Karen Read trial jury shown graphic photos of John O'Keefe's injuries
The high-profile Karen Read trial was back in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts on Thursday for a 16th day of witness testimony. The day began with a Massachusetts State Police forensic scientist back on the stand to finish her testimony about evidence processing. Then the medical examiner testified and showed jurors graphic photos of John O'Keefe's injuries.
Maureen Hartnett of the Massachusetts State Police crime scene lab examined Read's Lexus SUV and other evidence in the Canton Police Department garage after O'Keefe's death. She was being cross-examined by defense attorney Bob Alessi when court ended a day earlier, and returned to the stand on Thursday for just under an hour.
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. Defense attorneys say O'Keefe was actually killed during a fight inside the home, then dragged outside and left in the yard.
Read's attorney accuses prosecution of "ambush"
After jurors were dismissed for the day around 3:30 p.m., attorneys remained in the courtroom as defense attorneys accused the prosecution of a procedural violation.
Alessi said special prosecutor Hank Brennan provided the May 8 report about the time of a trigger point in Read's SUV to the defense on May 11. He asked Judge Beverly Cannone to exclude the evidence.
"If there's ever an example of an ambush, this is it," Alessi said.
Alessi said the report changes the entire case since the time difference of seconds is the centerpiece of the case - when O'Keefe was allegedly hit by Read's SUV.
Brennan said prosecutors discovered new information while working on its case, and it relates to a difference in the times on O'Keefe's cellphone compared to Read's SUV. Brennan said the new information does not change the data whatsoever.
Cannone did not make a ruling on the issue.
Outside court, Read said prosecutors are, "trying now to put on a defense against my defense."
Medical examiner in John O'Keefe's death
After Hartnett completed her testimony earlier in the day, medical examiner Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello took the stand and remained there for the remainder of the day. She examined O'Keefe's body on January 31, 2022. Scordi-Bello testified during Read's first trial as well.
Photographs that were taken during O'Keefe's autopsy were shown in the courtroom. Before they were displayed, Judge Beverly Cannone issued a warning for jurors.
"These photos are not pleasant, and you may find that they're graphic. What's important for you to know is that your verdict must not in any way be influenced by the fact that these photos are unpleasant or graphic," Cannone said. "The defendant is entitled to a verdict based solely on the evidence and not based on pity or sympathy for Mr. O'Keefe which may be occasioned by these photographs."
Scordi-Bello said she determined the cause of O'Keefe's death to be blunt impact injuries to the head and hypothermia, with the blunt impact injuries being the primary cause. Scordi-Bello said she was unable to determine a manner of death.
The medical examiner said hypothermia "contributed" but she cannot make a determination if O'Keefe would have died from that alone if he had no head injuries.
O'Keefe's body temperature was 80.1 degrees, compared to the normal body temperature of 98.6 degrees.
On cross-examination, Alessi questioned Scordi-Bello on if hemorrhaging in O'Keefe's pancreas and stomach could have been from first responders using a LUCAS machine for chest compressions. Scordi-Bello's report indicated that the hemorrhaging was one of the reasons she believed hypothermia was a contributing factor in O'Keefe's death.
Scordi-Bello said it is possible. But she said that the hemorrhaging combined, O'Keefe being found in the snow and his low body temperature led her to determine O'Keefe was hypothermic.
John O'Keefe's injuries
The medical examiner ruled O'Keefe's cause of death as "undetermined." Scordi-Bello testified that a manner of death is deemed undetermined when "circumstances in a case are not known or entirely clear to use and information does not support one manner of death over another."
Scordi-Bello said O'Keefe had a small laceration to his right upper eyelid, abrasions on his nose, along with bleeding and swelling of his eyelids and both eyes. O'Keefe also had cuts on his right arm, two bruises on the back of his right hand, a faint scratch on the back of his left hand, and a small scrape on his right knee.
Defense attorneys have attempted to show throughout the case that the injuries to O'Keefe's arm were caused by Brian Albert's dog during a fight inside the home. During cross-examination, Alessi focused on the cuts to O'Keefe's eyelid and the area around his nose. He asked Scordi-Bello if the injuries could be consistent with being punched, and she said they could be.
Near the end of Scordi-Bello's testimony, Brennan asked on redirect questioning if the cuts on O'Keefe's face could be consistent with being caused by shards of broken glass or plastic. She said they could be, later adding "I do not have firsthand knowledge" of where the cuts came from.
Scordi-Bello described the arm injuries as scrapes or scratches, but said there was no exposed fat or muscle. She said because there was no depth to the injuries, she did not make any notes about their depth. Scordi-Bello said she does not have an opinion on how those injuries may have occurred.
Outside court, Read commented on Scordi-Bello's testimony. "She can't identify the wounds on the arm, she can't identify the lacerations on his eye, on his nose," Read said.
O'Keefe had rib fractures on both sides near his sternum that Scordi-Bello said she believes to a degree of medical certainty were a result of resuscitation efforts by first responders.
O'Keefe had injuries to the back of his head as well as skull fractures.
Medical examiner cross-examined
On cross-examination, Alessi displayed a photograph of two men in the Cape Cod medical examiner's office on the day the autopsy was performed. Scordi-Bello said she did not know specifically who they were, but she believed they were with law enforcement and they would have been required to sign in using their badge number.
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Connor Keefe testified last week that he attended O'Keefe's autopsy.
"We don't give input, we give the facts as we know in the case," Keefe testified on May 7.
Scordi-Bello said that investigators had told her before she performed the autopsy that O'Keefe's death involved a "possible person struck by a motor vehicle."
Alessi attempted to show that the medical examiner's report does not factor in other possible scenarios surrounding O'Keefe's death.
"Did you could consider whether Mr. O'Keefe could have died somewhere other than where the body was found and moved and placed in the snow? Did you consider that?" Brennan objected, and it was sustained. Alessi asked to see the judge at sidebar.
"Move along with this. We can approach in a bit," Cannone said.
Alessi asked what alternative diagnoses Scordi-Bello considered.
"At the time of the autopsy, I documented injuries, and signs of hypothermia. I was provided with a set of circumstances," Scordi-Bello said. "At the end of my timeline I concluded on the cause, but I did not conclude or I did not determine a manner. The manner would be the circumstances you would be speaking about."
Alessi also noted with Scordi-Bello on the stand that O'Keefe did not have any signs of frostbite despite the cold, wind, and snowy conditions. The defense attorney asked Scordi-Bello if after this part of her testimony if she would like to change her determination that O'Keefe suffered from hypothermia.
"No I don't. I still believe that there were hypothermic signs," Scordi-Bello said.
Could frozen ground have caused O'Keefe's injury?
Alessi asked Scordi-Bello if O'Keefe had fallen backwards and hit his head on the frozen ground, would his injury have had the pattern photographed or something different.
"I can say that a fall backwards could very well produce that injury," Scordi-Bello said.
Alessi asked if specifically she could see the injuries O'Keefe suffered being caused specifically by flat, frozen ground.
"I could, yes," Scordi-Bello said. "There's nothing inconsistent with this injury and a fall on the back of the head with a blunt surface."
Alessi attempted to show that there was no grass found on the back of O'Keefe's head.
Forensic scientist completes testimony
Earlier when Hartnett was on the stand, Brennan asked if she found dents or scratches on Read's Lexus anywhere other than the right rear of the vehicle. She said that was the only area she observed damage.
The prosecution has argued that Read backed into O'Keefe, striking him with the right rear of her SUV.
After one final question from Alessi, Hartnett completed her testimony around 10 a.m.
Karen Read trial forensic evidence
Alessi showed Hartnett a photograph of the housing unit for Read's broken taillight. The defense attorney asked Hartnett if she found any sand, salt or other debris on the inside portion of the taillight. Hartnett said she did not.
Hartnett was also asked if she tested taillight evidence found at 34 Fairview Road for biological evidence. She responded that she did not.
Hartnett also said she scraped O'Keefe's t-shirt and sweatshirt for debris and collected that evidence. Alessi noted that the debris was never photographed, and also highlighted that there could have been debris at the bottom of the paper bag the clothing was collected in.
Alessi also showed jurors that the evidence was collected by Michael Proctor, who was fired by Massachusetts State Police for his conduct in Read's case.
Karen Read buffer zone ruling
Cannone issued a new ruling Thursday that limits the buffer zone that prohibits people from protesting outside of the Karen Read Trial.
Ahead of Read's second trial, Cannone had extended the previous buffer zone, which made it so no one could wear shirts, hold signs, or have other paraphernalia pertaining to advocacy for either side of this case within several hundred feet of the courthouse. In addition, protesters were often pulled over by Massachusetts State Police for screaming "Free Karen Read" or other chants as they drove by.
A number of Karen Read's supporters challenged the buffer zone in federal court, arguing it was an unconstitutional infringement on their First Amendment rights.
The group lost its first lawsuit, but won on appeal when the federal appellate court ruled that the buffer zone needed to be narrowed.
In a new, amended ruling on Thursday, Judge Cannone adjusted the ruling in a way that would allow people onto the public streets and sidewalks near the courthouse so long as they remained quiet and did not interfere with "the administration of justice."
"Noisy protests, including those using amplified sound, honking horns or loud screaming and yelling that are intended to interfere with the administration of justice or are intended to influence any judge, juror, witness, or court officer in the discharge of his or her duties are prohibited within the buffer zone," the order reads.
Written and graphic materials to influence the results of the trial also remain prohibited.
Lastly, protesters who are arrested are now given an opportunity to be heard.
"Any person whose activity has been restricted by an officer enforcing this order may request review by a judge of the Superior Court, whose request shall be heard as expeditiously as possible," the order reads.
Karen Read trial latest
Hartnett testified Wednesday about damage to Read's SUV, glass found on the bumper, an apparent hair she found, and other evidence she documented.
Earlier Wednesday, O'Keefe's teenage niece testified about O'Keefe and Read's deteriorating relationship in the months leading up to his death.
Read told reporters last week the prosecution is nearing the end of its case, though it is unclear how many witnesses they have left before the defense takes over because attorneys for both sides are under a gag order.
Read, 45, has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. Read's first trial ended with a mistrial due to hung jury in 2024.
