Karen Read trial live updates: Doctor testifies about Read’s blood alcohol content
Karen Read 's second trial in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe, continued on Thursday in Dedham's Norfolk Superior Court before Judge Beverly Cannone.
-
Read more: Recap of the first day of testimony
-
Read more: Recap of the second day of testimony
-
Read more: Recap of the third day of testimony
On Friday, the jury visited the home where O'Keefe was found before returning to the courthouse to hear from an expert witness.
People to know:
-
Jason Becker, Canton firefighter
-
Hank Brennan, special prosecutor for the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office
-
Garrey Faller, former chief pathologist at Good Samaritan Medical Center
-
David Yannetti, lawyer for Read
This story will be updated throughout the day with the latest testimony.
12:08 p.m. - Brennan calls Canton firefighter to the stand
After Faller's testimony concluded, Brennan called Jason Becker, a Canton firefighter and paramedic, to testify.
Becker is the third firefighter to testify thus far. He was firefighter Daniel Whitley's partner on the morning O'Keefe died.
Becker and Whitley took Read from 34 Fairview Road to Good Samaritan Hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.
12:03 p.m. - Lally asks about conversion to blood alcohol content
Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally asked Faller about the process of converting a hospital result of a person's blood alcohol content to the content in their "whole blood."
Faller explained that in a hospital setting, a person's blood is separated before it is tested. As a result, he said, a hospital result will always be slightly higher than a result from a person's whole blood — anywhere from 11% to 18% higher.
11:57 a.m. - Little concludes questioning
Elizabeth Little, a lawyer for Read, concluded her cross-examination by asking Faller if he was aware of a specific study that showed a multiple sclerosis diagnosis could lead to elevated levels of the enzyme tested to determine a person's blood alcohol.
He said he wasn't, but that the particular enzyme wouldn't affect the results.
Little asked Faller if he considered Read's multiple sclerosis diagnosis or her anemia when testing her. He said he hadn't.
11:40 a.m. - Little begins cross-examination of Faller
Little began her cross-examination of Faller by asking about the differences between clinical testing and forensic testing.
He said Good Samaritan had never received a forensic accreditation. Faller admitted it was rare that hospitals are "in the business" of taking a person's blood alcohol content for the purposes of a criminal case.
11:36 a.m. — Faller details Read's medical records
At 9:03 a.m. on Jan. 29, 2022, doctors at Good Samaritan were ordered to take a blood sample from Read, Faller said. They took the sample five minutes later, at 9:08 a.m., and the lab received it five minutes after that, at 9:13 a.m.
Faller said the result of the testing was entered into the system 40 minutes later, at 9:53 a.m.. At the time, Read's blood alcohol content was 93 milligrams per deciliter.
11:12 a.m. — First witness of the day called
The first witness of the day, Dr. Garrey Faller, was called to the stand. Faller was questioned by Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally, the lead prosecutor from the first trial.
Faller was the chief pathologist at Good Samaritan Medical Center when O'Keefe was brought there.
He now works at Signature Healthcare in Brockton.
Faller explained the process of drawing a person's blood, and particularly the process of doing so when testing a person's blood for alcohol. When doing so, phlebotomists and lab technicians don't swab a person with alcohol as they normally would.
10:29 a.m. — Jury leaves
The jurors boarded back on the bus at 10:25 a.m. to head back to the courthouse, and the bus left four minutes later.
The jurors are expected to hear testimony from at least one witness on Friday.
10:10 a.m. - Jury arrives
Jurors got off a cream-colored bus at 34 Fairview Ave. in Canton.
Accompanied by Cannone, the defense and prosecution, the jury spent about 15 minutes surveying the area where John O'Keefe's body was found.
9:31 a.m. - Lawyers deliver brief statements
Brennan and Yannetti both addressed the jury before they were sent out for the view.
In his statement, Brennan asked jurors to pay close attention to the street the home is situated on and to note key landmarks, like a flagpole and a fire hydrant. He also noted that Read's Lexus SUV would be at the scene and asked jurors to take note of the height of the bumper and right rear taillight on the car.
He cautioned the jury that the conditions Friday would not be the same as those on the night O'Keefe died.
Yannetti said he wanted jurors to make note of the location of the second-floor front window of the home and asked them to "take a good look" at Read's lexus.
"Your eyes are the best computer you can bring," he said.
After Yannetti concluded, the clerk swore in the court officers and Cannone stepped off the bench.
9:28 a.m. - Judge explains the view
Cannone gave the jury an overview of what to expect when they head to 34 Fairview Road Friday morning. She told them they were just to make observations and take note of the surroundings, but noted that anything they see can be considered evidence.
The lawyers can point out specific things to the jurors, but can't discuss them, Cannone said.
9:24 a.m. - Jury brought in
After a pair of lengthy sidebars with Read and the lawyers, Cannone asked the jurors three questions, as she does each day: if they discussed the case with anyone, if they did any independent research or if they had seen or heard anything about the case. The panel said they had not.
8:30 a.m. - Court opens for the day
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 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
Read the original article on MassLive .
