Karen Read Acquitted of Murder in Retrial of Boston Police Officer's Death

In a significant legal development, Karen Read, a 45-year-old Massachusetts woman, was acquitted of second-degree murder on June 18, 2025, in the retrial concerning the 2022 death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, a Boston police officer. The verdict was delivered by a Norfolk County jury after four days of deliberation, following an initial trial last year that ended in a hung jury. Read was also acquitted of two lesser charges: motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence and leaving the scene of a collision that resulted in O'Keefe's death.

The case centered around the events of January 29, 2022, when O'Keefe was fatally injured outside the home of a now-retired Boston police sergeant during severe winter weather. According to the medical examiner's report, O'Keefe, 46, died from blunt force trauma to the head, with hypothermia identified as a contributing factor. The prosecution argued that Read, allegedly fueled by anger and intoxication, had reversed her SUV into O'Keefe, leaving him for dead.

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan presented data from Read's vehicle, claiming it had accelerated backward shortly before the incident. However, no eyewitness accounts or video evidence of the collision were available, leading the defense to challenge the credibility of the prosecution's evidence. Read's defense team contended that the prosecution's case was based on circumstantial evidence and that law enforcement had mishandled the investigation. They highlighted discrepancies in the evidence, including testimony from a snow plow driver who claimed he did not see O'Keefe lying in the yard during the critical timeframe.

The retrial followed considerable public attention, given the high-profile nature of the case and the complexities involved in the investigation. Judge Beverly Cannone presided over the proceedings, which featured testimony from numerous experts, including accident reconstruction specialists and pathologists.

Despite her acquittal on the murder charges, Read was convicted for operating under the influence and received a one-year probation sentence immediately following the jury's decision. The prosecution's argument hinged significantly on Read's own statements, in which she reportedly expressed distress over hitting O'Keefe, a point the defense claimed was misinterpreted.

The absence of the lead investigator, former Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, during the retrial raised questions about the integrity of the investigation. Proctor was dismissed from the force amid allegations of sharing sensitive case details and making inappropriate comments about Read. Defense attorney Alan Jackson criticized the prosecution's reliance on evidence without the lead investigator's testimony, arguing that it undermined the case's credibility.

As this case continues to unfold, it underscores the complexities of the legal system, particularly in cases involving high-profile individuals and law enforcement. The implications of this retrial extend beyond Read's personal outcome, pointing to broader discussions about investigative practices and the challenges of securing convictions in cases lacking direct evidence.

Looking ahead, legal experts suggest that this verdict may lead to further scrutiny of police investigations in similar cases, as well as discussions regarding the standards of evidence required for securing convictions in circumstances rife with ambiguity. The case has not only sparked public interest but has also highlighted the ongoing debate regarding the intersection of law enforcement and judicial processes in high-stakes criminal trials.