Karen Read Trial Ends in Mistrial Amid Jury Impasse

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In Boston, the Massachusetts judge presiding over the Karen Read murder trial declared a mistrial on Monday due to a deadlock among jurors.

Earlier that day, the judge issued what’s known as a “dynamite charge,” urging jurors to continue deliberating after they twice signaled their inability to reach a unanimous verdict.

The Tuey-Rodriguez charge instructed jurors to reassess their positions, considering the perspectives of fellow jurors with whom they disagreed.

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Judge Beverly Cannone of Norfolk County Superior Court delivered the charge in response to a juror note stating, “Despite our dedication to our duty, we find ourselves deeply divided by fundamental differences in our opinions and mindset.”

The note continued, “Our differing views stem not from a lack of understanding or effort, but from deeply held convictions, making consensus unachievable.”

Jurors had resumed deliberations Monday morning at the judge’s direction, after first saying on Friday they could not reach a unanimous decision in the trial of Read, who is accused of drunkenly driving into her police officer boyfriend and leaving him to die in January 2022.

Following arguments from both prosecution and defense on Friday, Judge Cannone instructed the jury to continue deliberating until just after 4 p.m. Deliberations resumed promptly at 9 a.m.

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Since midday last Tuesday, the jury consisting of six men and six women has been deliberating Karen Read’s fate. The trial has been marked by allegations of a significant police cover-up and allegations of misconduct, including sexist text messages from a lead investigator.

Karen Read, aged 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision. A conviction on second-degree murder could result in a life sentence under Massachusetts law.

The body of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, was discovered badly injured in the snow on January 29, 2022, outside the residence of another Boston police officer in Canton, Massachusetts.

The prosecution and defense both weighed in on the jury’s note Friday, asking the judge to consider different outcomes in her decision on what to tell the jury.

“It is far, far, far too early in their deliberative process to even consider giving them any kind of Tuey-Rodriguez instruction or anything close to that,” Norfolk County Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally said, referring to a special set of Massachusetts instructions that are read to a jury when jurors are unable to agree on a verdict. “The note doesn’t really indicate affirmatively that they can’t come to a conclusion, it just says they haven’t come to a conclusion through their deliberative process at this time.”

In contrast, defense attorney David Yanetti suggested that the jury be instructed with the Tuey-Rodriguez criminal model guidelines, signaling their preference for the court to consider a hung jury.

Dan Abrams weighs in on Karen Read trial and jury deliberations

 

“I believe ‘exhaustive’ is the operative term,” he informed the judge. “They’re indicating to the court that they’ve explored every avenue of compromise, every method of persuasion, and they’ve reached an impasse.”

The judge considered input from both sides before instructing the jury to resume deliberations in this contentious case. Notably, the Tuey-Rodriguez instructions were not administered to the jury on Friday, as legal precedent advises against premature use of such instructions.

Read potentially faced a life sentence in prison.

Prosecutors alleged that Read and O’Keefe, who had a tumultuous relationship at times, engaged in an argument that evening. They asserted that Read, intoxicated, reversed her vehicle into him and fled the scene, leaving him to perish in the cold.

“In this case, the constellation of facts and evidence unequivocally demonstrates that the defendant drove her vehicle in reverse at 24.2 miles per hour for 62.5 feet, striking Mr. O’Keefe and causing severe head injuries that left him incapacitated and exposed to freezing temperatures,” prosecutor Adam Lally stated during Tuesday’s closing arguments.

Conversely, Read’s defense contended that off-duty police officers inside the Canton residence fatally assaulted O’Keefe, deposited his body on the lawn, and subsequently conspired to frame Read through fabricated evidence and false testimonies.

“Ladies and gentlemen, what we’ve witnessed here is a clear and simple cover-up,” defense attorney Alan Jackson asserted. “You may find it hard to accept, thinking, ‘I don’t want to believe this could happen in our community,’ but over these past eight weeks, you’ve seen it unfold before your eyes.”

These closing statements marked the conclusion of a murder trial that has captured significant local and national attention, involving allegations of witness tampering, a federal investigation into the handling of the case, and groups of supporters clad in pink advocating for Karen Read’s release.

The prosecution’s case has been hindered by several missteps and unconventional investigative methods. Particularly troubling, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor acknowledged sending sexist and offensive texts about Read in a private group chat. He referred to her as a “whack job,” made derogatory remarks about her medical conditions, and even commented to colleagues about not finding compromising photos while examining her phone for evidence.

While on the stand, Proctor expressed regret for his “unprofessional” remarks, but the crude texts have faced significant criticism both inside and outside the courtroom, including from Governor Maura Healey.

In her statement to WCVB, Governor Healey condemned the texts as “completely unprofessional,” highlighting their detrimental impact on the dignity and integrity of law enforcement personnel across the state. As a former attorney general and current governor, she emphasized her strong disapproval of the behavior.