Karen Read trial nears conclusion as jury set to begin deliberations in Boston cop murder case

Karen Read, 45, is facing serious criminal charges including second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a fatal collision. Prosecutors allege that she hit her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, with her vehicle during a night of drinking and left him to die in the snow on January 29, 2022.

This is outrageous. Beverly Cannone has clearly violated Karen Read’s Constitutional Right to a fair trial. She wants to conduct the selection for juror alternates in SECRET. Just like trial 1. She is not just corrupt, she is treasonous. pic.twitter.com/ZttxcxbXKJ

— David (@davepalex) June 13, 2025

The defence strategy

The defence maintains that Read is innocent and insists she only dropped O’Keefe off at the Canton home of fellow officer Brian Albert before losing contact with him. Her legal team claims investigators focused on Read too quickly and ignored other potential leads or suspects. They argue that the evidence against her is largely circumstantial and tainted by early bias in the investigation.

Jury instructions and closing arguments

Judge Beverly Cannone confirmed that closing arguments will be presented on Friday, with both the prosecution and defence getting one hour and fifteen minutes each. After a lunch break, the judge will read out jury instructions and expects deliberations to begin by 5 to 5:30 p.m. the same day.

A second chance for justice

This is the second trial for Karen Read after her first trial ended in a mistrial in 2023, when the jury could not reach a unanimous verdict. Since then, the case has gained traction across the U.S., attracting true-crime followers and passionate supporters of Read who have held public rallies asserting her innocence.

Widespread media attention

CourtTV has followed the case from the start, offering live coverage and legal analysis. The case’s complex timeline and dramatic courtroom developments have turned it into a national talking point.

What happens next

Eighteen jurors, nine men and nine women, will now decide Read’s fate. After nearly two months of witness testimonies and legal arguments, the courtroom drama is approaching its final chapter. Whether Karen Read walks free or is convicted now lies in the jury’s hands.