DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - More progress was made Wednesday in the Karen Read retrial jury selection process.
Read is charged with second-degree murder in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
Judge Beverly Cannone greeted a group of 90 new potential jurors, giving them a summary of the case.
“The commonwealth alleges that 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,” said Cannone. “The defendant denies these allegations, she’s presumed to be innocent and has plead not guilty.
On day two, by a show of hands, 87% of prospective jurors indicated they had heard of the case, 45% said they had developed an opinion, and 18% admitted they have a bias for, or against, Read. These percentages were roughly the same as day one.
“The fact that Ms. Read was arrested, or that she was indicted, is not proof of anything and indictment is simply a piece of paper,” said Cannone. “It just makes an accusation.”
Read left for the day with her lawyers after five new jurors were selected, bringing the total to seven so far. Four men and three women.
Additionally, Dr. Judson Welcher, who has a masters degree and more than a quarter century of experience in accident reconstruction, has been cleared to testify in the new trial for the commonwealth.
The defense wanted Dr. Welcher out, and asked Cannone to bar him from taking the stand.
Cannone denied that request, finding, “Dr. Welcher has the requisite education, training, experience, and familiarity with the subject matter to qualify him as an expert.”
Welcher will replace Trooper Joseph Paul, who filled this role in the first trial and drove Read’s Lexus SUV to recreate sudden acceleration in reverse.
Federally, four of Karen Read’s supporters have filed a federal lawsuit against Cannone, the Massachusetts Court System, the head of the state police, the Dedham police chief, and the Norfolk County District Attorney, regarding the buffer zone outside of the courtroom.
The buffer zone is now larger than the first trial. Demonstrators have been forced to stay further away nearby church grounds are also now off limits.
The suit looks to block the judge’s order, which she says protects the jurors and helps guarantee a fair trial.
Jason Grant says the extended buffer zone requested by prosecutors is unconstitutional.
When asked it he think it will succeed, Grant responded, “Sure, I hope so…. This violates our rights.”
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