Karen Read jury selection comes to a close, revving up 2nd murder trial in death of John O’Keefe

A full roster of jurors and alternates has been selected in the second murder trial of Karen Read, a former financial adviser accused of killing her Boston cop boyfriend John O’Keefe in a drunken hit-and-run after an argument during a blizzard in January 2022.

All 12 jurors and six alternates were empaneled Tuesday, clearing the way for opening statements. The case had needed just two more jurors since Friday came to a close with 16 of 18 selected.

Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter and leaving the scene of a deadly accident.  Outside the courthouse, Read said she was ready to get things underway and challenged special prosecutor Hank Brennan.

“Come at me,” she said, when asked how she felt about his plan to introduce some of her own televised interviews as evidence. 

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“I would not have said anything that I would not say again,” she added.

Both sides have filed notice with the court that they intend to play some of her interviews during opening statements next week.

Read told the gathering of reporters that she was happy with the jurors selected, nine men and nine women, and she believed they had been “truthful and questioned thoroughly” throughout the process. 

She hinted that she could testify in her own defense this time around and is confident heading into the second trial. 

A motion hearing is scheduled for Wednesday morning and opening statements will kick off Tuesday after a long break for Patriot’s Day, in memory of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing. 

O’Keefe was 46 at the time of his death. Read was among a group of people who found him on another officer’s front lawn around 6 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2022.

A group of people had been drinking at the home of Brian Albert, who has since retired from the Boston Police Department, the night before. 

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Witnesses testified that O’Keefe never made it inside the house, but Read has vehemently denied the allegations that she killed him.

She pleaded not guilty and has argued that he may have been killed inside and then moved into the yard, where he died of trauma to the head and hypothermia.

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Her first trial last year ended with a hung jury after the defense pointed out problems with the investigation and an apparent conflict of interest involving the lead investigator.

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Michael Proctor, a former state trooper, has since been fired from the Massachusetts State Police over a series of lewd text messages he improperly sent about Read.

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He is expected to return to the witness stand for the second trial.

Read could face up to life in prison if convicted of the top charge. The trial is expected to take six to eight weeks.