeopardy should prevent a retrial. However, the court upheld the trial judge's decision, stating that posttrial juror communications cannot alter the absence of a unanimous verdict. Read, accused of running over O'Keefe with her SUV, claims she is being framed and that O'Keefe was actually killed by other officers. Her retrial is scheduled for April 1, 2025.