What's next in the Karen Read murder trial?
DEDHAM - The Karen Read murder trial was not in session Friday after a week that featured two-and-a-half days of testimony from police and forensic experts. The high-profile Massachusetts case, in which Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die on a snowy night in Canton, has gone on for six weeks with testimony from dozens of witnesses.
Currently on the stand as the 56th witness the prosecution has called is Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Yuriy Bukhenik, who supervised lead investigator Trooper Michael Proctor. Bukhenik has testified about broken taillight pieces and other evidence he says were discovered in front of Brian Albert's former home at 34 Fairview Road, where O'Keefe was found dead outside in a snowbank on Jan. 29, 2022.
Bukhenik will be back on the on the stand at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham Monday for continued cross-examination. Here's what else we can expect from the rest of the trial.
Judge to hear arguments about alleged dog attack
Before the jury comes in Monday morning, Judge Beverly Cannone will hear the prosecution's motion to exclude the testimony of defense witness Dr. Marie Russell. She plans to testify that O'Keefe's injuries are consistent with a dog attack.
The commonwealth says it was "unfairly prejudiced" and surprised when defense attorney David Yannetti referenced a dog attack in his opening statement. The motion says prosecutors received late notice of Dr. Russell's anticipated testimony and no specific documents outlining her opinion, which are required by state procedure.
The defense had argued before that scratches on O'Keefe's arm could have been caused by Brian Albert's dog Chloe inside 34 Fairview. A prosecution expert witness previously testified that samples taken from O'Keefe's body did not yield canine DNA.
The state says they were just notified of this witness on May 21, six weeks into trial, and that it's unfair for them to have to prepare for this witness now.
"If you look at their own motion, they should have seen this coming in the defense opening when the defense raised it," Suffolk Law professor Chris Dearborn said. "And so, they've had six or seven weeks to anticipate this, and I think it's a little bit disingenuous for them to say they were legitimately surprised."
Lawyers will argue both sides on Monday morning, and Judge Cannone has three options: exclude the witness, delay the case so the state can prepare, or let lawyers privately interview the witness to determine what can and cannot be said in front of the jury.
The last option is most likely, Dearborn says. "Judge Cannone is a very experienced, smart, fair judge, and so I wouldn't be at all surprised if that's how she handles this," Dearborn said.
Trooper Michael Proctor's testimony
Read's lawyer Alan Jackson said on Thursday that lead case investigator and Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor will testify for the commonwealth. There have been questions about how and even if Proctor would take the stand.
"If this were any average murder case, it would not be so important. The lead investigator always testifies," said WBZ-TV reporter Kristina Rex, who has been reporting from the courtroom every day. "The reason it has become so important in this case is because the defense has said Trooper Proctor was conflicted."
The defense says Proctor is connected to witnesses in the case and claims that he botched the investigation by planting evidence at the scene.
Other witnesses expected to testify in Karen Read trial
The prosecution is also still expected to call Lt. Brian Tully with the Massachusetts State Police, phone data extraction experts, the medical examiner and accident reconstruction experts.
The defense has told WBZ-TV they expect to take four full days to make their case in court. They expect to call several experts, including engineers who specialize in accident reconstruction. The jury will also likely hear from plow driver Brian Loughran, who says he did many rounds clearing snow near 34 Fairview and did not see a body on the lawn.
Still to be determined is whether the judge will let the defense call Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey and Norfolk County victim witness advocate Steve Nelson to the stand.
Karen Read trial schedule
Judge Cannone on Thursday indicated that a conclusion to the long trial is in sight.
"I know that you want to know when this case is going to end," she said. "After speaking with the lawyers I can safely say that you will get this case for your deliberation sometime in the last week in June."
There will be full days of testimony every day for the week of June 10-June 14 except for Tuesday. June 19 and June 21 have also been flagged as days off.
