Judge Bars Key Expert from Karen Read Retrial

In the upcoming retrial of Karen Read, Judge Beverly Cannone has barred the defense from calling retired FBI agent Michael Easter as a witness to discuss alleged flaws in the police investigation into the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The judge determined that jurors are capable of assessing the investigation's reliability without expert testimony, stressing that cross-examination by the defense could effectively highlight procedural discrepancies. Additionally, the judge ruled that the defense could not disclose that two other expert witnesses were hired by the federal government, limiting their potential impact during the trial. Read, who has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder, claims she is a victim of a flawed investigation and that O'Keefe was killed elsewhere before being left at the scene. Jury selection is set to begin soon, following a previous trial that ended in a hung jury last July. Both sides are preparing extensively, with a list of 150 potential witnesses released by the judge.