MA - Professor Karen Read, 43, charged with murdering police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe by hitting him with car, Canton, 14 Apr 2023 #26 Retrial

[kuromiiiilove]

Alessi really challenging Dr SB on her hypothermia diagnosis. Says the Lucas machine used for CPR could have caused the hemorrhaging Dr. SB attributes to hypothermia.

 

[Tortoise]

No one can unhear that. JMO

I think it undermines the defence's contention that all scenarios were not initially considered during the investigation.

IMO

 

[Amber29]

It's sad that this testimony was obviously coached. She never said "Maybe I like...hit him" in the last trial. Using a devastated and traumatized child is horrible!



And, have a neurosurgeon who never examined OJO testify?? Doesn't seem like their opinion would be as important as Dr Stonebridge.

BBM
This I think is his main point in questioning specifically about her sending his brain to DrSB, then mentioned DrW. The jury has to be wondering why they are having a separate neurosurgeon testify instead of the neuropathologist that actually examined his brain. Could it be because DrSB agrees with the MEs findings and isn’t what they want to hear…

 

[Tortoise]

Did that graphic make one of the jurors unwell?

Sounds like a swift break was called.

 

[tara83]

I think it undermines the defence's contention that all scenarios were not initially considered during the investigation.

IMO

LE considered all possibilities but one of them called the ME a whackjob when she refused to rule homicide. Yes it sounds like they were a fair and balanced group.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Weird that Brennan didn’t directly ask Dr. SB about pedestrian collision related injuries…

 

[MerlinFalcon]

OMG, touchdown. The good doctor said that there was a party, walking to the house, an altercation and then Brennan objects and Judge says disregard that.

I missed that!

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Court reporting is saying the jury is paying attention, despite the long line of questioning. Seems like they really want to understand the case that’s being presented to them.

 

[missy1974]

I think it undermines the defence's contention that all scenarios were not initially considered during the investigation.

IMO

I think as a juror, I would be wondering where that info came from, because so far, every single witness has been testifying that he did not go in the house, he didn't show up, etc .. justifying why LE did NOT investigate further, like no search of the house, certain interviews not being done right away, etc.

The info came from an ER physician, where did he get the information from?

 

[Warwick7]

Yes, KR talked about the incident briefly, in the doc. Then, the younger sister on the Aruba trip talked about it during her testimony in T1. The dates of the texts were from BH T1 testimony. There are plenty of texts and voicemails that paint the defendant as volatile, insecure and obsessive.

Yes you said paints defendant as volatile, insecure and obsessive. That doesn't mean they're murderous. There are calm, coo,l collective and decisive people that are level-headed and yet go out and murder someone. M00

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Alessi and Dr SB are arguing on whether or not Johns stomach shows ulcers consistent with hypothermia. She says it could be consistent, but agrees with Alessi that the majority of hypothermia cases have more mucosal ulcers than Johns stomach did. She estimates 10-15% of John’s mucosal lining was ulcerated.

No evidence of frostbite on John’s body.

 

[Warwick7]

Dr. Scordi-Bello said that John’s vitreous humor fluid had a BAC of .28g/dL. That’s equivalent to a .28 BAC - extremely intoxicated. Maybe that’s why Karen wanted to drive. That is like alcohol poisoning levels.

Whoa!!!!

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Alessi and Dr SB are arguing on whether or not Johns stomach shows ulcers consistent with hypothermia. She says it could be consistent, but agrees with Alessi that the majority of hypothermia cases have more mucosal ulcers than Johns stomach did. She estimates 10-15% of John’s mucosal lining was ulcerated.

No evidence of frostbite on John’s body.

The ME agrees that the weather on 1/28/22 was ‘very cold, there was a blizzard coming’. She agrees there was gusty winds. They are now discussing windchill.

Alessi really driving home that despite the harsh weather, Dr. Scordi-Bello found 0 signs of frostbite.

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Whoa!!!!

His BAC from the blood sample drawn was .21- still high but a little more reasonable.

 

[Warwick7]

He did tell her in a text to her earlier on that he wanted her to be his driver that night when going out.

At least he made these arrangements ahead of time. Higgins had been drinking how much? And he did all of his own driving. What a surprise, law enforcement driving while drunk, hmm.....

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Now onto whether or not JOK’s injuries were consistent with a motor vehicle injury. The ME says she noted no injuries that she evaluated to be consistent with a motor vehicle injury. No impact site on his legs.

 

[Warwick7]

Yes, and I definitely am not blaming him! But it does make me think he would not be able to defend himself IF a fight did occur, MOO

I had said way early in the thread that they were banking on him not being able to defend himself because he had drank so much. M00

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Now onto whether or not JOK’s injuries were consistent with a motor vehicle injury. The ME says she noted no injuries that she evaluated to be consistent with a motor vehicle injury. No impact site on his legs.

Alessi: What do you mean in your answer ‘no evidence of impact injuries?’

Brennan objecting like his life depends on it.

Dr SB says she was looking for bruising, bleeding, or fractured bones of the legs, and did not observe any of those things typical with motor vehicle impact.

 

[themonk]

Now onto whether or not JOK’s injuries were consistent with a motor vehicle injury. The ME says she noted no injuries that she evaluated to be consistent with a motor vehicle injury. No impact site on his legs.

Jury is like 'what are we doing here??'

 

[kuromiiiilove]

Now onto discussing John’s facial wounds. John had ecchymosis ‘raccoon eyes’. Alessi notes and ME agrees ecchymosis wouldn’t account for the laceration on John’s eyelid and nose.

Dr. SB did not evaluate in her report the significance or cause of the lacerations to John’s face.

Alessi is asking if the laceration to the eyelid could be caused by a blunt impact injury. She says yes, by definition a laceration is caused by blunt force injury.

Alessi is asking if it could have happened from John falling backward and hitting his head. ME says obviously no. His eyelid had to have come into contact with a blunt surface. Same for the laceration to John’s nose.

The laceration to John’s eyelid is being shown.