Mistrial Declared in High-Profile Boston Murder Trial: Jury Deadlocks on Guilt of Karen Read

Canton, Massachusetts United States of America
Defense team maintains Read was framed by corrupt officers
Jury deadlocked on guilt of Karen Read after 26 hours of deliberation
Mistrial declared in high-profile Boston murder trial
Prosecutors to retry Read following mistrial declaration
Mistrial Declared in High-Profile Boston Murder Trial: Jury Deadlocks on Guilt of Karen Read

A mistrial was declared on July 1, 2024, in the high-profile murder trial of Karen Read after a jury deadlocked with no decision despite over 26 hours of deliberation. The case, which had captured national attention for months, involved the accusation that Read killed her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, following a night of drinking. The circumstances surrounding O'Keefe's death during a blizzard in 2022 became an obsession for people in the Boston region and true-crime fanatics worldwide. However, the jury was unable to reach a unanimous verdict.

The mistrial came after jurors sent notes to Judge Beverly J. Cannone indicating that they were hopelessly deadlocked on July 1, following an earlier indication of this on Friday. After the second note, Judge Cannone delivered Tuey-Rodriguez instructions but hours later, the jury declared itself deadlocked once again.

Prosecutors in the Norfolk County District Attorney's office announced their intention to retry Read after the mistrial declaration. The defense team had maintained that Read was framed by corrupt officers seeking to cover up a fatal fight between O'Keefe and another officer, Sgt. Brian Albert.

The trial featured testimonies from first responders who heard Read yell 'I hit him! I hit him!' after finding O'Keefe's body outside Albert's house. Prosecutors also presented angry phone messages and a voice message that Read allegedly sent to O'Keefe hours before he died, as well as vehicle data from Read's SUV and evidence of a broken taillight on her car.

The case was marked by conflicts of interest among investigators, witness intimidation allegations, and First Amendment rights debates. The defense team also raised concerns about innuendo not being considered as evidence and the role of Turtleboy in the case.

Despite the mistrial, supporters of Read celebrated after the decision. However, prosecutors quickly announced their intention to retry the case.



Confidence

85%

Doubts
  • Was there sufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Karen Read killed John O'Keefe?
  • Were any conflicts of interest among investigators addressed during the trial?

Sources

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Defense lawyers suggested Read was framed by officers seeking to cover up a fatal fight between O’Keefe and another officer, Sgt. Brian Albert.
    • Read is accused of killing O’Keefe after a night of drinking when she reversed her SUV to fatally strike him before fleeing.
    • An autopsy found he had died of hypothermia and blunt-force trauma.
    • Central to the prosecution’s case were testimonies from first responders who heard Read yell ‘I hit him! I hit him!’ after finding O’Keefe’s body outside Albert’s house.
    • Prosecutors also presented angry phone messages and a voice message that Read allegedly sent to O’Keefe hours before he died, as well as vehicle data from Read’s SUV and evidence of a broken taillight on her car.
  • Accuracy
    • A mistrial was declared in Karen Read's murder trial after the jury deadlocked with no decision.
    • Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on charges that Karen Read murdered her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe.
    • Read is accused of killing O'Keefe after a night of drinking when she reversed her SUV to fatally strike him before fleeing.
    • Defense lawyers suggested Read was framed by officers seeking to cover up a fatal fight between O'Keefe and another officer, Sgt. Brian Albert.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

94%

  • Unique Points
    • Defense team maintains that Read was framed by corrupt officials attempting to cover up O’Keefe’s murder.
    • Lead investigator, state trooper Michael Proctor, sent sexist texts about the case and joked about not finding nude photos of Read during the investigation.
  • Accuracy
    • A mistrial has been declared in the Karen Read case.
    • Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on charges that Karen Read murdered her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
    • Prosecutors intend to retry the case.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The author presents a factual account of the events in the trial without making any logical fallacies. However, there is an appeal to authority and inflammatory rhetoric present in the quotes from defense lawyer Alan Jackson and state trooper Michael Proctor.
    • . . .the close-knit circle of Boston officers used fabricated evidence and false testimony to frame Read.
    • Defense attorney Alan Jackson alleged that O'Keefe was beaten in the basement of Albert's house and attacked by a dog before being dragged outside.
    • state trooper Michael Proctor called Read a “whack job” in several text messages to friends, families and colleagues about the case,
    • Proctor also admitted to joking with other officers about not finding any nude photos of Read during the investigation while searching her phone and texting his sister that he wished Read would “kill herself”.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

92%

  • Unique Points
    • Defense sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside Albert’s home and then dragged outside.
    • Read supporters cheered after word got out of the mistrial.
  • Accuracy
    • A judge declared a mistrial in the case of Karen Read, who is accused of striking her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm.
    • Prosecutors intend to retry the case where the defense asserted that Read had been framed by police.
    • Jurors were deadlocked after five days of deliberation and could not reach a unanimous verdict.
    • Defense attorney Alan Jackson told reporters that the commonwealth failed in bringing false charges against an innocent person.
    • Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey thanked the O’Keefe family for their commitment and dedication to the case.
    • Read, a former adjunct professor at Bentley College, faced second-degree murder and other charges in the death of John O’Keefe, a 16-year member of the Boston police.
    • An autopsy found that O’Keefe died of hypothermia and blunt force trauma.
    • Prosecutors said Read and O’Keefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer.
    • Lead investigator Michael Proctor acknowledged sending offensive texts about Read during the investigation but insisted they had no influence on it.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (85%)
    The article contains several instances of inflammatory rhetoric used by both the defense attorney and the prosecutor. The defense attorney's statements 'folks, this is what it looks like when you bring false charges against an innocent person' and 'they failed' are examples of emotional appeals that can influence readers. Similarly, the prosecutor's statement 'they maintained sight of the true core of this case – to find justice for John O’Keefe' is also an emotional appeal. These statements do not provide any logical reasoning or evidence to support their claims and therefore cannot be considered valid arguments.
    • ]The commonwealth did their worst. They brought the weight of the state based on spurious charges, based on compromised investigation and investigators and compromised witnesses. Guess what, they failed.[
    • folks, this is what it looks like when you bring false charges against an innocent person[
    • they maintained sight of the true core of this case – to find justice for John O’Keefe
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

97%

  • Unique Points
    • Jury in Karen Read murder case declared mistrial due to deadlock
    • Defense lawyers suggested Read was framed by officers seeking to cover up a fatal fight between O’Keefe and another officer, Sgt. Brian Albert.
    • Read is accused of killing O’Keefe after a night of drinking when she reversed her SUV to fatally strike him before fleeing.
  • Accuracy
    • Jurors were unable to reach a verdict on charges that Karen Read murdered her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
    • , Prosecutors argued that Read killed O’Keefe in an act of domestic violence.
    • , Defense lawyers argued several conflicts of interests biased O’Keefe’s murder investigation.
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication