The case of Karen Read, a Massachusetts woman accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, has become one of the most closely watched criminal trials in recent U.S. history. Since O'Keefe's death in January 2022, the case has spiraled from a tragic incident to a national true-crime sensation. With claims of a police cover-up, intense media scrutiny, and a deeply divided public, the trial is now underway again following a mistrial in 2024.

Who Is Karen Read?

Who Is Karen Read? Inside the High-Stakes Trial Over the Death of Police Officer John O’Keefe
Karen Read leaves Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, with attorney David Yannetti, waving to supporters, on Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025

Karen Read, 45, is a former financial analyst and adjunct professor from Mansfield, Massachusetts. She holds degrees from Bentley University and Northeastern University. Before the charges, she had no criminal history and was seen as a quiet, career-focused woman.

Read was in an on-again, off-again relationship with Officer John O'Keefe for about two years before his death. Friends described the relationship as passionate but volatile. On the night of January 28, 2022, that tension allegedly turned deadly.

What Happened to John O’Keefe?

A powerful snowstorm hit Canton, Massachusetts, on January 28, 2022. Despite the weather, O'Keefe, Read, and several friends went out drinking and eventually made their way to the home of then-Boston Police Officer Brian Albert around midnight.

The next morning, O'Keefe was found unresponsive in the snow outside Albert's home. He had blunt force trauma to the head and signs of hypothermia. An autopsy confirmed the cause of death as a combination of those injuries.

Within days, Karen Read was arrested. Prosecutors allege that Read, drunk and jealous after a fight, struck O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV while dropping him off and left him to die in the snow. Fragments of her broken taillight were found near the body, and O'Keefe's DNA was discovered on the car.

The Prosecution's Case

Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally presented several pieces of key evidence:

  • Vehicle Damage: The Lexus had a shattered taillight consistent with impact injuries. O'Keefe’s DNA was found on the taillight.

  • Witness Statements: Several people at the scene claimed they heard Read say "I hit him" and "This is all my fault."

  • Voicemails: Angry messages from Read to O'Keefe accusing him of cheating were presented to establish motive.

Prosecutors argue that Read's actions were deliberate, the result of a fight and jealousy-fueled rage.

The Defense: A Cover-Up?

Karen Read’s legal team, led by celebrity attorney Alan Jackson, contends she is being framed to protect others. They argue:

  • O’Keefe never entered the house but was instead beaten inside and dragged outside.

  • Several people at the house had potential motives or suspicious behavior, including an ATF agent who had been texting with Read.

  • The injuries were inconsistent with a car crash alone and may have included an animal attack by the family's German Shepherd, Chloe.

  • A suspicious Google search made by a resident in the house asked, "hos [sic] long to die in cold," allegedly before O'Keefe's body was found.

Defense attorneys accuse law enforcement of mishandling evidence, including using red Solo cups to collect snow samples, failing to properly document the scene, and not securing key interviews.

The lead investigator, Michael Proctor, was later fired for unrelated misconduct. However, Read's team says his crude texts and early assumptions about her guilt show bias.

The Mistrial and Retrial

The first trial ended in a hung jury in late 2024. The retrial began in spring 2025 in Dedham, Massachusetts, with heightened security and strict courtroom rules. Demonstrators on both sides are barred from gathering within 200 feet of the courthouse.

Prosecutors are retrying Read on charges of second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. If convicted, she faces life in prison.

National Attention and Media Spectacle

The Read case has attracted widespread attention on platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Reddit. Amateur sleuths and podcast hosts dissect evidence, court proceedings, and leaked documents daily. The media frenzy has drawn comparisons to the trials of Casey Anthony and Amanda Knox.

Experts believe the case’s appeal lies in its dramatic elements: a dead cop, a potentially corrupt police force, a privileged white female defendant, and conspiracy theories running rampant.

Karen Read’s supporters often gather wearing pink and waving "Free Karen" signs. Critics accuse them of harassing O'Keefe’s grieving family.

A key figure among her backers, blogger Aidan "Turtleboy" Kearney, is facing charges of witness intimidation after aggressively confronting trial witnesses. He has denied wrongdoing.

Legal and Social Commentary

Legal analysts have weighed in on the spectacle:

  • Daniel Medwed, a Northeastern law professor, said the case plays into America's obsession with women accused of violent crimes.

  • Shira Diner, of Boston University, emphasized the role of Read’s socioeconomic status and high-powered legal team in shaping public perception.

  • District Attorney Michael Morrissey has called the cover-up theories "baseless" and said the idea of a wide-reaching conspiracy involving multiple agencies is "desperate."

What's Next?

As testimony continues, both sides are working to win over the jury amid enormous public scrutiny. A verdict is expected later this year.

If Karen Read is acquitted, it may reignite calls for a deeper probe into the police department's conduct. If convicted, she could spend the rest of her life behind bars.

Regardless of the outcome, the case has revealed deep public mistrust in law enforcement, the judicial system, and media narratives — and it shows no sign of fading from national attention.

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