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

[Curiousobserver]

My point was that there is some extreme denial when it comes to Karen's own words and actions implicating her in this crime.

People can't understand why John's family believes Karen is guilty. Part of that is that they believe their niece/granddaughter when she says that Karen's story kept changing depending on who she was talking to that morning. They believe John's childhood friend who says that Karen called and said John was dead and was worried about being responsible for it or that he was hit by a snowplow.

It's then a huge coincidence that they go to 34 Fairview, and the Alberts had allegedly thrown him out on the front lawn and the plan was to blame it on the snowplow guy. I mean, what kind of odds?? Kerry Roberts know for a fact what Karen said to her. There is no reason for her to have a preference for who gets charged for her friend's murder.

I am not saying that people are wrong for taking the experts the FBI hired word for it when they say that her car didn't hit him. I am saying that people are being intentionally obtuse when it comes to anything Karen did that is suspicious.

YES! finally someone who gets it. Even Karen Reed thought hitting him was how it happened.

The counter story is that a house full of adults, including police officers, tried to cover up a drunk fight by murdering one of their fellow police officers by letting him freeze to death in the cold out in front of their own house. Then the geniuses searched for how long to leave him there on google. That they coordinated this in a serious of seconds-long phone calls and were able to plant tail light pieces at the scene, on his clothes, plant his DNA on the tail light, remembered to put his phone in airplane mode when he got inside, and then brought it back out and place it under his body with the glass and all of the pieces.

 

[turaj]

Wow that note is sophisticated. What is says to me is one or more were guilty from the get go and never budged."deeply divided" tells me more than one is guilty.

 

[TTF14]

I don't know. I believe they were told in the jury instructions they would have only their notes and memories to rely on, with no clarification after they get in the jury room, so it's unclear if they had any desires to access the evidence once they started deliberation.

This is no different than every other criminal case I've ever watched.

They have the exhibits, not transcripts or recordings of the trial.

It is what it is. This trial is no different.

 

[arielilane]

Jury's note says in part: “Despite our commitment to the duty entrusted to us…we find ourselves deeply divided by fundamental differences in our opinion and state of mind…Consensus is unattainable. We recognize the weight of this admission and the implications it holds."

Judge Cannone is currently reading the instruction below to the jury. They are listening intently.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1807793137634377742

 

[jepop]

Reminder: The jury has no access to transcripts of witnesses' testimony. They must rely on their memories and personal notes. If jurors disagree about what a witness said, there's no way to check.

Karen Read verdict watch: Jurors tell judge that 'consensus is unattainable'

Jurors deliberating the verdict in the trial of Karen Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of hitting her boyfriend John O'Keefe with an SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm, have again told the judge they are at an impasse and unable to reach a unanimous decision.

www.wcvb.com

I understood a request for testimony read back could at least be requested but judge has discretion to deny the request. Does anyone know if that is correct? I had concerns in prior thread that jury may be put off asking cos in-built power differential, however court clerk would handle it all so probably not a big issue

 

[clearskies1]

This instruction should have been given last week, when they sent the first deadlock note. Jurors must be fed up. Listen to them. JMO.

 

[Moonstrawbs]

Surely it comes to a point where it becomes unethical? How can a decision be trusted now after all of this...jmo

 

[arielilane]

FULL TRANSCRIPTION OF JURY NOTE HERE:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1807793700333879793

Jury is being sent back to deliberate for one final time.


11:10 AM · Jul 1, 2024

 

[Leilei]

That was quite the note. They are so done.
I don't envy them at all, and I'm of the opinion that they are hung on those lesser charges. I think they want to find her guilty of the OUI portions, but they aren't stand-alone charges. IMO.
So, with this new directive by the judge, they're essentially being told to agree to disagree and just make a decision? I'm probably way off on that, so hopefully someone can explain.

 

[turaj]

The jury has had a full weekend to think about this and have come back saying they are still at an impasse. IMO, the judge giving the dynamite charge will not change anything.

at this point it is just a formality. I see some on other forums saying this is a win for KR..I just don't see it.

 

[jepop]

This is no different than every other criminal case I've ever watched.

They have the exhibits, not transcripts or recordings of the trial.

It is what it is. This trial is no different.

So they would definitely have exhibits? I'm not familiar with the basics but feel slightly overwhelmed by conflicting info incoming.

 

[CourtandSims4]

YES! finally someone who gets it. Even Karen Reed thought hitting him was how it happened.

The counter story is that a house full of adults, including police officers, tried to cover up a drunk fight by murdering one of their fellow police officers by letting him freeze to death in the cold out in front of their own house. Then the geniuses searched for how long to leave him there on google. That they coordinated this in a serious of seconds-long phone calls and were able to plant tail light pieces at the scene, on his clothes, plant his DNA on the tail light, remembered to put his phone in airplane mode when he got inside, and then brought it back out and place it under his body with the glass and all of the pieces.

It's truly ridiculous. If it was a Hollywood script, it would be a slapstick comedy. And even then people would say that it is too far-fetched to suspend disbelief.

 

[LauraAnne]

Surely it comes to a point where it becomes unethical? How can a decision be trusted now after all of this...jmo

I agree. A jury that is clearly hung, should be allowed to declare themselves hung. This jury - or at least whoever is writing the notes to the judge - is very smart and articulate and well-informed of the implications of declaring themselves hung. At this point, it seems what they're being asked to do is go back there and bully one side or the other into choosing a verdict that is against their beliefs.

 

[Moonstrawbs]

That was quite the note. They are so done.
I don't envy them at all, and I'm of the opinion that they are hung on those lesser charges. I think they want to find her guilty of the OUI portions, but they aren't stand-alone charges. IMO.
So, with this new directive by the judge, they're essentially being told to agree to disagree and just make a decision? I'm probably way off on that, so hopefully someone can explain.

Seems to be one last push to see if anyone can budge but they can still be deadlocked, if so then it's hung.

 

[arielilane]

@TedDanielnews

Judge Cannone giving the jury Tuey-Rodriguez instructions or "dynamite" charge after jury indicates they are "deeply divided" and have "fundamental differences" and a "census is unattainable".

The clerk told me the judge will have to declare a mistrial if they come back again, after this, without a verdict

11:08 AM · Jul 1, 2024

The jury note was well crafted.


11:10 AM · Jul 1, 2024

 

[Moonstrawbs]

I agree. A jury that is clearly hung, should be allowed to declare themselves hung. This jury - or at least whoever is writing the notes to the judge - is very smart and articulate and well-informed of the implications of declaring themselves hung. At this point, it seems what they're being asked to do is go back there and bully one side or the other into choosing a verdict that is against their beliefs.

Exactly! I'm sure most of us here who have been following this are drained by it so I can't even imagine how they're feeling now and the huge commitment it has been for them! They're obviously taking it seriously and now with two messages of them being deadlocked, should be respected as hung. JMO.

 

[turaj]

I agree. A jury that is clearly hung, should be allowed to declare themselves hung. This jury - or at least whoever is writing the notes to the judge - is very smart and articulate and well-informed of the implications of declaring themselves hung. At this point, it seems what they're being asked to do is go back there and bully one side or the other into choosing a verdict that is against their beliefs.

judge is just doing what any judge would do in this case...this is just how it works. Nothing different about this. Next time they come it will be declared hung. Not sure if the jury is aware of all of the process involved here.

 

[TTF14]

So they would definitely have exhibits? I'm not familiar with the basics but feel slightly overwhelmed by conflicting info incoming.

Yes, they have the exhibits.

 

[clearskies1]

This case is filled with so many unlikeable characters. JMO.

 

[kittythehare]

Surely it comes to a point where it becomes unethical? How can a decision be trusted now after all of this...jmo

Well, she couldn't just dynamite them immediately.
It was very quick.
She had to dynamite them today because they really truly are deadlocked.
The dynamite will do nothing, of course, this looks like entrenchment..

It's over and it's not for the lack of the best defense I ever witnessed..


Retrial forthcoming, no doubt.
That really is cruelty but here we are.

Think next trial should be moved clean outa state for fairness.