Judge in Karen Read murder trial denies motion to dismiss, trial set to start April 16
DEDHAM – The judge in the Karen Read murder case denied a defense motion to dismiss the case on Tuesday and said the trial will begin as planned in April. Read is charged with killing her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, in January 2022.
Read has pleaded not guilty in the second-degree murder case. Her defense team has argued in court that she is being framed and is the victim of a coverup by law enforcement.
Judge rules on motion to dismiss
Judge Beverly Cannone issued a 24-page ruling on Tuesday, shortly after a hearing for the case was held at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.
There has been a federal investigation into the case. Defense attorneys said in February documents provided by the U.S. Attorney's office "appears to be exculpatory." Prosecutors disagreed, saying it was "about 90% consistent" with what was already known."
What Karen Read's defense said in court
During a hearing on Tuesday, Cannone noted that she had been waiting for an additional motion the defense had said it would be filing. Read's defense had said at a previous hearing that the new motion to dismiss and sanction the Norfolk District Attorney was due to "egregious governmental misconduct."
Cannone asked the defense team why that motion had not yet been submitted.
"Your honor, it was a strategic decision for us not to file that motion. It's not because it wasn't meritorious. It was a strategic decision," said Tanis Yannetti, one of Read's attorneys.
Trial scheduled for April 16
Cannone wrote in her ruling after the hearing that she was denying the initial motion to dismiss due to "extensive evidence supporting the indictments."
The trial was scheduled to begin in March, but Cannone allowed requests from both the defense and prosecution to delay proceedings.
A jury trial is scheduled to begin on April 16 and is expected to last 5-6 weeks.