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 #14

[Blondiexoxo]

Excellent post! Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

I also think that her intoxication could have definitely added to the reason she called him so many times. Alcohol affects everyone differently and if she was already upset, it could amplify what may have been a more subdued reaction.

Definitely, I agree! I also think that can explain the ‘did I hit him?’ - it’s also not a crazy thing to think of I’m being honest. She’s got a cracked taillight, she was drunk, she can’t remember much about getting home. She shouldn’t have been driving drunk and this is one hurdle it’s difficult for the defense to try and get over. She was driving under the influence, it’s not too far fetched for people to believe she hit JOK IMO. But the jury can’t just find her guilty because ‘she was drunk so she might have hit him’.

I wonder if the ‘butt dials’ will come up during deliberations? Did anyone atall believe that all these butt dials took place on that same night and not just to any random contact in their phones but to each other?

One thing I really want to know and wonder if it was mentioned and I missed it is how, when KR got back home in record time (we know from data), did she know he was dead/dying? Didn’t she wonder if he’d just been knocked out and would get up or someone would come out and call an ambulance? If she knew she’d hit him, she cant have stuck around long enough to know if he had just minor injuries and would soon wake up, contact police and they would hear those voicemails? And if she knew he was dead, she would know police would be involved and would hear those voicemails.

If KR hit JOK with her car IMO she would not have left those voicemails. She’d have left one like ‘hi sweetie it’s 12.55am I’m just in bed, call me when you get this I haven’t heard from you, I’m worried. Love you’ - that’s what a killer would do. Even a drunk one. Even a very drunk person who’d just hit and killed their partner wouldn’t lead the trail back to them by leaving a voicemail shouting and calling their partner a pervert. That’s one thing that makes no sense to me!

All MOO

 

[kittythehare]

Karen Read Verdict Watch: Attorney Mark Bederow on Jackson vs. Cannone | 6.26.24 - The Grace Curley Show Hour 3 - The Howie Carr Radio Network | iHeart

Judge Cannone had a change of heart about the verdict form... But why? Attorney Mark Bederow breaks down the latest on the GCS. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

www.iheart.com

Karen Read Verdict Watch: Attorney Mark Bederow on Jackson vs. Cannone | 6.26.24 - The Grace Curley Show Hour 3​

June 26, 2024 • 38 mins
Judge Cannone had a change of heart about the verdict form... But why? Attorney Mark Bederow breaks down the latest on the GCS. Visit the Howie Carr Radio Network website to access columns, podcasts, and other exclusive content.

 

[Chelly]

I believe the jurors are representative of the county overall...And it is the colloquy of Canton that is specifically toxic, it seems to operate and tolerate in an isolated fashion reminiscent of the old west, without the cattle.

Thankfully the county has 726000 persons in just under 400 square miles so the actual predominancy of the Canton crew is in fact, pretty dilute. They are a demonstrative bunch, however.

@Odeto BJ - Thanks for your response. Nicely stated.

 

[Aquarian]

Was the jury present during that exchange between the judge and Jackson?

No

 

[detectivewannab]

MO. She hit him and was so drunk she did not remember it and then went into a panic mode.

 

[TristanP]

so now are we thinking that they framed Karen because they didn't want the liability of a death in the house , possible repercussions for the dog? this sounds like a lot of work and staging and framing of Karen. Did they hate her? I mean
it's still on the property...not inside but on the property so I am struggling with the motive for the framing if the death was an accident like a fall. Did they have a timeline ? Did the other people in the house say he never came inside?

I can't figure this out. Karen doesn't need to prove what actually happened. but I think they need to go back to the drawing board. weird. mOO

Dog attack causing death would have brought on a large civil lawsuit. If he had fallen down the stairs, they might have had a lawsuit but they could have defended themselves saying "his blood alcohol content was 0.280, it's not our fault he tripped."

 

[TristanP]

MO. She hit him and was so drunk she did not remember it and then went into a panic mode.

Experts proved, and testified, that John O'Keefe was not. hit. by. a. vehicle.

 

[LaineyJ]

It’s almost 7pm and I haven’t decided what to do for dinner even though I’ve been thinking about it all day. I can see how a dozen people going through a mountain of testimony need a decent chunk of time to make decisions. IMO.

 

[Warwick7]

FBI scientist stated KR did not hit him.

 

[fluffypaste]

MO. She hit him and was so drunk she did not remember it and then went into a panic mode.

The medical evidence and the engineering evidence do not support the notion that Karen's vehicle ever struck John.

 

[BUF]

Do you notice Judge devoted a great deal of extra time today reading the lesser charges again? This was just after Mr. Jackson brought up the issue of the confusing verdict form. She really made a point emphasizing charges 2, 3, 4. She planted an ear worm for me; I couldn't get those manslaughter charges out of my head. If I was a juror, I'd be asking myself , "Why does she keep stressing those lesser charges? Is she planting a seed?"

Yeah, I have to agree @Chelly . I missed it and found it on YouTube. Although she eventually added that NG space on the verdict form after her unfortunate response to Jackson requesting it being added this morning, it felt like this was her way of stressing what she didn’t want to initially do.

ABC Nightly News tonight even had that tense exchange with the Judge and Jackson this morning.

moo

 

[cocomod]

I am actually not worried about the time and/or a hung jury quite yet. If it was one charge, murder, it may have taken them 1 hour or less. But, I think the extra charges may take additional time to iron out on a case by case basis of G vs NG. Obviously, even the most staunch KR defender often agrees she was drunk that night. However, do they vote G or NG on these charges?

I believe before Friday night we will have a verdict. I am holding out hope. I sincerely wouldn't be surprised with a verdict tomorrow morning, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it took until Friday afternoon.

 

[fluffypaste]

I am actually not worried about the time and/or a hung jury quite yet. If it was one charge, murder, it may have taken them 1 hour or less. But, I think the extra charges may take additional time to iron out on a case by case basis of G vs NG. Obviously, even the most staunch KR defender often agrees she was drunk that night. However, do they vote G or NG on these charges?

I believe before Friday night we will have a verdict. I am holding out hope. I sincerely wouldn't be surprised with a verdict tomorrow morning, but I also wouldn't be surprised if it took until Friday afternoon.

I honestly confuses me why she hasn't been hit with just a basic DUI charge. I suspect the reason is that they'd have to charge everyone who was there that night, then.

 

[Tanager]

<modsnip>

I think KR hit and killed JO due to her agitated mood and intoxication. I don't know if she hit him on purpose, but I do think she is responsible for his death. I don't know if this case has been made clear for the jury. That is up to them. I think it will be a hung jury and that will heap further sadness on the family of JO. Feel free to disagree with me.

I also think alcohol abuse is the villain in every variation of events for all of the parties involved in this case. Even if we don't agree about what happened, I think we can agree that the excessive drinking and impaired judgement were key elements of the tragedy. Of course, I could be wrong about that. In any case, I think this is a really critical lesson to take from the loss of JO. I wonder why these people were all engaging in this behavior and how can we stop others from replicating the disaster? I think there is a complex and nuanced conversation we could have about that.

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Dog attack causing death would have brought on a large civil lawsuit. If he had fallen down the stairs, they might have had a lawsuit but they could have defended themselves saying "his blood alcohol content was 0.280, it's not our fault he tripped."

Yes!

Or… tripped over the dog due to intoxication and dog bit and scratched him because in the fall he hurt/scared the dog so of course the dog went into defense mode. Hmm…

I saw a great meme of the dog sitting in the witness chair, saying this is what the trial needed.

 

[themonk]

I think KR hit and killed JO due to her agitated mood and intoxication.

RSBM

What evidence leads you to believe that if I may ask?

 

[TIGER0822]

KR and JO may have got into an argument about watching the kids. JO said ‘he was going to that party’. KR is driving home, F it, I am not watching his kids while he is partying. I can see her snap in an alcohol fueled rage.
John where are you. I F hate you .. J pick up the phone. pick up the phone. I F hate you.

But she didn’t hate him. Why? That morning or recently, she had tried to hug and kiss him, but he brushed her off. You don’t do that to someone you hate.

 

[Derph]

I've come to believe Canton LE and MSP are toxic. Has their poison spread to the jurors is my concern.

Well there was that huge drug scandal at the Mass. Crime Lab that led to 10's of thousands of overturned/dismissed drug cases in the state !!! Yes, you read that right..10's of thousands! You're not wrong in thinking there's something wrong going on in that state with law enforcement.

Epic Massachusetts crime lab scandal may involve even broader wrongdoing, judge says

State authorities said for years that one rogue chemist was behind the compromised drug tests that led to tens of thousands of overturned cases. But a judge says there may be more.

www.nbcnews.com

And then there is the Sandra Birchmore case that has police misconduct.

Police chief "profoundly disturbed" by new information in death of pregnant Massachusetts woman

 

[turaj]

Did Lally try at all to speak about the victim ie humanize JO? Were there many photos of him other than his dead injured body? It seems that he was forgotten in this case. Maybe I missed it.

 

[sunspun]

Nope.

There were several pieces of glass on Karen's bumper, none embedded. The pieces were just lying on top and made it to the sallyport despite the blizzard conditions and the SUV being driven up and down a ramp onto the tow truck.

None of those pieces matched John's drinking glass. However, one matched a piece found at 34 Fairview, turned in by none other than Michael Proctor.

Make of that what you will.

How did they find out the glass matched one at 34 F if they never searched the house? Did they finally search it late in the investigation or something? thx