DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - Prosecutors in the Karen Read murder case requested access to additional evidence at a hearing Tuesday morning.
Read faces three charges including second-degree murder in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe. He died in a snowstorm and his body was found outside of a Canton home.
Special prosecutor Hank Brennan requested phone records from Read’s parents, saying that he believes Read called both her mother and her father just a couple hours after she allegedly hit O’Keefe with her car.
“The inference that a 40-something-year-old woman is calling her parents at 1:30 in the morning after this tumultuous event, the inference is strong evidence that Ms. Read knew she had done something terrible. She knew she had struck John O’Keefe, and she knew she had left him behind,” Brennan said.
Read’s lawyers said the judge should not allow the release of the phone records, saying they unfairly infringe on the privacy of Read’s parents and amount to a fishing expedition, with the state hunting for more evidence.
“William Read has never been called by the commonwealth to testify as a witness in this case,” defense attorney Elizabeth Little said Tuesday.
Judge Beverly Cannone interjected, saying that the upcoming retrial was a new trial.
“So, that doesn’t prohibit the commonwealth from calling him,” Cannone said.
“I understand that, your honor. And I would note that this court has repeatedly emphasized the importance of privacy concerns,” Little responded.
The judge also heard the prosecution on its requests for complete tapes and transcripts of several media interviews Read has done, both before and after her first trial. The first trial over the summer ended with a hung jury.
Brennan insisted Read has told different stories at different times, and he wants to use that against her.
“There is a ton of conversation that has been redacted arbitrarily by parties that want to use what’s in their best interest, but cover up what doesn’t help them. The commonwealth is entitled to it,” Brennan said.
After the 90-minute hearing ended, Read approached a 7News reporter to make a point about her previous interviews and the state’s contention that somehow they will help convict her.
“Isn’t it amazing that ABC, NBC, Boston Magazine, and Fox all sat on alleged confessions and never publicized it? That’s malfeasance on all your parts if that were actually true. That’s a fishing expedition. They don’t exist,” Read said outside the Dedham courthouse.
Both the prosecution and defense are asking for the retrial to be pushed from January to April so they have more time to prepare.
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