Sorry for not clarifying. It's from ADA Lally's opening statement, April 29.
-- Several inconsistencies - One being, iirc, not one witness testified to there being six inches of snow on JOK's body.
-- Opening statements are not evidence. moo
Prosecutor Adam Lally walks up to the lectern facing the jury and begins his opening statement.
Lally says he intends to provide a road map of the case. He begins by talking about the life of victim John O'Keefe, including how he took custody of his young niece and nephew after their parents died.
Lally says O'Keefe got help raising kids from neighbors and from his co-workers at the Boston Police Dept. Niece was 14 and nephew was 11 when O'Keefe died.
Lally begins discussing Jan 28, 2022. He says the forecast called for a snowstorm and many activities in Canton were cancelled.
With his niece and nephew staying with friends, O'Keefe went out with friends to go drinking at a local bar. Karen Read joined them just before 9pm.
Lally says O'Keefe and Read had met in 2004, reconnected several years later and started dating. In the months leading up to his death, "the relationship suffered," Lally says.
At about 6am, Canton police received 911 call that a body had been found outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton.
The first officers arrive on scene and see three women standing near the left side of the front yard near a flagpole, fire hydrant and the body. Read is one of the three.
Lally says first responders heard Read repeatedly say, "I hit him. I hit him. I hit him.”
Lally says there were six inches of snow on O'Keefe's body and grass underneath him.
O'Keefe was taken to Good Samaritan Hospital but could not be saved. Read was also taken to the hospital. Witnesses say Read told them the last time she saw O'Keefe they had an argument.
Lally says police dash camera video shows damage to one of the taillights on Read's SUV.
Lally says a bartender and some customers at the Waterfall bar will testify about seeing Read climb into the driver's side of her SUV.
Christopher and Julie Albert were also present at the Waterfall with several family members.
Lally says it started to snow just after midnight. Brian Albert and Nicole Albert head to their home at 34 Fairview Rd and invite others to join them there, including John O’Keefe.
Couple witnesses arrive in pickup at the house at the same time as Read in her black Lexus SUV. Witnesses in pickup and in house say they saw Read's SUV move up along street and stop near fire hydrant.
Lally says no witnesses ever saw anybody get out of Read's SUV. None of them saw John O'Keefe go into the house.
Lally says Jennifer McCabe got a phone call from O'Keefe's niece at about 3am. Niece then passed phone to Read who tells McCabe that O'Keefe never came home.
Lally says Read drove around calling people asking where O'Keefe is. Read came to McCabe's home. Read shows damage to her right taillight. McCabe drives Read in Read's SUV to 34 Fairview Rd. "The defendant is the only one who sees Mr. O'Keefe", Lally says.
Lally says Read got out of SUV and "made a beeline" to where O'Keefe's body is.
Lally says a cell phone is used to search internet for how long it takes for a person to die in the cold. He says jurors will hear dispute about when that search was made.
Lally says hospital staff from Good Samaritan will testify.
Lally says jurors will hear about O'Keefe and Read's family trip to Aruba. A woman who knows O'Keefe says Read began yelling and swearing at her in the lobby. Lally says niece and nephew witnessed "20-minute screaming match" in hotel room.
Lally says Read sent "amorous" text messages to another man insisting O'Keefe was cheating on her.
Lally says phone records will show Read first started driving toward Fairview Road before going to McCabe's house.
Lally says investigators will testify that SUV's data will show it traveled in reverse at approximately 24.2 mph while in front of the house.
Lally says a sneaker and piece of taillight are discovered in part of the front yard. Says a cocktail glass was found on rear bumper of SUV, along with a human hair.
Lally says pieces of taillight were found on O'Keefe's body and O'Keefe's DNA was found on taillight.
Lally says the human hair found on the bumper belonged to O’Keefe.
Lally says workers from medical examiners will testify about an injury to the back of O'Keefe's head.
@BienickWCVB