The murder trial of Karen Read continued on its second day with the presentation of testimony from three new witnesses. The defense also cross-examined Canton police officer Steve Saref, who had taken the stand the previous day. The trial, expected to last for weeks, has garnered significant attention as Read faces several charges, including second-degree murder, in connection with the death of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
Prosecutors have alleged that Read killed O’Keefe by hitting him with her car during an argument and leaving him to die in a snowbank outside the home of a fellow Boston police officer. However, Read’s defense team has claimed that she is being framed and that O’Keefe was actually beaten inside the home before being left outside. They have further suggested a cover-up involving various law enforcement individuals and agencies.
The trial began with jury selection last week, followed by opening statements and initial witness testimony from O’Keefe’s brother, Paul, his wife, Erin, and Officer Saref. The defense chose not to cross-examine Paul and Erin, instead focusing on questioning Saref. During his testimony, Saref described arriving at the scene and finding Read with blood on her face as she attempted CPR. He also mentioned her repeatedly stating, “This is all my fault.” The prosecution presented video evidence from Saref’s police cruiser, showing Read screaming and behaving frantically.
Traffic delays caused a late start to the proceedings on Tuesday, but once underway, the defense continued its cross-examination of Saref. They highlighted discrepancies between his grand jury testimony and his testimony in court, as well as crucial omissions from his police report regarding the day of O’Keefe’s death. Saref admitted that he had not mentioned Read’s statement about fault in his report or during an interview the following day, attributing it to an oversight.
The next witness called by the prosecution was Officer Stephen Mullaney, who arrived at the scene after O’Keefe’s body was found. He testified that he heard Read loudly asking, “Is he dead?” Mullaney also mentioned assisting with placing O’Keefe in an ambulance. Notably, he did not notice any evidence, such as broken taillight glass, on the ground near O’Keefe. This detail could be significant for the defense, which claims that corrupt police planted taillight glass at the scene after O’Keefe was discovered.
Following a brief break, Canton Firefighter/Paramedic Timothy Nuttall took the stand as a first responder. He remained on the stand until early afternoon, followed by Canton Fire Department Lt. Anthony Flematti as the final witness of the day.
Before proceedings began on Tuesday, 7NEWS legal analyst Tom Hoopes provided his insights. He noted that the defense’s decision not to cross-examine Paul and Erin O’Keefe indicated their belief that these witnesses could potentially help their case. Hoopes emphasized the importance of backing up allegations of a cover-up with credible evidence to maintain the defense’s credibility in front of the jury. He also anticipated that the defense would present additional information to strengthen their case in the coming days.
As the trial progresses, a 200-foot buffer zone will remain around Norfolk Superior Court, as ordered by Judge Beverly Cannone. This precaution is likely due to the high-profile nature of the case and the potential for public interest and media presence.
Stay tuned to 7NEWS for further updates on this developing story.
