Karen Read’s Trial Takes Shocking Turn as Judge Suspends Hearing

In a dramatic twist that could change the course of the Karen Read retrial, Judge Beverly Cannone hit the brakes on an ongoing evidentiary hearing, voicing “grave concern” about new revelations from the prosecution. It’s a tangled web of legal maneuvering surrounding Read, the Massachusetts woman accused of killing her police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her SUV after a wild night of drinking in 2022.

The courtroom was humming along until attorney Hank Brennan, representing the prosecution, requested to exclude testimony from two crash reconstruction experts who previously testified as defense witnesses in Read’s initial trial. The plot thickened when Judge Cannone abruptly called for a recess, citing new info that could significantly impact the defense—a move that left many in the courtroom scrambling for clarity.

Read, who contends she’s the target of an elaborate cover-up, had her first trial end in a mistrial after jurors couldn’t reach a consensus on vehicular manslaughter charges, leading to a 9-3 split in favor of conviction. The new information presented by the prosecutors claimed that the crash reconstruction firm charged Read’s defense team a whopping $23,925. This explosion of detail raises eyebrows on both sides, particularly since the defense has maintained that these experts were not hired on Read’s behalf.

Adding a splash of drama, Read’s attorney, Alan Jackson, found himself cornered outside the courtroom about the supposed payment, only to firmly deny any financial transactions related to their testimony. The stakes are high as the prosecutors rehash the details of that fateful night, alleging that Read had a heated argument with O’Keefe before she backed over him, leading to his tragic death. Meanwhile, Read’s defense is painting a picture of a chaotic scene where a brawl broke out among O’Keefe and his fellow officers—desperately trying to shift the blame.

With a retrial lined up for April, courtroom dynamics are shifting, and every new scrap of information could have monumental implications for both the prosecution’s and defense’s cases. As the legal battle heats up, it remains to be seen whether Read will ultimately find justice or be further entangled in a web of suspicion.

Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and TMZ, People Magazine, Boston Globe