Here's how much Hank Brennan will get paid to prosecute Karen Read in second trial
DEDHAM – When Karen Read goes on trial for the second time, special prosecutor Hank Brennan will be the lead attorney on the case.
Brennan is a prominent private defense attorney, most known for defending notorious mobster Whitey Bulger at his criminal trial.
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey announced on September 18 that he had appointed Brennan as a special prosecutor, an outside name to run the Commonwealth's case against Karen Read. Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally, who led the prosecution of Read in her first trial, will still work on the case.
When DA Morrissey made the announcement, WBZ filed a public records request to discover how much Brennan would be paid by the Norfolk DA's office, which is funded by taxpayer dollars, for his services. WBZ received a response on October 2.
Brennan will be paid up to $75,000
Brennan will be paid up to $75,000 for his services, at a rate of $250 per hour.
He is being compensated under a "maximum obligation" contract which expires on June 30, 2025. If his fees exceed that amount or the case goes on past June 30, a new contract will be written, per the agreement.
According to publicly available data, the Norfolk DA's office spent a little under $9 million in salaries for its entire department in fiscal year 2022, the last full year of data available.
When will Read's second trial begin?
Karen Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, on a snowy night back in January 2022 in Canton. Prosecutors allege she hit O'Keefe with her car after a night of drinking and an argument.
Read's first trial ended in a mistrial on July 1, due to a hung jury.
Read's second trial is currently scheduled for January 27, 2025, but could be delayed depending on how long an appeal her team is currently arguing will take to be decided. Read's attorneys appealed part of her case to the Supreme Judicial Court, the state's highest court, arguing that two of her three charges should be dismissed because jurors in her first trial agreed behind closed doors to acquit her on second degree murder and leaving the scene.