Jury Acquits Karen Read of Murder, Convicts DUI in Boston Officer Death

Karen Read was acquitted of second-degree murder and manslaughter charges in the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with the jury convicting her only of drunken driving and sentencing her to probation. The jury foreman expressed strong confidence in the verdict, emphasizing that the evidence did not prove Read's guilt and that the jury saw her as innocent from the start. Jurors cited police errors and inconsistencies in the evidence, such as conflicting expert testimonies and questionable links between the vehicle's black box data and the victim's movements, as reasons for their decision. Some jurors, including one who initially leaned toward a guilty verdict, changed their minds after thorough deliberations revealed reasonable doubt. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan expressed disappointment with the verdict and raised concerns about witness intimidation during the trial, stressing the need to protect those involved in the judicial process. The case has drawn national attention and sparked ongoing discussions about justice and judicial fairness.