Crime

Jury selection in the Karen Read murder trial starts Tuesday. Here’s a quick primer on the case.

After more than two years of intense hearings and contentious debate, Karen Read is heading to trial. This is what you need to know.

Karen Read and her lawyer David Yannetti leave Norfolk Superior Court following a motions hearing. Jessica Rinaldi/Boston Globe Staff, File

By Abby Patkin

updated on April 16, 2024

2 minutes to read

As in many high-profile legal sagas, the Karen Read case has been a marathon, not a sprint.

Jury selection in the Mansfield woman’s trial starts on Tuesday, more than two years after the death of Read’s boyfriend — Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe — launched the town of Canton into the national spotlight.

Below, find a quick primer on the case.

Prosecutors say Read struck O’Keefe with her SUV while dropping him off at a home in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, following a night out with friends. Read was purportedly drunk when she allegedly left O’Keefe to die in the snow outside a fellow Boston police officer’s home on Fairview Road, according to officials.

Further reading: Girlfriend charged in death of BPD officer says she didn’t realize she might have hit him with SUV
Further reading: Unpacking the murder case against Karen Read, as told by prosecutors

Read’s lawyers say, however, that Read has been framed in a widespread conspiracy among law enforcement, the homeowners, and fellow afterparty guests. They’ve suggested O’Keefe was actually beaten inside the home, possibly attacked by the family dog, a German shepherd named Chloe, and left outside.

Further reading: Lawyers say new evidence will clear girlfriend of Boston police officer charged with his murder
Further reading: Key takeaways from Karen Read’s [May 3] court appearance in the John O’Keefe murder case
Further reading: Karen Read’s lawyers tease evidence from federal probe in motions for dismissal, sanctions. What we learned.

The charges Read is facing include second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a collision causing injury and death. She has pleaded not guilty to all three charges.

Further reading: What do prosecutors have to prove to convict Karen Read of second-degree murder?

The key players are a motley crew of witnesses, law enforcement, media personalities, and others with ties to the case.

Further reading: Karen Read case: A guide to who’s who in this high-profile murder investigation

The evidence at the heart of the case is highly contentious, featuring hotly debated Google searches, cellphone data, and extemporaneous comments Read allegedly made at the scene. Then, of course, there’s the federal probe looking into allegations of a police cover-up in the investigation into O’Keefe’s death.

Further reading: Karen Read’s trial starts next week. This is some of the most contentious evidence in her case.
Further reading: Karen Read timeline: What court docs, attorney statements reveal about the federal probe into her case

The trial schedule will feature full days in court on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and half days in the mornings on Tuesday and Thursday, Judge Beverly Cannone said during a hearing last month. Defense attorney Alan Jackson previously estimated that the trial could last up to six weeks. Jury impanelment is due to begin at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in Norfolk Superior Court.

If you plan to attend, keep in mind that Cannone recently set a 200-foot buffer zone to keep demonstrators away from the courthouse during Read’s trial. Cannone is also restricting demonstrations and certain items of clothing inside the courthouse while the trial is underway.