Is she a murderer or has she been framed? Things to know about the Karen Read trial in Boston

Those are the questions a Massachusetts jury will decide in a case that created a carnivalesque atmosphere outside the courtroom, where a “sidewalk jury” of true crime bloggers and pink-shirted Read supporters have gathered since the trial began nearly two months ago. collected every day.

Read, 44, had worked as an equity analyst and was an adjunct lecturer in finance at her alma mater, Bentley University. O’Keefe, 46, was a 16-year veteran of the Boston Police Department. She often stayed at O’Keefe’s home in suburban Canton, where the couple ended up with another Boston police officer, Brian Albert, after a night of bar hopping in January 2022. A federal agent, Brian Higgins, was also among those at the meeting inside.

Read has been charged with second-degree murder, which in Massachusetts is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. She also faces lesser charges of manslaughter while operating a vehicle while intoxicated, punishable by five to 20 years, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, punishable by up to 10 years.

The evidence against Read

Pieces of Read’s broken taillight were found at the scene and a single hair belonging to O’Keefe was found on the rear bumper of Read’s SUV. Prosecutors say Read repeatedly said, “I hit him. I hit him. Oh my God, I hit him” to first responders and others. Prosecutors played angry voicemails. Read took off at O’Keefe and painted a picture of a failing relationship. They also questioned her behavior, saying she never cried after O’Keefe’s body was found.

Her defense is that the entire prosecution case is based on lies from officers who stick together to protect themselves. Her lawyers say the taillight pieces and hair were planted in the hours before the crime scene was secured. They suggested O’Keefe may have been beaten up by Higgins, who had flirted with Read over text messages, and that the men panicked before trying to cover up the crime.

Whether or not Read is found guilty, the case has cast a poor light on the techniques and actions of law enforcement officers, including Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was the lead investigator despite personal relationships with several people involved. Proctor called Read a “crazy job” in text messages, joked with supervisors about not finding nude photos of Read on her phone, and texted his sister that he wished Read would “commit suicide.” He called that a figure of speech and said emotions had gotten the upper hand.

The defense pointed to conflicts of interest and sloppy police conduct: the crime scene was left unsecured for hours, the house was not searched, blood-stained snow was scooped up with red plastic drinking cups and a leaf blower was used to clear snow. Other suspicious actions included deleted search histories, destroyed phones and doctored videos.

The case may have seemed closed, but as more evidence emerged, interest grew among true crime fans and others who had suspicions about law enforcement’s motives and actions.

Outside the courthouse, a self-described “sidewalk jury” of dozens of Read supporters dressed in pink — a color she favors — remained glued to their phones as they awaited a verdict. Their mood was jubilant, with supporters singing, waving American flags and being cheered on by passing motorists who honked their horns.