Detailed Timeline of the Karen Read Case

Detailed Timeline of the Karen Read Case

January 29, 2022:

• Boston police officer John O'Keefe is found dead outside a Massachusetts home in Canton.

• Karen Read is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her SUV after a night of drinking and leaving him to die.

August 25, 2023:

• Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey releases a video statement denouncing "baseless" harassment of witnesses and dismissing "conspiracy theories" in the case.

April 2024:

• The high-profile Karen Read murder trial begins at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts.

June 28, 2024:

• Jurors in the first trial inform Judge Beverly J. Cannone that they are deadlocked. The judge asks them to continue deliberating.

July 1, 2024:

• The jury sends a second note to Judge Cannone, reiterating their inability to reach a unanimous verdict due to being "deeply divided."

• A mistrial is declared due to a hung jury.

• Massachusetts State Police announce that Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, a lead investigator, forfeited five vacation days following an internal affairs investigation related to inappropriate text messages sent by Trooper Michael Proctor.

October 17, 2024:

• Massachusetts State Police report spending $258,278.94 on security for Karen Read's first trial.

October 18, 2024:

• Prosecutors seek phone records from Karen Read's father, William Read, planning to call him as a witness in the second trial.

January 2, 2025:

• Prosecutors request to exclude testimony from defense expert Richard Green regarding Jen McCabe's "ho[w] long to die in cold" Google search.

January 6, 2025:

• A court filing indicates Trooper Michael Proctor's misconduct hearing is scheduled for January 15.

January 15, 2025:

• Trooper Michael Proctor's misconduct hearing commences at Massachusetts State Police headquarters in Framingham.

January 23, 2025:

• Karen Read's legal team seeks state payment for travel expenses for one of her defense experts, claiming the Canton Police Department did not preserve video footage and failed to disclose this, leading to wasted expert time.

February 25, 2025:

• Karen Read is seen with attorney Robert Alessi during her trial at Norfolk Superior Court.

March 13, 2025:

• Trooper Michael Proctor returns before a Massachusetts State Police trial board for a third day. Proctor's family releases a statement accusing Read's defense team of using him to "deflect from the overwhelming evidence."

• A federal judge denies Read's request to drop two charges against her, affirming Judge Cannone's mistrial declaration.

March 18, 2025:

• Judge Cannone admonishes the defense team for "repeated misrepresentations" but does not remove any lawyers.

April 1, 2025:

• New trial date for Karen Read's second trial.

April 2, 2025:

• The jury for Karen Read's second trial reaches seven members.

• Read's supporters file a lawsuit in federal court, arguing a court-mandated buffer zone violates their constitutional rights.

April 3, 2025:

• Ten jurors have been seated after three days of jury selection.

• Karen Read appeals her case to the U.S. Supreme Court.

April 7, 2025:

• Karen Read asks the U.S. Supreme Court to delay her state trial pending a decision on her appeal.

May 6, 2025:

• Karen Read and her attorneys Robert Alessi and David Yannetti are seen at court.

May 7, 2025:

• Forensic expert Jessica Hyde, who analyzed Jennifer McCabe's Google search, and State Police trooper Connor Keefe testify.

May 8, 2025:

• Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik testifies about evidence collection and Michael Proctor's role.

May 9, 2025:

• Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik reads text messages between Brian Higgins and Karen Read.

May 12, 2025:

• Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik concludes three days of testimony.

May 14, 2025:

• Karen Read is seen talking with her attorneys.

May 16, 2025:

• Karen Read confers with attorneys Alan Jackson and Robert Alessi before trial.

May 20, 2025:

• Karen Read looks on during her trial.

May 21, 2025:

• Karen Read shares a lighthearted moment with her defense team before the jury enters the courtroom.

• Karen Read and her defense team watch jurors leave the courtroom.

May 27, 2025:

• Defense attorney Robert Alessi confers with Judge Cannone, with Karen Read present.

May 28, 2025:

• Defense begins cross-examination of crash reconstruction expert Judson Welcher.

May 29, 2025:

• The prosecution rests its case after Judson Welcher completes his testimony.

• Karen Read speaks with defense attorney Alan Jackson.

May 30, 2025:

• Defense attorney Alan Jackson calls Matthew DiSogra, a digital forensics expert, as the first defense witness.

June 2, 2025:

• Former Canton police officer Kelly Dever, Dr. Marie Russell (dog bite expert), and a friend of Michael Proctor are called to the stand by the defense.

• Karen Read sits with her defense team (Alessi, Little, Jackson, Yannetti).

June 3, 2025:

• During a second day of questioning of Dr. Marie Russell, the defense's request for a mistrial with prejudice is denied.

• A Dighton police officer testifies about damage to Read's taillight.

June 4, 2025:

• Snowplow driver Brian "Lucky" Loughran testifies he did not see a body on Fairview Road the night O'Keefe died. He is cross-examined about the influence of Aidan "Turtleboy" Kearney's coverage.

June 5, 2025:

• Jurors are given the day off due to heat, as fans and AC would create noise.

June 6, 2025:

• Daniel Wolfe, a crash reconstructionist for ARCCA, is the only witness.

June 9, 2025:

• The defense's request for a mistrial is denied after Hank Brennan asks Wolfe about holes in O'Keefe's sweatshirt (later admitting they were caused by a criminologist).

June 10, 2025:

• Dr. Alisa Laposata (former Chief Medical Examiner of Rhode Island) testifies for the defense. She is described as a "star witness" and handles cross-examination well.

• Andrew Rentschler testifies for the defense, disputing the prosecution's theory of O'Keefe's injuries and ruling out impact with Read's SUV. He highlights that X-rays show no fractures, contrary to what a prosecution witness (Welcher) implied.

• Karen Read informs reporters she will not testify in her own defense.

• The defense rests its case.

June 11, 2025:

• The defense rests its case in Karen Read's second murder trial.

• Hank Brennan cross-examines Dr. Rentschler, questioning his credibility and his consideration of evidence like taillight fragments.

Cast of Characters

Principle People Mentioned in the Sources:

• Karen Read: The defendant, accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death in the death of her boyfriend, John O'Keefe. She has pleaded not guilty and has undergone two trials, with the first ending in a mistrial.

• John O'Keefe: The deceased, a Boston police officer. His death is the subject of the high-profile murder trial. He had taken in his orphaned niece and nephew after his sister and brother-in-law died.

• Judge Beverly J. Cannone: The judge overseeing the Karen Read murder trials at Norfolk Superior Court. She declared a mistrial in the first trial and has been noted for her rulings and admonishments during the second trial.

• Michael Morrissey: Norfolk County District Attorney who publicly stated that "conspiracy theories are not evidence" regarding the case.

• Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik: A lead investigator in the case from the Massachusetts State Police. He forfeited vacation days due to an internal affairs investigation related to inappropriate text messages and testified in the second trial.

• Trooper Michael Proctor: A Massachusetts State Police trooper whose inappropriate text messages became part of an internal affairs investigation. He is mentioned in connection with Sgt. Bukhenik's forfeited days and faced a misconduct hearing.

• William Read: Karen Read's father, from whom prosecutors sought phone records, planning to call him as a witness in the second trial.

• Jen McCabe: A woman who was with Karen Read when O'Keefe's body was discovered. She testified that she made a disputed Google search, "hos long to die in the cold." Her sister lived at Fairview Road, where O'Keefe's body was found.

• Brian Higgins: Mentioned in text messages with Karen Read read by Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik during testimony.

• Alan Jackson: A defense attorney for Karen Read. He is noted for his direct questioning of defense witnesses and has been involved in sidebars with the judge.

• David Yannetti: A defense attorney for Karen Read.

• Robert Alessi: A defense attorney for Karen Read.

• Elizabeth Little: A defense attorney for Karen Read.

• Hank Brennan: A special prosecutor for the Commonwealth. He is noted for his aggressive cross-examination of defense witnesses, particularly crash reconstruction experts, and his attempts to challenge their credibility. He joined the prosecution team for the second trial.

• Judson Welcher: A prosecution witness and accident reconstruction expert from Aperture LLC. He testified that O'Keefe was struck by a vehicle and his phone stopped moving when Read's SUV was moving in reverse. His testimony regarding the absence of X-rays was later contradicted by defense witnesses.

• Dr. Alisa Laposata: Former Chief Medical Examiner of Rhode Island, who testified for the defense. She is described as an "excellent" and "star witness" who handled cross-examination well, stating there were no broken bones in O'Keefe's arm based on X-rays.

• Andrew Rentschler: A defense witness and crash reconstructionist. He testified that O'Keefe's injuries were inconsistent with being struck by Read's SUV and that X-rays showed no fractures to O'Keefe's arm, disputing parts of Welcher's testimony.

• Matthew DiSogra: A digital forensics expert specializing in car data and crash reconstruction, called as the first witness by the defense.

• Kelly Dever: A former Canton police officer, called as a witness by the defense.

• Dr. Marie Russell: A dog bite expert called by the defense.

• Brian "Lucky" Loughran: A snowplow driver who testified for the defense that he did not see a body on Fairview Road on the night O'Keefe died.

• Daniel Wolfe: A crash reconstructionist for engineering consulting firm ARCCA, called as a witness by the defense.

• Jessica Hyde: A forensic expert who analyzed Jennifer McCabe's Google search, testified for the prosecution.

• Trooper Connor Keefe: A Massachusetts State Police trooper who testified.

• Ian Whiffin: A product manager at Cellebrite, a digital forensics firm, who testified about a disputed timestamp on Jennifer McCabe's Google search.

• Teri Kun: A California veterinary forensic specialist called by prosecutors to undercut the defense's dog bite theory. Her tests for canine DNA on O'Keefe's shirt were negative, but showed pig DNA.

• David Gelman: A Philadelphia-area defense attorney and former prosecutor following the trial.

• Grace Edwards: A Massachusetts trial lawyer following the case.

• Aidan "Turtleboy" Kearney: Mentioned as a figure whose coverage might have influenced snowplow driver Brian Loughran's testimony.

• Caleb Schillinger: The Commonwealth's appellate attorney, observed in the courtroom.

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