The Massachusetts judge made a surprising decision to suspend a hearing for Karen Read’s re-trial in the alleged murder of her cop boyfriend after prosecutors revealed that two expert witnesses in the first trial had been paid over $20,000 by Read’s defense team. The new information presented by prosecutor Hank Brennan on Tuesday raised concerns for Judge Beverly Cannone, who felt it could impact the upcoming re-trial involving the death of Read’s boyfriend, Boston cop John O’Keefe in 2022.
During the hearing, Brennan requested that two accident reconstruction experts who testified in Read’s initial trial be barred from returning. It was revealed that these experts had been hired by federal investigators, had undisclosed communications with Read’s defense team, and were paid $23,000. Brennan highlighted examples of communications between the experts, who are employed by the engineering consulting firm ARCCA LLC. In one instance, the ARCCA witness provided the defense team with an outline of questions and answers to use during direct examination.
Prosecutors have accused Read of hitting O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die in the snow. However, Read has maintained her innocence, with her defense team arguing that O’Keefe was actually beaten to death by his cop friends during a drunken brawl and that Read was made the scapegoat.
Brennan specifically referenced testimony from ARCCA employee Daniel Wolfe, who stated during Read’s first trial that the damage to Read’s SUV did not align with a pedestrian being struck. Brennan expressed concern over the fairness and transparency of the expert witnesses’ involvement in the case.
After Brennan’s remarks, Judge Cannone called for a recess and upon return, she suspended the hearing, citing “grave concern” over the new information presented. She emphasized the potential profound effects on the defense and defense counsel, leading to the decision to suspend the proceedings for further preparation.
Outside the courtroom, Read’s attorney Alan Jackson denied allegations of paying the experts to testify. A new hearing to address the issue has been scheduled for February 25th. The case continues to unfold with twists and turns that raise questions about the integrity of the legal process and the pursuit of justice.
