Judge Denies Delay for Karen Read's Murder Retrial

In a recent court hearing, Judge Beverly Cannone denied a motion from Karen Read’s defense team to delay her retrial, which is set to begin with jury selection on April 1. The defense sought to postpone the trial to allow time for a federal appeal regarding two charges against Read, who is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, in January 2022. Judge Cannone expressed concerns over the jury pool's scheduling, stating that if a jury is in place by April 25 and no federal ruling has been made, she might reconsider the request. Read's attorneys have also argued that she was framed, claiming that some jurors were deadlocked only on the manslaughter charge after a mistrial last June. The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has permitted a new trial on all three charges, with a federal judge set to hear further motions regarding the case soon. Read's defense team is actively seeking to block the retrial, citing potential violations of her constitutional rights.