Karen Read trial testimony focuses on forensic evidence after John O'Keefe's niece testifies
The Karen Read trial was back in court on Wednesday, a day after proceedings were unexpectedly canceled just before testimony was scheduled to begin for the day because Read was sick. Cameras were shut off for about an hour as John O'Keefe's niece took the stand as the first witness of the day, but returned when the next witnesses took the stand with a focus on forensic evidence.
Read is accused of hitting and killing O'Keefe, a Boston police officer who she was dating, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow outside Brian Albert's home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton in January 2022. Read, who has pleaded not guilty in the case, says she is being framed and O'Keefe was killed during a fight inside the home.
Wednesday marks the 15th day of witness testimony. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan has been handling direct examination while Alan Jackson has performed much of the cross-examination for the defense.
Maureen Hartnett of the Massachusetts State Police crime scene lab, who examined Read's Lexus SUV in the Canton Police Department garage after O'Keefe's death, was called to testify around noon on Wednesday.
Defense attorney Bob Alessi cross-examined Hartnett. She was still on the stand when court ended for the day. Hartnett is expected to continue her testimony on Thursday.
For the third day of testimony in a row, Read told reporters "No comment" while leaving the courthouse at the end of the day.
Glass on Karen Read's bumper
Near the end of the day, Alessi asked Hartnett a series of questions about glass that was collected from the bumper of Read's SUV.
The defense attorney highlighted that Read's SUV traveled from Canton to her parents' house in Dighton, then was towed back to Canton.
"The glass pieces that were just perched on the bumper would have traveled about 60 miles before you saw them?" Alessi asked. Hartnett said she could not say when the glass got onto the bumper.
Evidence in Solo cups
Hartnett was asked about testing liquid collected by police in red plastic Solo cups. Police have testified that they saw red stains in the snow under O'Keefe's body, and due to the winter conditions decided to gather the frozen material into cups, then into a brown paper bag.
Alessi asked Hartnett if she had ever tested blood samples that were collected that way.
"I'd never performed a collection like that, no," she said.
Alessi also attempted to show that there is no way of knowing who had custody of the cups after she completed swabbing them and handed the evidence back to a Canton police officer.
Crime scene technician cross-examined
On cross-examination, Alessi asked Hartnett if she found any noteworthy damage near the top of the lift gate on Read's Lexus. Hartnett said she did not.
Earlier in the trial when jurors took a visit to 34 Fairview Road and Read's Lexus was brought to the scene, Brennan asked them to make note of that area.
"I'd ask you to make a note on the Lexus about the height of the bumper," Brennan said on April 25. "I'd ask you to make note of the height from the right rear taillight and I'd also ask you to note, on the top of the hatchback, there's a part that protrudes."
Alessi also highlighted that Hartnett tested the undercarriage of the vehicle and no blood was detected.
Hartnett said under questioning from Alessi that she had no way of knowing if the damage to the SUV that she noted was preexisting.
Karen Read's taillight
On direct questioning, Hartnett said she located small pieces of glass on Read's bumper. She also said she found an apparent hair and several scratches.
Jurors saw photographs that Hartnett said showed chipped paint and a dent on Read's SUV.
Hartnett said she wanted to remove the entire taillight housing for further testing, but was unable to successfully disconnect it. A Canton police officer helped her remove it using tools.
While on the stand, Hartnett removed the taillight housing unit from a cardboard box and held it up for the jury.
John O'Keefe's Chevy Traverse
Evan Brent from Massachusetts State Police was on the stand late Wednesday morning. He worked with the crime scene services unit. Brent documented items that were found during the search of 34 Fairview Road.
In addition, he inspected O'Keefe's Chevy Traverse and noted that there was no damage to the vehicle, which was parked in his driveway. Defense attorneys have said that damage to Read's taillight was caused when she bumped O'Keefe's SUV while backing out of the garage the morning his body was found.
Defense attorney David Yannetti noted on cross-examination that five days went by between O'Keefe's death and when police inspected O'Keefe's Traverse, and he doesn't know what could have happened to the vehicle.
After Brent stepped down, Needham Police Sgt. Brian Gallerani, who collected DNA samples from the two lead investigators in the case, was on the stand for about 10 minutes.
Objections during cross-examination
After O'Keefe's niece completed her testimony earlier in the morning, Zachary Clark from Massachusetts State Police crime scene services took the stand.
He photographed Read's SUV and took fingerprints of the interior of the vehicle. He also took scene photographs outside 34 Fairview Road after O'Keefe's body was removed from the lawn of Brian Albert's home.
Clark also took photos and video while a brake and acceleration test was conducted by police.
After Adam Lally, who was the lead prosecutor for Read's first trial, finished a brief direct questioning, Yannetti began cross-examination for the defense.
Yannetti attempted to ask several questions about Clark's supervisor, Detective Lieutenant Brian Tully, who was transferred out of the Norfolk County District Attorney's office amid an internal affairs investigation. Tully was one of the supervisors of Michael Proctor, who was fired for his conduct during Read's case. He forfeited six days of accrued time off for failing to supervise Proctor and others who were involved with inappropriate text messages that Proctor sent.
Clark said on cross-examination that he was present with Proctor during the interview of Colin Albert, one of three men who the defense has said could have killed O'Keefe. The defense is not allowed to blame Colin Albert for O'Keefe's death during Read's second trial.
Yannetti attempted to ask Clark about Proctor drinking with Canton police officer Kevin Albert, the brother of Brian Albert, in his police cruiser, one of the actions that led to Proctor's firing. The prosecution objected, Judge Beverly Cannone told jurors they are not to consider that statement, and Yannetti said "I need to be seen at sidebar." After the sidebar, Cannone told jurors they would be taking their morning recess.
After the recess, Clark completed his testimony within about 10 minutes.
John O'Keefe's niece testifies
Live updates were not allowed while O'Keefe's niece, a teenager, testified for about an hour to start the day.
O'Keefe took custody of his sister's children when she died of cancer and their father died of a heart attack months later. During Read's first trial, which ended with a mistrial due to a hung jury, O'Keefe's teenage niece and nephew testified about O'Keefe and Read's deteriorating relationship at the time of his death.
His nephew did not testify on Wednesday.
Karen Read trial latest
Court spokesperson Jennifer Donahue announced Tuesday's cancellation about 20 minutes before proceedings were scheduled to begin, saying only that it was due to "unavoidable circumstances." WBZ-TV's Kristina Rex later learned that Read was sick.
Read arrived arrived at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham around 8:40 a.m. on Wednesday.
Yuri Bukhenik, one of the lead investigators in the case, was the last witness on the stand when court ended for the day Monday.
Bukhenik completed his testimony after three full days on the stand. Bukhenik was cross-examined for nearly two full days about evidence collection, his relationship with Proctor, and other people who the defense says should have been suspects in the case.
