Over the past two years, the death of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, the subsequent discovery of his body outside a Canton home on January 29, 2022, and the subsequent investigation and trial have captured public attention.
The focus was on Karen Read, the woman who was with O’Keefe at the time of his death and who was arrested a few days later on charges of manslaughter, negligent homicide and hit-and-run.
Since the arrest, two versions have emerged. Prosecutors claim that Read killed O’Keefe by driving into him with a car and leaving him to die. Read’s defense argues that police and others involved conspired to frame Read for O’Keefe’s murder.
Here’s what you need to know and what Karen Read says.
Who is Karen Read?
Read is from Mansfield, Massachusetts. The 44-year-old was an associate professor at Bentley College, where she taught finance, but was fired after her arrest.
According to Court TV, Read and O’Keefe dated for two years. At trial, the relationship was portrayed as tumultuous, with arguments over “what Read fed O’Keefe’s two adopted children and that he witnessed an argument the couple had in Cape Cod in 2021 over O’Keefe’s treatment,” according to the Associated Press. A witness also testified that Read became angry after she thought O’Keefe had kissed another woman while on vacation in Aruba.
Prosecutors say Read and O’Keefe were drinking with friends and acquaintances at a Canton bar before getting into an argument. They say she hit him with her SUV just before 12:30 a.m. outside the home of Brian Albert, who was hosting an after-party.
Trial of Karen Read: Funeral of police officer found dead in Canton draws hundreds of mourners to Braintree
But Read’s lawyers say Read dropped O’Keefe off at Albert’s house and O’Keefe was beaten to death inside before his body was dumped on the front lawn. They say she was then framed for his death.
On February 1, 2022, Read was arrested and released on bail the next day.
Why did the trial of Karen Read go viral?
The intrigue and scandal the case has sparked is catching the attention of the online world as true crime YouTubers, TikTokers and internet sleuths begin following the Read case.
Aidan Kearney, the Holden blogger known as Turtleboy, covered the case extensively and helped bring attention to the trial. Kearney faces multiple charges of witness intimidation in connection with allegations that he harassed witnesses in the Read case. He has accused some of the witnesses who testified – including Brian Albert, the Boston police officer who owned the house – of being the real perpetrators in the case. Kearney has made public his attempts to contact some of the witnesses, saying many of them used vulgar language, and brought supporters to “protests” outside their homes.
More: Judge bans Turtleboy from attending some witnesses in Karen Read murder trial
In May, Kearney was barred from giving personal testimony on some of the witnesses because the judge ruled his presence could have a “chilling” effect.
The trial began on April 21, with testimony beginning on April 29.
Who is Michael Proctor?
Another person to know in this case is Michael Proctor.
The defense team turned its attention to Proctor, a state police officer who led the investigation into O’Keefe’s death, accusing him of tampering with evidence at the crime scene.
Trial of Karen Read: Here’s how you can watch the closing arguments in the Karen Read trial live
During the trial, Proctor was asked to read text messages he had exchanged with others about Read. These messages, the defense said, revealed a bias against Read during the investigation. It was also revealed that Proctor had made vulgar jokes, including about looking for nude pictures of the defendants while going through her phone.
The campaign has even reached the governor’s office: Maura Healey condemned Proctor’s derogatory text messages after they came to light during the legal proceedings.
What was the public reaction to the trial?
Some Massachusetts residents have taken to the streets to protest the trial, demanding Read’s release and insisting on her innocence.
This report used earlier reports from The Patriot Ledger and The Worcester Telegram & Gazette.
This article originally appeared on wickedlocal.com: Who is Karen Read? Everything you need to know about the Boston murder trial
