I don’t know but in my opinion none of the clips shown from KR’s interview seem that incriminating. They seem rather, IMO, to depict a woman who was in full-blown panic as she looked for her missing boyfriend while also getting overwhelmed and confused by feelings of guilt as she tries to rationalize why a small piece of her taillight was broken, why didn’t he make it home and then why later does she find in a spot exactly right next to where she remembers parking earlier? It does seem to make sense that she would probably start to blame herself given she was in a panic, knew she was drinking earlier, her memory is still shoddy from the alcohol, JOK was injured and her own car also had some slight damage?
She even asks
could she have hit him? Did something occur that was emotionally charged between them and in her intoxicated stated it led her to horrifically harm John with her car? Was she playing her music too loud as normal and that led her not to hear John as he approached her vehicle from behind as she maneuver it to drive off or accidentally hit him afterwards?
It seems like she is just trying to put the pieces together. And again this is already on top of feeling terrible because her boyfriend was injured, alone and out in the cold for some people it is natural for them to think that somehow it is their fault when a loved one they cared about was hurt and they felt like they should have responded or checked earlier or been more responsible.
She also reiterated that a small portion of her taillight was broken and that threw broken on the ground because she was worried about them causing damage ( KerRob also mentioned doing something similar in her testimony in T1). This leads me to wonder were those pieces picked up or collected by LE? I can’t recall but I will double check later.
Not to mention she elaborates that the three point occurred when she missed the original left turn she was supposed to make on Fairview and thus had to make one by pulling the car up on a driveway on the opposite side of the road and then pulling up and making right hand turn at the intersection instead. (This is likely the same point and time where RN and HW first see her car getting ready to turn down the same street as them).
Also, I can relate to her awkwardness when interacting with JOK’s mother. If I harmed or felt like I was the cause or responsible for the death of someone’s else’s loved one or child I don’t know how I could live with myself let alone face or answer them in them moment so soon after such loss. As much I know deep down I need to hold myself accountable I would also want to curl into a burl as the shame, grief and self-hatred took over. I found her reaction at least relatable when she self-isolated at JOK’s before deciding it was best to leave them or give them space.
Nothing as of yet seems to point towards consciousness of guilt, at least not when compared to other possibilities like the mixture of emotional turmoil, panic, distress, short-term memory loss and confusion and the after-effects of excess or not yet metabolized alcohol in one’s system.
I think ultimately, as others have commented, it will hinder down to can it be proven that JOK was hit by a car, can it be proven that he was hit by Karen’s car, what evidence is or isn’t there and when it comes to challenging the clips being shown the defense reminding the jury that context matters.
I think the CSI effect may be beneficial or strong point that can be used by the defense.
A forensic analyst who examined key evidence for Read's retrial was subjected to hours of interrogation-like questions about his resume and analysis.
www.nbcnews.com
JMO/MOO
