DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - The third week of testimony in the Karen Read murder retrial began Monday with a forensic scientist from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory back on the stand.
Six witnesses took the stand Monday. One, a first responder who was on a fire truck that arrived to the crime scene on January 29, 2022.
First responder, Katie McLaughlin, takes the stand
McLaughlin rolled a stretcher toward the unresponsive man on the lawn. At the time, she didn’t know it was John O’Keefe, a Boston police officer.
McLaughlin said she saw a woman acting hysterically and sought to get information about what happened. What followed was a response McLaughlin says she will never forget.
“I hit him, I hit him,” McLaughlin said. “There was a woman next to us who told her to calm down. ‘Stop talking, calm down, you’re hysterical.’ A police officer asked her, said, ‘you what?’ And she repeated it again, ‘I hit him.'”
The jury saw dash cam video of those moments, firefighter McLaughlin standing at the scene speaking with Read, a Canton police officer, and Jennifer McCabe who testified earlier she too heard Read say “I hit him, I hit him,” to McLaughlin.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson indicated the section of the video does not show a hysterical woman, and wondered why Read wasn’t immediately arrested, given that dramatic confession.
“Did you see him handcuff my client?” Jackson asked.
“He turned to signal to get Goode down here,” McLaughlin responded.
“So he did handcuff her?” Jackson asked.
“No no, no,” McLaughlin responded.
The defense also called into question McLaughlin’s relationship, or lack thereof, with Caitlin Albert into question.
Caitlin Albert is Brian Albert’s daughter, the family who lived where O’Keefe was found.
McLaughlin descried Caitlin as an acquaintance and denied knowing where she lived.
Ryan Nagel, Heather Maxon, and Sarah Levinson testify
Earlier, Ryan Nagel testified he was in a pick-up truck with a friend coming by the Brian Albert home to see if his sister needed a ride. He remembers seeing a large SUV arriving at the Fairview Address.
His then girlfriend, Heather Maxon, was in the pick-up too and took note of a woman and man in the car as they both made the turn onto Fairview.
After spending about five minutes in front of the house, they left and drove by the SUV.
“I saw the female that I saw beforehand, also still in the car,” said Maxon.
Maxon testified she did not see anybody else inside the SUV.
Sarah Levinson, who was inside the 34 Fairview home attending a birthday party, said she never saw O’Keefe come inside the house and she never thought there was any trouble.
Retired Canton police lieutenant testifies
The sixth and final witness on Monday was retired Canton Police Lieutenant Paul Gallagher. He showed the jury a broken cocktail glass he uncovered at the crime scene.
Gallagher defended the decision to use uncovered red solo cups to gather evidence for DNA testing. The jury saw Gallagher using a leaf blower to remove layers of snow.
“Why did you you have Sgt. Goode memorialized your efforts to excavate the area?” Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan asked.
“I thought someone may wonder why I decided to use a leaf blower,” said Gallagher. “So I wanted to demonstrate it’s effectiveness.”
Gallagher will ace more cross examination Tuesday morning.
Leading up to Monday
Hannah Knowles discussed Read’s blood alcohol level the night Boston police officer John O’Keefe died in January 2022.
She testified on Friday that at the time Read claims she dropped O’Keefe off at 34 Fairview Road, her blood alcohol level would have been at least .14, or two times the legal limit.
Knowles said she conducted retrograde analysis of Read’s blood that was drawn several hours after Read’s last drink that night.
On Monday, Read’s defense team questioned the results. The expert would only say the tests determine a “range” and were not exact.
Read is accused of killing O’Keefe, her boyfriend, by hitting him with her car and leaving him to die in a snowbank after a night of drinking. Her lawyers argue she is being framed. Her first trial last summer ended in a mistrial.
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