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The day began with a delay due to the dismissal of a juror for personal reasons, reducing the jury to 14 members. Closing arguments were subsequently delayed as Judge Beverly Cannone addressed this issue privately with attorneys.

Prosecutor Adam Lally initiated his closing arguments by quoting statements attributed to Read: “I hit him, I hit him, I hit him,” which four witnesses claimed to have heard. Lally urged jurors to use their common sense and life experiences in evaluating the evidence, which he argued pointed to Read’s guilt.

Lally presented a timeline of events starting from communications between Read and O’Keefe on the morning of January 28, 2022. He detailed that Read consumed seven drinks within an hour and a half that evening and emphasized that her vehicle traveled at 24 miles per hour in reverse. Lally argued that Read’s actions and statements, such as a voicemail left for O’Keefe saying, “John I (expletive) hate you,” indicated a consciousness of guilt.

He highlighted the moment when Read allegedly found O’Keefe’s body covered in snow on January 29, 2022, and her decision to drive to her parents’ house instead of staying at O’Keefe’s home. Lally posited that Read’s behavior showed a motive linked to a perceived infidelity by O’Keefe, which prosecutors argued was a factor leading to his death.

Lally dismissed the defense’s claims of evidence planting and conspiracies involving law enforcement, stating that despite Trooper Michael Proctor’s “unprofessional” text messages, there was no impact on the integrity of the investigation.

Defense attorney Alan Jackson began his closing statements by accusing the state of lying to the jurors and presenting a narrative built on deception. “Look the other way,” Jackson asserted, summarizing what he believed to be the state’s strategy. He emphasized that the evidence did not support the prosecution’s theory that Read struck O’Keefe with her SUV.

Jackson pointed to inconsistencies and alleged misconduct by investigators, including Trooper Proctor, who he claimed manipulated evidence to fit a narrative. He argued that physical evidence, such as the lack of bruising or bone fractures consistent with a car-pedestrian crash, supported the defense’s case that Read did not hit O’Keefe.

Jackson also presented an alternative theory based on Apple Health data from O’Keefe’s phone and testimonies from defense experts, including accident reconstructionists who concluded that O’Keefe’s injuries were not caused by being struck by Read’s vehicle.

Judge Cannone provided jurors with instructions, emphasizing that all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. She reminded the jury that the burden of proof lies with the state and that the arguments made by lawyers are not evidence.

Cannone explained that all 12 deliberating jurors must agree on whether the prosecution met this burden, and the evidence must convince them of Read’s guilt to a “reasonable and moral certainty.”
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

In a pivotal moment in the Karen Read murder trial, the defense rested its case after presenting expert testimony that challenges the prosecution's narrative. Read, a Mansfield woman, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O'Keefe, whose body was found outside a Canton home in January 2022.

The defense's final witness, Dr. Daniel Wolfe, an expert in accident reconstruction from Arcca, testified that there is not enough evidence to definitively determine what happened to O'Keefe. 

Prosecutor Adam Lally questioned Wolfe about the omission of O'Keefe’s shoe and hat in his reconstruction report. Wolfe acknowledged this but maintained that these omissions did not affect his overall conclusions.
 
Wolfe described an experiment where he and colleagues used an air cannon to launch a cocktail glass at a taillight, replicating the damage found on Read’s vehicle. He explained, “We aimed at a portion of the taillight where the clear and red met because that’s where the damage seemed to emanate from.”

When asked about first responders hearing Read say “I hit him” three times, Wolfe admitted he was unaware of this, as well as the presence of O'Keefe’s DNA on Read’s taillight. Despite this, Wolfe stood by his analysis, stating, “Absolutely not,” when asked if this new information changed his conclusions.
 
Following Wolfe, Dr. Andrew Rentschler, a biomechanical engineer and accident reconstructionist, took the stand. Rentschler's testimony focused on the inconsistencies between the injuries O'Keefe sustained and the damage to Read’s SUV. “The injury to O’Keefe’s head was not consistent with being struck by a vehicle. In that scenario, there would be damage to a person’s spine,” Rentschler explained.

He further noted that a car driving at 24 miles per hour would cause significant damage to both the taillight and O’Keefe’s arm, which was not observed in this case. “I would expect to see significant trauma, more so than simply the abrasions diagnosed in this case,” Rentschler said.
The defense also called Dr. Frank Sheridan, a retired chief medical examiner, who testified about the injuries on O'Keefe's arm. Sheridan, who has conducted over 12,000 autopsies, stated that the cuts on O’Keefe’s arm were more consistent with a dog attack than a vehicle strike. “No bruising here. We have linear abrasions without any bruising. It does not look remotely like an impact from a motor vehicle,” he said.

Sheridan explained that the pattern and type of abrasions suggested they were caused by an animal's claws or teeth. He used a laser pointer to highlight clusters of abrasions on O’Keefe’s arm, describing how most appeared to be claw marks.

During cross-examination, Lally asked Sheridan about the absence of other injuries typical of a vehicle strike. Sheridan reiterated that the injuries observed were inconsistent with being hit by a vehicle and more aligned with a dog attack.  
He also noted that there was no canine DNA found on O’Keefe’s arm, but this did not alter his professional opinion.
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Trial of Karen Read, The Murder Of Maddie Soto, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Welcome to a special episode of "The Trial of Karen Read," where today, we find ourselves inside the courtroom of the case against Karen Read. As we set the stage, let's briefly summarize the case that has gripped the public's attention.
 
 Karen Read is facing charges related to the death of John O'Keefe, whose unexpected passing under mysterious circumstances led to intense police scrutiny. The case hinges on a combination of forensic evidence, alleged motives, and Karen's own statements to the police. Prosecutors argue that Karen had both the means and opportunity to commit the crime, citing contentious relationships and financial disputes as possible motives. The defense counters that the evidence is circumstantial and that Karen's connection to John's death is being misconstrued.
 
 Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
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The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Welcome to a special episode of "The Trial of Karen Read," where today, we find ourselves inside the courtroom of the case against Karen Read. As we set the stage, let's briefly summarize the case that has gripped the public's attention.
 
Karen Read is facing charges related to the death of John O'Keefe, whose unexpected passing under mysterious circumstances led to intense police scrutiny. The case hinges on a combination of forensic evidence, alleged motives, and Karen's own statements to the police. Prosecutors argue that Karen had both the means and opportunity to commit the crime, citing contentious relationships and financial disputes as possible motives. The defense counters that the evidence is circumstantial and that Karen's connection to John's death is being misconstrued.
 
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com

Welcome to a special episode of "The Trial of Karen Read," where today, we find ourselves inside the courtroom of the case against Karen Read. As we set the stage, let's briefly summarize the case that has gripped the public's attention.
 
 Karen Read is facing charges related to the death of John O'Keefe, whose unexpected passing under mysterious circumstances led to intense police scrutiny. The case hinges on a combination of forensic evidence, alleged motives, and Karen's own statements to the police. Prosecutors argue that Karen had both the means and opportunity to commit the crime, citing contentious relationships and financial disputes as possible motives. The defense counters that the evidence is circumstantial and that Karen's connection to John's death is being misconstrued.
 
 Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on The Downfall of Diddy, The Karen Read Trial, Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com