Karen Read was acquitted of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death on June 18, 2025, in Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts. The jury convicted her only on an operating under the influence (OUI) charge, resulting in one year of probation and enrollment in a 24D Program—standard consequences for a first-time DUI offender.
Read had been accused of striking Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe with her SUV on January 29, 2022, outside a home in Canton, Massachusetts, owned by fellow police officer Brian Albert, then leaving him to die in a blizzard. Read's defense team argued she was framed in a law enforcement conspiracy and that someone inside Albert's home killed O'Keefe.
The retrial, presided over by Judge Beverly Cannone, saw deliberations begin on the afternoon of June 13, 2025. The jury spent approximately 21 hours deliberating over four days before reaching its verdict Wednesday afternoon. The extended deliberation period underscored the complexity of the case and divisions within the jury.
This was Read's second trial. In July 2024, the first jury became deadlocked after heavy deliberations, resulting in a mistrial. Post-mistrial disclosures revealed that at least four jurors had voted not guilty on second-degree murder and leaving the scene charges, while remaining deadlocked on manslaughter while operating under the influence.
Read's legal team had fought fiercely against retrial, filing appeals that claimed double jeopardy on acquitted charges. Those appeals were ultimately denied, including at the U.S. Supreme Court level, allowing the prosecution to retry the case.
Following the verdict announcement, reactions were swift and divided. District Attorney Michael Morrissey issued a brief statement: "The jury has spoken." Special prosecutor Hank Brennan, who led the retrial effort, expressed disappointment and condemned what he called "witness abuse." On June 24, Read's lead defense attorney Alan Jackson accused Brennan of ethical violations in response to the prosecutor's post-verdict statements.
Witnesses who had testified against Read characterized the verdict as a "devastating miscarriage of justice." Meanwhile, supporters of Read gathered outside the courthouse, where crowds cheered and sang "America the Beautiful" following the acquittals.
