Karen Read, a 45-year-old financial analyst from Mansfield, Massachusetts, was found not guilty on Wednesday of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident in the 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. The jury did find her guilty of operating under the influence (OUI), for which she received one year of probation under a standard Massachusetts alcohol-education programme.
Verdict sparks strong reactions The verdict was met with cheers from hundreds gathered outside Norfolk County Superior Court in Dedham. Read addressed her backers, saying, “No one has fought harder for justice for John O’Keefe than I have. Than I have and my team.” She added she could not have stood trial without the support of those who stood by her “financially and more importantly emotionally for almost four years.” Inside the courthouse, she hugged her lawyer Alan Jackson. In contrast, O’Keefe’s family and close friends, including Jennifer McCabe and Brian Albert, issued a statement calling the decision a “devastating miscarriage of justice,” blaming the outcome on defence-driven conspiracy theories and media narratives.Background of the fatal incident On the night of 28 January 2022, Read and O’Keefe, who had been in a relationship for two years, visited bars and attended a house party in Canton, Massachusetts. Early the next morning, O’Keefe was found unresponsive in the snow outside the home of a retired police officer. His death was attributed to blunt-force trauma and hypothermia.Conflicting accounts in court Prosecutors claimed Read struck O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV, citing vehicle damage and taillight fragments found near the scene. Witnesses also alleged she had admitted to hitting him. Blood-alcohol evidence indicated she was significantly over the legal limit. Read’s defence argued she was framed. They claimed O’Keefe was attacked inside the house, possibly by a dog or during a fight, and that his body was later moved. They also highlighted misconduct by a key investigator, who had been removed after sending offensive texts about Read.Second trial follows mistrial The case first went to trial in April 2024 but ended in a mistrial after a hung jury. A retrial began in April 2025 and concluded on June 18, with Read acquitted of all serious charges. The only conviction remained the OUI charge.Civil suit continues Despite the criminal acquittal, O’Keefe’s family has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Read and two bars accused of over-serving her alcohol. That case is ongoing. The case has drawn national attention and fuelled debate about the influence of wealth and media on the justice system. Karen Read’s legal team, supported by millions in funding, successfully argued that law enforcement wrongly targeted her to shield others.
