Special Prosecutor Brennan Responds Disappointment Karen Read Acquittal

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan expressed disappointment following the jury's acquittal of Karen Read on charges of second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter in the death of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. Brennan, appointed by Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey to independently review and prosecute the retrial, stated that his thorough investigation and a closed federal inquiry pointed to Read as the sole person responsible for O’Keefe’s death. Despite the acquittal on major charges, Read was convicted of drunken driving and will serve one year of probation. Brennan condemned the public and social media campaign of intimidation and abuse against witnesses and victims’ families, warning that such conduct threatens the integrity of the judicial system. He offered condolences to the O’Keefe family and called for an end to the harassment of those involved in the case. The verdict concluded a high-profile, costly prosecution that faced scrutiny and allegations of police corruption raised by Read and her supporters.