The trial of Karen Read, the woman who allegedly killed her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe by intentionally driving her SUV into him and leaving him to die in a blizzard outside of a home in Canton in 2022, opened Monday.
Witness testimony is continuing on Tuesday morning after prosecutors on Monday called O’Keefe’s brother, Paul, his sister-in-law, Erin, and Canton Police Officer Steven Saraf to the stand.
WATCH LIVE: Testimony continues on day 2 of Karen Read murder trial
Defense attorney David Yannetti said during opening statements that Read was “framed for a murder she did not commit,” while prosecutors said a cracked taillight and her own words to firefighters that she “hit him” will prove she is guilty.
Saraf returned to the stand and Read’s other attorney, Alan Jackson, cross-examined him to begin the second day of proceedings
Fellow Canton Police Officer Stephen Mullaney, who also responded to Fairview Road in Canton on the night of O’Keefe’s death, was called to the stand next.
Mullaney, while being questioned by Yannetti, claimed that he never once heard Read state, “I did it” or “I hit him.” He also said he pieces of a broken taillight at the scene.
Tuesday’s proceedings will only run through 1 p.m. because this trial will have half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Karen Read murder trial: A guide to the key players you need to know
Live updates from Ted Daniel who is inside Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham:
Ofc Mullaney says he did not see any taillight pieces at the scene. He said he was 10-12 feet from body was found
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Officer Mullaney says he never heard Read say “i hit him” when he was at the scene. Mullaney says a Lt used a leaf blower to clear the area where O’Keefe’s body was found
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Officer Mullaney says Jennifer McCabe was calm and not distraught but Read was – and kept repeating “is he dead?” and “that’s my boyfriend”
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Yannetti on cross asks Ofc. Mullaney if he remembers who was giving CPR to JO when he arrived. Mullaney says -at the time- he wasn’t sure who it was
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Mullaney says he was called back to 34 Fairview Rd for reports that KR was threatening suicide after JO had been taken to Good Sam
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Some jurors are ping-ponging their heads back and forth between ADA Lally and Ofc Mullaney. Others are locked in on Mullaney. many taking notes
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Ofc. Mullaney says nothing sticks out to him about what the ground underneath JO was like when JO was moved to an ambulance
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Ofc. Mullaney says nothing sticks out to him about the ground underneath JO was like when JO was moved to an ambulance
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Canton Police Ofc Stephen Mullaney is up next.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Ofc Saraf says he saw no one from any of the houses come outside when he was there. This is in response to defense asking about Alberts not coming outside.
Saraf’s testimony is complete— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Prosecutor Lally on redirect asks Ofc Saraf about his April 2022 GJ testimony where he says KR said “It’s my fault” at the scene.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Saraf confirms he did not locate any tail light pieces or JO’s missing shoe. Jackson asks “did it ever occur to you to look inside the house?” Saraf said that would not be appropriate protocol
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Jackson shows video he says shows Jennifer McCabe walking into 34 Fairview Rd. He asks Ofc Saraf if it’s appropriate for her to walk into the house at a “crime scene”
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Jackson showing dash cam video and asks Ofc Saraf if Read is heard saying, “I left him and he never came home”, I’m in the back of the courtroom and could not make out the audio
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Ofc Saraf says he doesn’t recall meeting with Prosecutor Lally prior to his testimony to a state grand jury. Jackson accuses Saraf of “changing his story”
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Ofc Sarah confirms the only statement he attributed to Read in his report is KR saying “Is he dead?” repeatedly. Saraf described her as severely distraught in his reporting
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Jackson asks Ofc Saraf a number of questions about Jen McCabe including if she was trying to save JO’s life at the scene
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Jackson asks Saraf if he was trying to “mask the address” of Brian Albert (34 Fairview). At the time Brian Albert was a Boston Police Officer
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Saraf told a state grand jury he responded to 35 Fairview Rd. Jackson is trying to show bad record keeping and discrepancies from the outset of this case.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Dispatch log shows the scene as 32 Fairview Rd when the address was 34 Fairview Rd. Jackson says the log is “faulty”
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Jackson asking Saraf about discrepancies in the police dispatch log. Saraf confirms times of arrivals are wrong
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
We’re underway. Judge acknowledges the tough time many people had getting in due to the traffic problems this morning. Officer Saraf is called back to witness stand
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
Good morning from court where testimony continues in the Commonwealth vs. Karen Read. We finished yesterday afternoon with Canton Police Officer Steven Saraf on the stand. He was one of the first responders at 34 Fairview Rd when John O’Keefe was found in the snow. The defense…
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 30, 2024
It’s Day 2 of witness testimony and Karen Read has arrived at Norfolk Superior Court. No big crowd today like yesterday as she got out of her car and walked across the street. @boston25 pic.twitter.com/0RsTiDR9d1
— Ryan Breslin (@ryanjbreslin) April 30, 2024
Previous story:
Read, 44, of Mansfield, faces several charges including second-degree murder in the death of John O’Keefe, 46, in 2022. She has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Paul O’Keefe told the court that Read was “screaming” and being restrained by staffers after John O’Keefe was rushed to Good Samaritan Hospital.
Officer Saraf said he saw Karen Read giving John O’Keefe CPR, had blood on her, and repeatedly asked, “Is he dead?” while at the scene.
During opening statements, prosecutor Adam Lally said evidence would show data from Read’s SUV drove 60 feet in reverse at 24 miles per hour.
“The defendant stated repeatedly, “I hit him, I hit him, I hit him,” said Lally.
Meanwhile, the defense maintains a different story.
Defense attorney David Yannetti said, “Karen Read was framed for a murder she did not commit.” He also said the relationship between Read and O’Keefe had soured.
Yannetti argued that close relationships between investigators and those in the Canton house on the night of O’Keefe’s death resulted in authorities focusing solely on Read.
Tuesday’s proceedings will run through 1 p.m. This case will have half days on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
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