DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) – Karen Read arrived at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham Thursday morning, on the third day of jury selection for her murder retrial.
Read’s team of lawyers walked in with her. Both the defense and prosecution have made progress towards seating a jury.
Seven of the 16 seats have been filled, with five of them being seated on Wednesday. The court needs a total of 16 — 12 for deliberation and four alternates.
Of the 87 potential jurors screened Wednesday, 87% said they were familiar with the case. Much like Tuesday, nearly half — 45% — already had an opinion about it. Furthermore, 16% admitted to having a bias either for or against Read.
As the selection process continues, the judge is still ruling on who can testify.
The prosecution got the green light to call a crash reconstruction expert — Dr. Judson Welcher. The defense fought to block him, arguing his methodology was flawed and his expertise too narrow.
Judge Beverly Cannone disagreed, ruling that “Dr. Welcher has the requisite education, training, experience, and familiarity with the subject matter to qualify him as an expert…”
Welcher was not part of the first trial. Massachusetts State Police Trooper Joseph Paul was the one called to testify about data from Read’s Lexus. He said it showed several rapid accelerations in reverse, consistent with what he called a “pedestrian strike.”
Both Paul and Welcher were named on the prosecution’s witness list for the retrial, but it is unclear if prosecutors will call both to testify.
Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow after a night out drinking in 2022. Her defense argues she’s been framed, insisting that O’Keefe was killed by someone else.
Read’s last trial ended in a hung jury.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
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