Karen Read's attorneys claim John O'Keefe was beaten, attacked by dog before death
DEDHAM - Defense attorneys for Karen Read, charged with killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe, accused the prosecution of withholding evidence from them during a hearing Wednesday.
Defense attorneys said they want access to O'Keefe's clothes, a broken taillight from Read's car and samples from his autopsy. They said they've been barred from seeing it and no testing has been done and while the evidence is withheld, it's violating Read's right to a speedy trial. They said Read has "lost everything," is no longer employed, and she and her family are spending all their money on legal fees. They called on the judge to set a deadline to secure the evidence.
"She's hired private counsel from two coasts. She's hired multiple experts at considerable costs and when I say considerable, I mean tens and tens of thousands of dollars," said defense attorney David Yannetti. "And the meter is running with each passing court date. She can't afford to scrimp on her defense because her life is at stake."
WATCH: Full court hearing from Wednesday
Prosecutors argued the lab is not done yet with analysis on certain items, like pieces from Read's car, and they're expecting something soon. In court filings, they referred to all the defense's claims as a "fishing expedition."
Read is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her car in January 2022 outside the home of a fellow officer who was hosting a gathering. O'Keefe's body was found in a pile of snow outside the home.
Defense attorneys claim O'Keefe was beaten inside the home and his body was later dumped outside. They focused on wounds to O'Keefe's arms, which they said showed he was attacked by the officer's dog during the fight.
"This is not just fishing," Read's attorney Alan Jackson said. "We've got a fish on the hook, we just need the court to help us reel it in."
The prosecution argued the doctor that pronounced O'Keefe dead said none of his injuries suggest he was involved in a fight.
"There is no evidence that Mr. O'Keefe was beaten and left for for dead," said Norfolk Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally. "There was no evidence of any defensive wounds."
The defense also said they want access to O'Keefe's autopsy samples so they can test and determine if he was attacked by a dog. They also want a DNA sample from the dog, who they claim has since been re-homed out of state.
"There is no time to wait, there is no time to waste, it is time for excuses to end," said Yannetti.
The judge scheduled the next hearing for May 25th.
