Four more jurors were selected Monday for the murder trial of Karen Read, bringing the total number to 19 on the fourth day of jury selection.
Although it only takes 12 people in Massachusetts to hear a case, the judge wants to get to a total jury of 20 — 12 jurors and eight alternates. The judge then hopes to whittle that number down to 16 by the end of the week.
“[The process] is about as long as we would’ve expected,” said Alan Jackson, Read’s defense attorney, outside of the courthouse in Dedham.
Read is charged with second degree murder for the 2022 death of her boyfriend John O’Keefe, a Boston Police officer. O’Keefe was found dead outside the Canton home of another police officers after Read dropped him off at a late night party.
Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone, who is overseeing the trial, outlined the state’s argument in court last Tuesday, saying “The Commonwealth alleges the defendant struck Mr. O’Keefe with her vehicle earlier that morning and then left the scene while Mr. O’Keefe laid injured in the snow during a blizzard”.
The state says it has evidence linking Read’s SUV to O’Keefe’s head injury, which Read’s lawyers claim he was beaten at the party.
Prosecutors fought to stop Read’s team from using this kind of defense, but the judge allowed it with some restriction: Read’s lawyers cannot mention their beating theory in their opening statement and have rules on when and how it can be used during the trial.
The defense filed a motion, complete with pictures, showing that several jurors may not be able to see a witness’s face as they testify. In a response, prosecutors note that the courthouse dates back to 1827 and trials have been held in the main courtroom for over 100 years.
Jury selection continues on Wednesday and opening statements are slated to take place Monday.
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