DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A redacted copy of Karen Read’s defense team’s motion to dismiss her charges was released Thursday.
Read’s legal team alleged “extraordinary governmental misconduct” days after Judge Beverly Cannone addressed “grave concerns” she has had with the defense’s handling of witnesses.
The defense asked Cannone to dismiss her case before the second trial begins, due to what they say is misconduct by police and the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office.
The motion runs 36 pages, plus a four-page affidavit, and is signed by lead defense attorney Alan Jackson. It comes amid questions the court has about Jackson’s contacts with expert witnesses who were supposedly impartial and hired by the federal government.
Jackson has called this a “robust” motion to dismiss.
The document is heavily redacted, likely because it contains some information which was subject to a federal protective order.
Jackson concluded his motion by writing, “Ms. Read has suffered numerous and egregious constitutional violations as a result of the Commonwealth’s brazen discovery and constitutional violations and juror interference, which denied Ms. Read her Sixth Amendment right to a fair trial by an impartial jury. The interests of justice require that this Court exercise its discretion to dismiss the case with prejudice.”
The document makes many points including the actions of disgraced Massachusetts State Police homicide detective Trooper Proctor, who is suspended and facing disciplinary hearings.
The filing makes the point proctor was seen near the broken taillight of Read’s car in the sally port of the Canton Police Department. It also questions why the sally port video the jury saw was inverted. It was the defense team which pointed that out to the jury.
Jackson also questioned Sergeant Yuriy Bukhenik, Proctor’s supervisor, claiming his testimony about the video was also suspect.
Prosecutors allege Read, who turned 45 Wednesday, backed her Lexus SUV into her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, in January 2022, after a night of heavy drinking.
Read’s defense team claims O’Keefe died after a beating inside the Canton home of another Boston police officer, Brian Albert, and that Read was framed.
The case will be back in court next week.
Read the defense’s redacted motion to dismiss here.
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