Karen Read’s Legal Battle Double Jeopardy, Coverups, and a Federal Investigation in Question
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of striking O’Keefe with her SUV outside a home in Canton on January 29, 2022, then allegedly leaving him in a snowstorm after a night of drinking. The defense, however, has long maintained that she is the victim of a coverup and that O’Keefe’s death was caused by others—potentially even law enforcement officers.
For over 90 minutes, Chief Judge Dennis Saylor listened to arguments dissecting whether Judge Beverly Cannone properly declared a mistrial and whether she should have polled the jury before doing so. Read’s attorneys claim they spoke to jurors after the trial, and those jurors confirmed they had reached a unanimous verdict: not guilty of second-degree murder, not guilty of leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. If that’s the case, the defense argues, retrying Read would be a blatant violation of her constitutional protection against double jeopardy.
Defense attorney Martin Weinberg made the case clear: “We had a lengthy argument in front of the chief judge of the United States District Court on issues of profound constitutional significance. The question is whether or not the Norfolk District Attorney can reprosecute Ms. Read when there’s such strong and compelling evidence that the prior jury acquitted her.”
But the prosecution wasn’t having it. Caleb Schillinger, representing the DA’s office, countered that the jury never filled out verdict slips or sent any notes to Cannone indicating they had reached a partial verdict. His argument was simple: “There were no acquittals.” He pointed out that if the roles were reversed and the prosecution tried to argue the jury had found her guilty, Read’s team would have objected just as strongly.
Judge Saylor acknowledged the weight of the issue and promised to issue his opinion quickly, knowing that whoever loses will appeal. Meanwhile, the clock is ticking—the retrial is scheduled to begin on April 1.
This federal hearing came hot on the heels of another major development. Just the day before, during a hearing in state court, Special Prosecutor Hank Brennan made a statement that raised eyebrows: The federal investigation into O’Keefe’s death was officially closed.
But outside the courtroom, Karen Read wasn’t so sure. Speaking to reporters, she questioned whether the probe was actually over, referencing a letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office she received just a month earlier. “If I take him at his word, that would be a very dangerous endeavor of mine,” she said. “But I’ve seen a letter from the U.S. Attorney’s Office from one month ago, and it said it was ongoing. It was a four-page, single-spaced letter.”
The conflicting statements only add to the controversy surrounding the case, fueling speculation about the integrity of the investigation. If the probe was still active just weeks ago, what changed? And why the sudden declaration that it’s over?
Read’s legal team isn’t slowing down. They were right back in Norfolk Superior Court later that same day, continuing to fight through pretrial motions. Whether or not she faces trial again, one thing is certain—this case is far from over.
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