Karen Read murder trial jury visits Canton crime scene, hears from first responders on Day 4 of testimony
DEDHAM – Karen Read's high-profile murder trial resumed Friday morning in Dedham, Massachusetts with witness testimony from first responders and a jury visit. Read is accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, and leaving him to die outside a Canton home.
Canton firefighter-paramedic Katie McLaughlin continued her testimony when proceedings got back underway Friday morning. She took the stand on Thursday before the judge ended court for the day.
After McLaughlin's testimony, jurors were bused to the Canton home where O'Keefe's body was found. Jurors got a close up look at Read's Lexus SUV.
Prosecutor Adam Lally told jurors, "I'm going to ask you to take note of sort of the center console and the front driver's compartment of that vehicle."
Part of the interior and the back right taillight have been removed from the SUV.
The judge did not allow Read to accompany the jurors to the Canton scene, citing security concerns. As she left court Friday morning, Read gave a brief comment to reporters about what the jury will see. "They'll get a very good perspective," she said.
They returned to court for more testimony in the afternoon from Canton firefighter and paramedic Gregory Woodbury.
Firefighters testify to Read's "up and down" emotional state
Woodbury testified that Read kept repeating "is he dead?" and "seemed very concerned about that."
"She was very up and down ... her emotional state was all over the place," he said.
Canton firefighter and paramedic Daniel Whitley said Read referred to O'Keefe as her husband.
"She made threats against her life, saying I don't want to live anymore if my husband dies, I don't want to be alive anymore," he recalled.
Canton firefighter Jason Becker testified that Read told him she and O'Keefe had been fighting. "She had said that they had gotten into an argument," Becker said. "She was sad because that was the last thing she had said to him."
"We know the truth," said Karen's father, William Read outside court. "My daughter was factually innocent and it's tough for me to hear some of this."
First responder's relationship with Alberts questioned
McLaughlin had testified Thursday that she heard Read repeatedly say "I hit him" outside Brian Albert's home where O'Keefe's body was found. The defense on Friday zeroed in on McLaughlin's relationship with Albert's daughter, Caitlin.
McLaughlin acknowledged she went to high school with Caitlin Albert. Read attorney Alan Jackson asked if they were friends and showed McLaughlin pictures that he said showed her and Albert together on group beach trips.
"I would consider myself more of an acquaintance. We have mutual friends. I wouldn't consider her a close friend," she said.
Who is Karen Read?
Read is a 45-year-old Massachusetts woman who was dating O'Keefe at the time of his death in 2022. She is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her SUV during a snowstorm.
Prosecutors have charged Read with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death.
Read has pleaded not guilty in the case. Her attorneys argue that she is being framed.
What has happened so far in the Karen Read murder case?
This has been the first week of testimony. Witnesses began to take the stand after opening statements were presented on Monday.
So far, the prosecution has called two members of O'Keefe's family and several of the first responders who were on scene when O'Keefe's body was found in the snow.
Much of the first responder testimony has focused on what the witnesses heard Read saying at the scene.
Several witnesses, including McLaughlin, testified that they heard Read say "I hit him." Read's defense attorneys have attempted to show during cross-examination that some of the first responders have given inconsistent statements about the morning O'Keefe's body was found.