Karen Read Beats Murder, Sparks Outrage
In a case that's gripped the nation for over two years, a Massachusetts jury reached a decision that stunned some and delighted others. Karen Read, accused of killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, was found not guilty of second-degree murder and manslaughter. The verdict, delivered June 18 in Dedham, Massachusetts, ended a legal saga filled with twists, allegations of a police cover-up, and an outpouring of public opinion that turned the courthouse into a spectacle. The trial didn't just unfold in court — it became a national obsession.
What Happened to John O'Keefe?
On Jan. 29, 2022, O'Keefe's body was found in the snow outside a fellow officer's home in the Boston suburb of Canton. Prosecutors alleged that Read backed her Lexus SUV into him during a fight and left him to die in a blizzard. Her defense told a very different story — that O'Keefe was beaten and bitten by a dog inside the home, then dragged outside, with local police orchestrating a cover-up and framing her.
The first trial ended in a mistrial when the jury couldn't agree. This second time around, jurors deliberated for more than 22 hours before reaching a split decision — not guilty on the most serious charges, guilty only on drunken driving.
What the Jury Saw
Jurors didn't believe there was enough evidence to convict Read of murder. "Karen Read is innocent, and she didn't do this crime," the jury foreman told NBC's "Today" show, adding, "No one could prove that she did this crime, so I looked at her from Day 1 as an innocent woman that needed to be proven guilty, and I don't think any of that was shown in this process," according to NBC Boston.
One sticking point was the taillight. Prosecutors said pieces from her car's rear light were found near O'Keefe's body. But the defense countered with video evidence suggesting the taillight was still intact after the alleged crash, hinting it may have been planted.
The Aftermath
Supporters of Read — some waving signs and even throwing pink confetti — cheered the outcome. "It's been a long time coming, so let's put this behind her now so she can have some peace in her life," said one woman who brought her dog to the courthouse wearing a "Free Karen" sign, according to the Associated Press.
But the verdict left O'Keefe's family devastated. Some witnesses released a joint statement, reported by the AP, calling the outcome "a devastating miscarriage of justice," blaming the trial's outcome on "lies and conspiracy theories" spread by the defense and its vocal supporters.
Special prosecutor Hank Brennan expressed frustration, stating, "After an independent and thorough review of all the evidence I concluded that the evidence led to one person, and only one person," according to NBC News. He added that witness intimidation and public pressure compromised the case.
What's Next for Karen Read?
Though Read walked away from the murder charge, she's not entirely off the hook. She was sentenced to one year of probation for the drunken driving conviction — a misdemeanor, but still a legal mark.
The defense has indicated that it wants the case fully closed and has called on officials to re-investigate what happened that night. Some jurors, too, aren't ruling out the possibility that someone else is responsible for O'Keefe's death. One juror said she hopes the case will be reopened to "find who really killed John O'Keefe," according to USA Today.
So while Karen Read is legally innocent of murder, the court of public opinion remains divided — and the mystery of that snowy night in 2022 continues to linger.
References: Karen Read found not guilty of second-degree murder, guilty of drunken driving in boyfriend’s death | Karen Read prosecutor, jurors reveal their thoughts on the verdict | 'Karen Read is innocent': Jury foreman speaks out for first time | Prosecutor who tried Karen Read says evidence 'led to one person, and only one person'
