Jury Deliberates in Karen Read Murder Retrial

Jurors have begun deliberating in the high-profile retrial of Karen Read, who is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, by striking him with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow after a night of drinking in January 2022. The prosecution contends that Read, who was intoxicated, drove away after fatally striking O’Keefe. The defense argues that O’Keefe was beaten and left outside by others and that evidence was planted to frame Read, alleging a police coverup. The retrial, which follows a mistrial due to a hung jury, has attracted national attention and sparked public rallies supporting Read’s innocence. Both sides presented their cases over nearly two months, with testimony from 49 witnesses and complex forensic evidence. The fate of Karen Read now rests with the jury as deliberations continue.