18 Norfolk County residents have been selected in the Karen Read retrial. One final pre-trial hearing was held on Wednesday.
Once again, lawyers argued over experts in accident reconstruction. Special prosecutor Hank Brennan said the defense has been slow to turn over “discovery” information on their controversial witnesses employed by a firm called “Arcca.”
“This is the very issue I’ve been concerned about,” said Brennan. “Since the beginning of this case. I’ve made every effort to alert the court, that I had concern, in fact that I anticipated this very thing would happen.”
Brennan said the defense is engaging in “trial by ambush,” asking experts for last minute opinions without giving him enough time to set up his case properly with full information about what will be argued.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson says he’s simply reacting to information as it comes in from the state’s newly hired expert.
“Nobody has been dragging their feet. There is no ambush, this feigned indignation is just not consistent with the facts your honor,” said Jackson.
While the Arcca witnesses were originally hired by the federal government, the court eventually discovered the witnesses were also paid by the defense at the end of the last trial. That had not been disclosed.
Judge Beverly Cannone was upset she had been misled.
On her way out of court for the holiday weekend, Read told 7NEWS that she’s ready to proceed but feels some anxiety just as she did a year ago.