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 #15

[jepop]

I appreciate you looking this up.

But I still think that it gives way too much power to a judge, any judge. After a long trial you often have an idea of how one or two jurors feel just from their demeanor.

It would be better to select the jury by lots, and then if necessary the foreperson can be chosen by the judge or selected however.

Yes. Not all states have this rule.imo

 

[KSwizzle]

I don't doubt Karen said what she said, but she was blackout drunk, possibly being coached to what happened, and hysterical.

I don't believe the physical evidence and science shows that JoK was hit by a car period, just my opinion.

 

[jepop]

For the record, I never said it was a conspiracy. Just that it's not a good way to handle the picking of a foreperson.

I think it can create an understandable perception of possible judicial bias. jmo On a personal level I don't agree with this court rule

 

[arielilane]

A mistrial is a term that refers to a trial that is ended before its conclusion because of some error or problem with the trial itself. A mistrial must be declared by the judge overseeing the trial, and renders the entire trial invalid. This is most likely to occur when the judge feels that the problem makes it impossible to ensure a fair verdict is reached. This allows the parties to start over again with a new trial if they want, though the circumstances may lead the parties to not request a new trial. To explore this concept, consider the following mistrial definition.

Mistrial - Definition, Examples, Cases, processes

Mistrial defined and explained with examples. Mistrial is a trial that is terminated before its conclusion, due to some error or catastrophic circumstance.

legaldictionary.net

 

[GoBuckeyes]

You could be right. So come Monday we could get the mistrial.

I'm still holding out for a verdict today. OTOH, I've never seen a jury be able to set their own hours.

 

[jepop]

Wondering if the definition of "reasonable doubt" needs to be read to the jury. When you're deadlocked, there probably some reasonable doubt.

beyond a reasonable doubt

www.law.cornell.edu

"Beyond a reasonable doubt is the legal burden of proof required to affirm a conviction in a criminal case. In a criminal case, the prosecution bears the burden of proving that the defendant is guilty beyond all reasonable doubt. This means that the prosecution must convince the jury that there is no other reasonable explanation that can come from the evidence presented at trial. In other words, the jury must be virtually certain of the defendant’s guilt in order to render a guilty verdict."

I missed the judge's instructions but assume she covered reasonable doubt ?Agree that maybe it should be re read to them with that assumption in mind. moo

 

[Wishbone]

I'm still holding out for a verdict today. OTOH, I've never seen a jury be able to set their own hours.

appreciate your optimism

 

[Moonsie]

There are plenty of times that someone - even multiple someones - have mischaracterized something I said. Either maliciously (because it was self serving or a number of other reasons) or innocently (because they didn’t hear it right, etc.)

There are also plenty of times when I have given what I thought was a perfectly reasonable explanation for something I did and I was wrong.

This is basic human behavior. It is subject to bias, misunderstanding, and just plain error.

moo.

 

[I am not Sherlock H.]

Someone upthread alluded to one other possibility, that being if a mistrial is ultimately declared might the judge then dismiss the case ‘with prejudice’? MOO

Excerpt from this reference (which is NY state and not MA; could not find details for the latter and IANAL):

“Once a criminal case has been ruled a mistrial, the prosecution may decide to refile the case. However, the judge may prevent them from doing so. When a judge rules a mistrial and dismisses a case “with prejudice,” the case cannot be retried later.”

What Is a Mistrial in a Criminal Case?

If you are ready to discuss your impending case with a defense attorney you can trust, contact our team today and schedule a consultation.

www.tsiglerlaw.com

Perhaps with due consideration of the presented evidence, testimony, and expert opinions the judge might review all and render such a determination? MOO

 

[ch_13]

She did say it, several different people testified that they heard it. But even if we give the defense the benefit of any doubt and just change that to could I have hit him, or did I hit him (their own words). Karen Read thought at the time it was a perfectly reasonable explanation for how he got there in their version, and a confession according to the people who were there.

It should be noted that of the 15 or so people who were at the scene and testified, only four claim to have heard her. At least one of those said he heard it in a different location than the other three, the second was likely in the back of the ambulance when it was said, and the other two were accused of being conflicted.

Karen wasn't detained after she reportedly made the statement. None of the cops heard it (even though the testimony was that they were in earshot) and no one wrote it down at the time. It wasn't much later until there's any physical record of the "I hit him" statement. In fact, the first time there's a record of Jen McCabe stating Karen said it came 1 1/2 years later in the federal grand jury proceedings.

And, finally, the Canton PD dashcam was running when Karen reportedly made the statement yet it didn't pick it up, even though she was said to be screaming it.

Everyone can judge the truth or falseness of whether she said it on their own, but just saying that several people heard it doesn't really tell the full story.

 

[Aquarian]

Court tv folk says clock stopped and they want to go home?

 

[JerseyWasHome2]

Court tv folk says clock stopped and they want to go home?

UGH, it's not even 4:00pm. A typical work day is 8 hours long and runs 9-5-ish. I'm sure they're exhausted after 9, 10 weeks of this madness, but ... ??? What next, asking to go home at 1pm?

 

[kittythehare]

UGH, it's not even 4:00pm. A typical work day is 8 hours long and runs 9-5-ish. I'm sure they're exhausted after 9, 10 weeks of this madness, but ... ??? What next, asking to go home at 1pm?

..refusing to show up, more like.

If it's a thing that the holdouts are utterly prejudiced and making no sense, just dug in, they're likely to be bold enough to decide not to bother..

 

[arielilane]

live feed is on

Deliberations continue until 4:15 pm ET

 

[Aquarian]

Staying till 4:15

 

[Chelly]

Court tv folk says clock stopped and they want to go home?

Is Judge holding jury hostage?

 

[TIGER0822]

"Exactly!" ;-)

Added as a reply to this text was an Albert (Ju lie) saying ‘She is telling them EVERYTHING.

 

[turaj]

UGH, it's not even 4:00pm. A typical work day is 8 hours long and runs 9-5-ish. I'm sure they're exhausted after 9, 10 weeks of this madness, but ... ??? What next, asking to go home at 1pm?

Staying until 415 so I am thinking they are doing the verdict form now.

 

[Leilei]

Jury wants to continue until 4:15 per Court TV.
A whole extra half hour?

 

[kittythehare]

continuing until 4.15pm by choice