Karen Read Trial Time & Cast of Characters

Here is a detailed timeline and cast of characters based on the provided sources:

Detailed Timeline of Events:

• January 29, 2022: John O'Keefe is found dead in the snow outside a house party at 34 Fairview Road in Canton, Massachusetts. Karen Read's defense claims this is when he was fatally beaten by another law enforcement officer. Karen Read is accused of hitting him with her SUV and leaving him to die. The prosecution alleges her vehicle's right rear tail light was shattered and tail light fragments were found near where O'Keefe was found. The defense cites evidence of 0.8 inches of snow on the ground when everyone left the house, suggesting he was not outside for long. Data from John O'Keefe's phone shows it was last physically interacted with around 12:32 AM.

• February 25, 2025: Karen Read's trial is ongoing at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass.

• March 14, 2025: There is a discussion regarding the Commonwealth's motion to exclude the opinions of defense expert Andrew Rentschler.

• March 31, 2025: The court issues an order excluding the testimony of defense expert Michael Easter.

• May 6, 2025: Karen Read's trial is ongoing at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass.

• May 14, 2025: Karen Read's murder trial is ongoing.

• May 16, 2025: Karen Read's trial is ongoing.

• May 20, 2025: Karen Read's trial is ongoing.

• May 21, 2025: Karen Read's murder trial is ongoing.

• May 27, 2025: Karen Read's murder trial is ongoing.

• May 29, 2025: Karen Read's retrial is ongoing.

• June 2, 2025: Karen Read's murder retrial is ongoing.

• June 4, 2025: The testimony of a reconstructionist and other digital evidence is analyzed in the Vinnie Politan Investigates Podcast, questioning the reliability of digital evidence in the retrial.

• June 6, 2025: Defense expert Dr. Daniel Wolfe is cross-examined in the Karen Read retrial. He admits to deleting texts, using the Signal app, and failing a certification. He also admits to using a dummy arm lighter than O'Keefe's in a crash test demonstration, which was not disclosed in his report. The "On the Record Podcast" discusses "Data, Damage & Doubt" from Week 6 of the retrial.

• June 9, 2025:The first day of the defense case in the retrial begins.

• The defense calls Matthew Gras, an engineer specializing in vehicle data, as their first witness. Gras testifies about his analysis comparing John O'Keefe's cell phone data to data from Karen Read's SUV. He states that in 25 out of 30 possibilities, the lock of O'Keefe's phone occurred after the SUV's reverse trigger event, while only 3 out of 30 occurred before.

• During cross-examination, Hank Brennan questions Gras about his analysis and highlights that Gras did not conduct his own testing, relying solely on aperture data.

• Alan Jackson, for the defense, argues for a dismissal of the charges, stating the Commonwealth has not proven their case beyond a reasonable doubt. This motion is argued in front of the judge and serves as a preview of the defense's closing argument.

• Robert Alessi, another defense attorney, moves for a mistrial for the second time in the retrial, citing the prosecution's questioning of Dr. Daniel Wolfe regarding holes in O'Keefe's sweatshirt. Alessi claims the prosecution improperly suggested the holes were from road rash, while they were actually made by a state criminalist.

• Hank Brennan concedes he "made a mistake" in the questioning about the holes but asks the judge to instruct the jury instead of declaring a mistrial.

• Arguments take place regarding the potential calling of Michael Proctor as a witness by either the prosecution or defense. Both sides seem to dare the other to call him. Karen Read states that the state is not going to call Proctor and that her defense is TBD on whether they will call him.

• June 10, 2025:The defense calls Dr. Elizabeth Laposata as a witness.

• Before Laposata testifies, the defense again asks for a mistrial, which is denied by Judge Beverly Cannone.

• Hank Brennan questions Dr. Laposata's credibility based on published reports, including an audit from her time as Chief Medical Examiner of Rhode Island, where there were concerns about improperly attended individuals. Jackson counters that Brennan himself hired Laposata previously.

• Dr. Laposata testifies that O'Keefe's skull fracture was consistent with a backward fall but another force, possibly a fist, caused a cut above his right eye. She also opines that wounds on O'Keefe's right arm were premortem.

• The defense asks the judge to allow Dr. Laposata to testify about whether the injuries to O'Keefe's arm were caused by dog bites. Judge Cannone denies this request, ruling Laposata is not qualified to testify on this specific matter.

• Alan Jackson reiterates his belief that the arm injuries are from a dog.

• Dr. Laposata testifies that the eyelid laceration could be consistent with force applied by an object, or possibly a fist.

Cast of Characters:

• Karen Read: The defendant in the murder retrial. She is accused of hitting her boyfriend, John O'Keefe, with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow. Her defense team claims she is a victim of a police conspiracy. She is currently out on bond and has supporters who attend the trial and hold fundraisers.

• John O'Keefe: The deceased Boston police officer. He was Karen Read's boyfriend. The circumstances of his death are the subject of the trial.

• Hank Brennan: Special prosecutor for the Commonwealth in the retrial. He carries the burden of proof and must convince the jury beyond a reasonable doubt. He is described as being more of a full-time defense attorney in recent times.

• Alan Jackson: Lead attorney for Karen Read's defense team. He aims to expose reasonable doubt in the prosecution's case. He also appears to be involved in cooking or making cocktails for supporters.

• Robert Alessi: An attorney on Karen Read's defense team. He has moved for a mistrial multiple times during the retrial.

• David Yannetti: An attorney on Karen Read's defense team.

• Elizabeth Little: An attorney on Karen Read's defense team.

• Judge Beverly Cannone: The judge presiding over Karen Read's retrial in Norfolk Superior Court. She makes rulings on motions and testimony.

• Michael Proctor: The lead investigator in the case. Both the prosecution and defense seem hesitant to call him as a witness, despite his central role, and dare the other side to do so. His text messages, including one allegedly saying "pin it on the girl" and another about homeowner Brian Albert, are considered critical by the defense.

• Matthew Gras: An engineer specializing in vehicle data, called as the first defense witness in the retrial. He provided testimony comparing data from John O'Keefe's phone and Karen Read's SUV.

• Dr. Daniel Wolfe: A defense expert in accident reconstruction. He testified about crash tests and the damage to O'Keefe's clothing and a vehicle taillight. His credibility was questioned during cross-examination regarding deleted texts, use of the Signal app, failure to disclose information, and failing a certification.

• Dr. Elizabeth Laposata: A defense witness, a medical expert. She testified about John O'Keefe's injuries, including a skull fracture and a cut above his eye, and whether injuries on his arm were premortem. Her qualifications and past work were questioned by the prosecution. She was chief medical examiner of Rhode Island and faced criticism after the Station Night Club fire in 2003.

• Brian Albert: The homeowner of the house at 34 Fairview Road where John O'Keefe was found. He is also a Boston cop. Text messages allegedly mentioning him and suggesting he wouldn't get "slack" are considered critical by the defense. The defense alleges a "house full of secrets" and a conspiracy to cover up.

• Sam Burgess: A witness whose credibility was questioned by the defense, alleging he lied about his credentials.

• Brian Higgins: Mentioned in a text message where someone is basically asked if they are coming to the house. Also mentioned in connection to being at the Canton Police Department (CPD) in a video.

• Kevin Lenahan: A Youtuber and author of the book "Storm of Suspicion, Karen Retrials." He is an insider commentator on the trial.

• Nick Rocco: A supporter of Karen Read and an insider commentator on the trial.

• Joseph Croskey Jr.: A Massachusetts criminal defense attorney and insider commentator on the trial.

• Wayne Denison: A trial attorney and insider commentator on the trial.

• Adam Lally: A prosecutor who spoke in court during jury selection of Karen Read's first trial.

• Sgt. Barrows: A witness whose previous testimony regarding the tail light damage was used by Hank Brennan in an attempt to impeach him.

• ARCCA: A company or group that conducted crash tests and provided data used by Dr. Daniel Wolfe. Their testing methodology and results have been discussed and debated during the trial.

• Welcher: Presumably a prosecution witness or expert associated with ARCCA or providing analysis challenged by the defense. Mentioned in relation to ARCCA's reports and theories about the crash.

• Dr. Rentschler: A defense expert whose opinions the Commonwealth has sought to exclude.

• Michael Easter: A defense expert whose testimony has been excluded by the court.

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