Karen Read retrial is heating up as the Massachusetts woman prepares for a second courtroom battle in the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Authorities allege that Read intentionally backed her SUV into O’Keefe following a night of drinking, leaving him to die in a snowbank in Canton, a suburb just outside Boston, on January 29, 2022.
The original trial stretched over nine weeks and featured more than 65 witnesses. Her defense team firmly denied the accusations, instead claiming that Read is the target of a law enforcement cover-up. They argued that local officials were involved in O’Keefe’s tragic death—not Karen. With the jury unable to reach a unanimous verdict, Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial, resulting in a hung jury.
Karen Read retrial adds former juror to legal team
As the Karen Read retrial approaches, her legal team is getting a notable boost. Victoria George, a civil attorney and former alternate juror from the initial trial, has now joined Read’s defense. She currently works with attorney David Yannetti, one of the lead lawyers representing Read. George told Vanity Fair, “What happened to John O’Keefe was heartbreaking—but that doesn’t automatically mean Karen is guilty.”
After sitting through the first trial, George left the courtroom with serious concerns about how things were handled, describing herself as “wary, distrustful, and scared.” She cited troubling conduct by officials, including offensive messages from Detective Michael Proctor, who referred to Read with degrading language. Another major red flag for her was the sudden dismissal of a juror right before closing arguments—reportedly due to sympathies for the defense.
Karen Read retrial team challenges charges in court
This week, Read’s attorneys filed a petition with the Supreme Judicial Court, asking for two of the charges—second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a deadly accident—to be dropped. They argue these charges should be dismissed on double jeopardy grounds, claiming the jury had already reached a consensus on those counts during the original trial.
Her legal team believes the mistrial only applied to one of the three charges and that retrying her on the others would be unconstitutional. They’re asking the court to recognize that Read has effectively already been acquitted of those charges and shouldn’t face them again.
Attorney Benjamin Urbelis weighed in on Victoria George’s addition to the team, calling her an “invaluable asset.” Though she lacks a criminal law background, her unique perspective from inside the jury room offers strategic insight. Urbelis added that George understands how jurors interpret evidence, witness credibility, and the overall courtroom narrative—making her contribution to the Karen Read retrial particularly impactful.
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Source: www.inquisitr.com
