CANTON, MASS. (WHDH) – The jurors in the Karen Read murder retrial left the courthouse Friday to view the Canton house where victim John O’Keefe was found dead in January 2022.
Read is accused of killing O’Keefe, her Boston police officer boyfriend, by hitting him with her car and leaving him to die in a snowbank after a night of drinking. Her lawyers argue she is being framed. Her first trial last summer ended in a mistrial.
The scene visit is intended to help jurors better understand the evidence in the case. Prosecutors and Read’s lawyers both briefed the jury before they took the tour.
“I ask you to make a note on the Lexus about the height of the bumper and make note of the height of the right, rear tail light, and I also ask you to take note of — on the top of the hatchback, there is a part that protrudes,” said special prosecutor Hank Brennan.
Defense attorney David Yannetti also had notes for the jury.
“We’ll be asking you specifically to consider the distance between that second floor front window and the front lawn, the distance between the front doors to the house and that front lawn, the distance between the driveway to the front lawn. And we’ll be asking you to take a good look at that Lexus. Just stand next to it, to size it up,” Yannetti said.
Jurors returned to court after to hear more witness testimony.
On Thursday, text messages between Read and O’Keefe from the night before he died were read aloud in court.
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