VERDICT WATCH MA - Professor Karen Read, 43, charged with murdering police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe by hitting him with car, Canton, 14 Apr 2023 #13

[TTF14]

The issue is just that at the top it says manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence - obviously a multi-faceted charge. Which it breaks down. Not too hard to add Not Guilty to each element/charge there.

I don’t think the jurors will get too confused on that, but I think it’s the principle, make the verdict form as clear and direct as possible.

Really can’t wait until jurors can go public and talk about this case.

Hopefully they will ask if they have questions about it. And if not, and there's any kind of guilty verdict, AJ may request specific verbiage for the jury polling, if that's allowed.

IMO MOO

 

[LaineyJ]

Hopefully they will ask if they have questions about it. And if not, and there's any kind of guilty verdict, AJ may request specific verbiage for the jury polling, if that's allowed.

IMO MOO

Problem is, judge is unlikely to grant his request - at least being that specific. But I agree, if the jurors are confused hopefully they’ll just ask.

 

[jepop]

I only put that Wendy Murphy comment in because someone upthread wondered what a Mass atty would think about it. Def do not agree with her!

Yeah sorry if my comment came across that way. I know you don't agree with her. Was just trying to make a separate point about how certain journos are interested in sound bites rather than reporting matters of concern to the public. I know that seems kind of obvious but when it happens so much we just get used to it being that way. Really wanted to say I don't care what sound bite seekers have to say about an impartial verdict form and I should have worded it like that

 

[Aquarian]

The issue is just that at the top it says manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence - obviously a multi-faceted charge. Which it breaks down. Not too hard to add Not Guilty to each element/charge there.

I don’t think the jurors will get too confused on that, but I think it’s the principle, make the verdict form as clear and direct as possible.

Really can’t wait until jurors can go public and talk about this case.

Maybe AJ is concerned it’s confusing, but for the life of me, I dont see how one can not see the #1, indicating NG in totality for the lesser charges. Yet if they want to pick a lesser you must check G.

 

[turaj]

RBBM Yanetti said he hadn't seem a verdict form like that before IIRC. Doesn't he normally practice in MA?

he does and that told me everything I need to know about what is going down. I have confidence they will get NG on all counts but Bev should be sanctioned.

 

[turaj]

I don't see the verdict form as being confusing at all.

There's a place to mark not guilty and also for guilty. The jury will deliberate and select the one that they decide on.

JMO.

as I understand it no there is only guilty. The absence of a guilty is not guilty. Others? Did I miss something?

 

[TristanP]

The issue is just that at the top it says manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence - obviously a multi-faceted charge. Which it breaks down. Not too hard to add Not Guilty to each element/charge there.

I don’t think the jurors will get too confused on that, but I think it’s the principle, make the verdict form as clear and direct as possible.

Really can’t wait until jurors can go public and talk about this case.

I am going to be watching any and everything any juror appears on! I'd pay for a pay-per-view special with all of them at once! LOL.

 

[Leilei]

Jury question per Court TV.

 

[TristanP]

I don't see the verdict form as being confusing at all.

There's a place to mark not guilty and also for guilty. The jury will deliberate and select the one that they decide on.

JMO.

There is not a "guilty" and "not guilty" place for each individual charge.

There is a guilty and a not guilty for ONE of the charges.

 

[jepop]

Hopefully they will ask if they have questions about it. And if not, and there's any kind of guilty verdict, AJ may request specific verbiage for the jury polling, if that's allowed.

IMO MOO

Inherent power differential between judge (authority) and jurors means they might not be comfortable asking. That's one reason why the form should be as clear and impartial as possible. To avoid jurors just guessing what is the right way to render their verdict because don't want to cause a fuss bothering judge. Moo

 

[TTF14]

Inherent power differential between judge (authority) and jurors means they might not be comfortable asking. That's one reason why the form should be as clear and impartial as possible. To avoid jurors just guessing what is the right way to render their verdict because don't want to cause a fuss bothering judge. Moo

I've never served on a jury (sadly), but am I way off in thinking maybe having a bailiff as a buffer kinda takes away that power differential feeling for them?

 

[turaj]

This explains the confusion very well. It shouldn't be difficult to amend the form, but Her Honor is/was tired I'm sure that everyone involved is tired, Bev, including the jurors who have to make sense of a potentially confusing verdict form.
IMO.

she has indicated how "tired" she is many times. SEriously who cares????

Jury question per Court TV.

don't see any coverage...will this be shown?

 

[RANCH]

Inherent power differential between judge (authority) and jurors means they might not be comfortable asking. That's one reason why the form should be as clear and impartial as possible. To avoid jurors just guessing what is the right way to render their verdict because don't want to cause a fuss bothering judge. Moo

I'm sure there's at least one juror that can explain the verdict form to those who can't figure it out. JMO.

 

[Derph]

THANK GOD this all has been televised!!! We are seeing how so many people can get railroaded by a system that is stacked against them. This seems so rotten. This is the only way to keep informed so they can make up thier own minds.

My mind is made up. Things are rotten in Canton, Ma. Really wish Judge Newman ( from the Murdaugh case) was the judge in this one!

 

[Snoods]

Jury question: Hos do we select not guilty for lesser charges? (Kidding)

 

[Aquarian]

Question in court now

 

[Spectrix]

Something is happening -

Question from the jury

AND... The judge is making amendment instructions due to the voting form!
Honestly wasn't expecting that after how condescending she was to AJ earlier.
Anyone want to place bets on the possibility that someone else had words with her about it?

 

[arielilane]

Live feed is on.

 

[turaj]

Wow....she has reconsidered AJ's concern. Clearly she got heat from someone above her.

 

[arielilane]

@BienickWCVB

Jury question: Can we request the SERT team report? Judge says she sees no problem with that.


11:50 AM · Jun 26, 2024



The judge is now talking about the verdict slip issue. She is proposing to give the jury additional instructions about how to consider the vehicular manslaughter/OUI charges and the two lesser, included charges.


11:52 AM · Jun 26, 2024