Karen Read, a Massachusetts woman, is facing a retrial for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, who was found dead in a snowbank outside a Canton home in January 2022. Her first trial ended in a mistrial in July 2024 due to a hung jury.
Recent developments in the case include the termination of Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator, after it was revealed he sent derogatory and crude text messages about Read. These messages, which included calling Read a “whack-job” and expressing hope that she would die by suicide, were uncovered during the trial. Proctor was subsequently fired from the Massachusetts State Police.
Additionally, Read’s defense team filed a motion to delay the retrial, currently scheduled for April 1, 2025, to April 28, 2025, due to pending decisions from a federal appeals court. However, Judge Beverly Cannone denied this request, stating that delaying the trial would be challenging, especially since jurors have already been summoned for April 1.
For a more in-depth understanding of the proceedings, you can watch the following video covering the motions hearing prior to the retrial: