Karen Read trial live updates: Prosecution expert explains ‘hos long to die in cold’ search
Karen Read 's second trial in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O'Keefe, continued on Wednesday in Dedham's Norfolk Superior Court before Judge Beverly Cannone.
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Read more: Recap of trial day 9
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Read more: Recap of trial day 10
On Tuesday, jurors heard from a slew of witnesses, including a retired Canton Police lieutenant, a Massachusetts State Police lieutenant and a meteorologist. Prosecutors will call their next witness when the trial resumes Wednesday at 9 a.m.
People to know:
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Hank Brennan, special prosecutor for the Norfolk County District Attorney's office
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Jessica Hyde, digital forensics expert
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Connor Keefe, Massachusetts State Police trooper
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David Yannetti, lawyer for Read
12:26 p.m. - 'Hos long to die in cold' search occurred at 6:24 a.m.
After a lengthy back and forth that included several sidebars and objections from Robert Alessi, an attorney for Read, Hyde said her opinion to a "reasonable degree of scientific certainty" was that the "hos long to die in cold" search happened at 6:24 a.m.
Brennan had asked her the question twice before Hyde could answer, as Alessi continued objecting. After one objection, Brennan asked Hyde a series of questions about her methodology and whether it was accepted in the field
The "hos long to die in cold" search was the final action in the specific tab, Hyde said.
11:33 a.m. - Prosecution forensics expert testifies about 'hos long to die in cold' search
Hyde's testimony began with an explanation of her credentials and experience. She said she runs a company that provides digital forensics training and teaches at George Mason University.
In the Read case, Hyde was asked to examine the deletion of data, including phone calls, on a key witness's phone. The witness, Jennifer McCabe, was with Read when she found O'Keefe's body.
An extraction of McCabe's phone showed she searched "hos long to die in cold" at 2:27 a.m. Prosecutors have disputed the timestamp.
Hyde said the timestamp reflected the most current search in the tab opened at 2:27 a.m. A new tab was opened at that time, she said.
"It's not about the time it was searched, it's about the time the browser tab you opened either went to the background ... or the current search," she explained.
Hyde said she used both Cellebrite and Magnet Forensics to conduct her examination in the case. The jury heard from Ian Whiffin, a Cellebrite employee, last week.
It would be "erroneous" to assume the 2:27 a.m. timestamp reflects the time "hos long to die in the cold" was actually searched, she said.
11:20 a.m. - Cannone excludes Maryland court decision
After an extra-long recess, Cannone returned to the bench and ruled against Read's defense in their effort to introduce a Maryland court decision.
Attorney Robert Alessi sought to introduce the decision as a way to essentially undermine the credibility of a prosecution digital forensics expert, Jessica Hyde.
Cannone found "none of the purposes" in a Massachusetts rule of criminal procedure were served by including the decision, noting specifically the late notice to the court. She said Alessi would be "free to cross-examine Hyde regarding her methodology."
Brennan subsequently called Hyde to the stand.
10:32 a.m. - Lawyers spar over prosecution forensics expert
With Keefe off the stand and the jury out of the room, Robert Alessi, a lawyer for Read, sought to introduce a Maryland court's ruling determining a prosecution expert was not reliable into evidence.
The expert, Jessica Hyde, is expected to testify on Wednesday about a 2:27 a.m. timestamp on a Google search on a key witness' phone. Alessi said he was not trying to keep out any of Hyde's testimony but simply to cross-examine her about the Maryland decision.
Cannone appeared frustrated that the defense did not provide more notice.
"Her testimony on 2:27 is not reliable," Alessi said.
But Brennan said the defense was trying to "malign a witness."
"They want to say another court rejected something about you, therefore the jury should reject something," he said, accusing the defense of trying to "cheapen" Hyde's testimony.
The Maryland decision was not relevant and had nothing to do with Read's case, he argued.
But Alessi said he was entitled to cross-examine Hyde about her reliability, particularly on an issue where another court determined she was not reliable.
It's "basic cross of an expert witness," he said.
Cannone said she would try and rule on whether the decision could be used for cross-examination during the morning recess, but said she may need more time.
9:39 a.m. - Yannetti cross-examines Keefe
Yannetti began his questioning, focused on Keefe obtaining Jennifer McCabe's phone. He specifically homed in on the consent form McCabe signed, turning over her cell phone to State Police.
Keefe also faced a line of questioning about his role in the investigation. He confirmed former Trooper Michael Proctor was the lead investigator.
Proctor has since been fired for misconduct during the investigation into O'Keefe's death.
Keefe attended at least one witness interview and retrieved surveillance footage, but said Proctor wrote reports on the interview and the footage. He confirmed he was the only member of the detective unit who attended O'Keefe's autopsy.
He confirmed he gave the medical examiner information during the autopsy based on the facts they had gathered at that point. Critically, the medical examiner did not rule O'Keefe's death a homicide.
Yannetti concluded his cross there.
Massachusetts State Trooper Connor Keefe presents tail light fragments into evidence during Karen Read's murder trial in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., Wednesday, May 7, 2025.AP
9:22 a.m. - Keefe shows jury key evidence
Keefe works in the homicide unit assigned to the district attorney's office. He's also a digital forensics examiner.
He performed the forensic extractions on Jennifer McCabe and Kerry Roberts' phones. McCabe and Roberts were with Read when she found O'Keefe's body.
Keefe was at 34 Fairview Road while the State Police Special Emergency Response Team conducted their search on the night of Jan. 29, 2022. He said his primary role was to log anything the team found into evidence.
On the stand, Keefe cut open an evidence bag sealed with red tape and pulled out O'Keefe's sneaker. The sneaker is a black and white Nike shoe.
Keefe also showed the jury several pieces of red plastic taillight found at 34 Fairview Road after O'Keefe's death. When Brennan moved to put the taillight pieces into evidence, David Yannetti, a lawyer for Read, objected and asked to be heard at sidebar.
Inside an evidence bag, Keefe pulled out two large pieces of red taillight, but also a small chip that had to be marked separately. Keefe also retrieved two clear pieces of taillight from a different brown paper bag.
9:08 a.m. - Court opens
As almost all of the trial days do, Wednesday began with a sidebar conversation between the lawyers and the judge without the jury in the room. Throughout the trial, Read has joined the sidebars, a change from most of the pretrial proceedings.
When the jury was brought in, Cannnone asked the panel if they had been able to follow her instructions about discussing the case and avoiding media coverage.
Each juror said they had.
Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder in the death of O'Keefe, who was found outside the home of a fellow Boston police officer in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022.
Norfolk County prosecutors say Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV while driving intoxicated. Read's attorneys say her car never struck O'Keefe and that others are to blame for his death.
Karen Read murder case
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