Karen Read’s lawyer dropped a major hint at new evidence for 2nd trial
New evidence could shape Karen Read's second murder trial , and her defense attorney dropped a big hint on Tuesday about a new expert.
Alan Jackson gave opening statements for the defense and started by underlining their central theory of the case: "There was no collision," he repeated three times for emphasis.
Norfolk County prosecutors say Read, 45, struck her then-boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, with her SUV while driving intoxicated and then fled the scene in January 2022.
"John O'Keefe did not die from being hit by a vehicle. Period," Jackson added.
However, as he continued to give jurors areas where they might find reasonable doubt with the prosecution's theory of the case, he mentioned a new expert witness who could have big implications for the retrial.
Both sides claim that the data and science will prove their side of the case, but Jackson said medical evidence would establish that O'Keefe never suffered from hypothermia after being found outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton.
The new expert witness, Elizabeth Laposata, is a clinical associate professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Brown University.
"She'll tell you that John O'Keefe did not suffer from hypothermia as the commonwealth will undoubtedly allege," Jackson said. "His body showed no signs of it. No frostbite, no cold-induced injuries to his organs, no damage based on cold or frost."
Jackson argued that O'Keefe must have been injured somewhere else, somewhere warmer, and that his body must have been moved out into the cold.
At the first trial, Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello, a medical examiner with the state's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, said there was evidence that "strongly suggested" that O'Keefe suffered from hypothermia. She added that she did not observe O'Keefe's body until Jan. 31, two days after his death, she said.
He also said that Laposata will testify that O'Keefe suffered an injury to the back of his head that was "immediately incapacitating."
"He couldn't walk, talk, grab his phone, cry for help, nothing," he said. "He was completely incapacitated, completely unconscious."
Hank Brennan, the new prosecutor for the case, also mentioned new evidence he will present during the second trial.
Special prosecutor Hank Brennan introduces himself to prospective jurors during jury selection for the trial of Karen Read at Norfolk Superior Court, April 10, 2025, in Dedham. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, Pool)
"Remarkably, there will be an expert in this case who found a data file on the phone and it tracks the temperature of the cellphone battery," Brennan said. "That will be critical to your analysis in this case."
Brennan said O'Keefe's last movements, based on the cellphone data, were at 12:32 a.m., only moments after Read slammed her car in reverse.
Five minutes later, at 12:37 a.m., the temperature of O'Keefe's battery dropped 5 degrees, from 77 degrees to 72 degrees. The temperature continues to drop throughout the night, and by 6:06 a.m., the battery temperature is at 50 degrees, according to Brennan.
Other new pieces of evidence are expected to be revealed in the coming weeks.
Both sides are also expected to rely on DNA data collected from evidence at the scene, but Jackson gave a preview of a new argument for the second trial.
"They're going to try to dazzle you with talk of DNA because it sounds so scientific," Jackson said. "DNA was on the taillight, but you'll learn that there was no DNA on the actual shards that they claim came in contact with John's arm. None."
There was no blood, no tissue, no skin, no DNA on a single shard of plastic that prosecutors say cut deep marks into O'Keefe's arm, according to Jackson.
O'Keefe's DNA was found inside the taillight housing where "anyone with access to that vehicle would have touched," he said.
That same batch of DNA from the taillight also found traces of two other, unidentified men, he added.
Additionally, more evidence is expected in this trial about O'Keefe's shoe, which Jackson said had the DNA of five unidentified males.
Read's trial continues with the second day of testimony on Wednesday.
Karen Read murder case
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