What's next for the Karen Read case? How a retrial could work ...

2 Jul 2024

WBUR

Whats next for the Karen Read case How a retrial could work

After a mistrial was declared Monday in the Karen Read murder case, prosecutors said they plan to seek a retrial. Here's what that means and what could happen next.

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I thought the big news out of Dedham yesterday was going to be the new grilled cheese chain. Apparently not. Let’s get to it:

Hung jury: A mistrial was declared yesterday in the Karen Read murder case, after jurors insisted they were unable to reach a unanimous verdict (despite multiple tries). Read, a 44-year-old Mansfield resident, had been accused by prosecutors of drunkenly hitting and killing her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her car in Canton. However, her defense team cast doubt on that story, suggesting Read was being framed by O’Keefe’s law enforcement colleagues. The case and conspiracy theory — combined with inappropriate texts, Read’s diehard supporters and small-town feuds — led to national coverage throughout the two-month trial and gripped some so closely that even the courtroom ceiling fan became a minor celebrity. (If you’re one of the few who haven’t been following, here’s a good way to catch up.)

Now what? Prosecutors have a few options following a hung jury mistrial. They could drop the charges, attempt to strike a plea deal or seek a re-trial. Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey’s office said in a statement they’re planning to take that third route: “The Commonwealth intends to re-try the case.”
How does a retrial work? There would be a new jury, and lawyers could present new evidence. Prosecutors could also pursue different or lesser charges. (In the first trial, Read was charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death.)
Next steps: Lawyers are set to return to Judge Beverly Cannone’s court in Dedham on July 22 for a status conference meeting.
Meanwhile: The Massachusetts State Police announced last night that the lead investigator in the case, trooper Michael Proctor, has been transferred out of the detectives unit of the Norfolk DA’s office. Proctor faced backlash over crude and sexist texts he sent about Read, compromising the investigation.
Go deeper: Attorney Shira Diner, president of the Massachusetts Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, joined WBUR’s Morning Edition to talk more about the case and what could happen in a retrial.

Selling high: The Boston Celtics are up for sale. Less than two weeks after winning their 18th NBA championship, the team announced yesterday that majority owner Wyc Grousbeck and his family are looking to sell their controlling stake sometime in 2024 or early 2025.

Why? The Celtics said the decision is due to “estate and family planning considerations.” Grousbeck can also get a pretty good return on his investment! His group originally bought the Celtics in 2002 for $360 million. As of last fall, Forbes estimated the team is worth $4.7 billion, the fourth-highest in the NBA.
What’s next: Celtics’ minority owners, like Steve Pagliuca, are expected to hang on to their stakes. Pagliuca even indicated last night he plans to bid to take over as majority owner.

A new sports betting app will start accepting wagers in Massachusetts today. Gaming commission officials unanimously approved Bally Bet’s request to operate in the state yesterday. The Rhode Island-based company plans to officially launch at 11 a.m. That means Massachusetts will now have seven different mobile sports betting apps (two left the state earlier this year).

PSA: Tomorrow might be the busiest day of Fourth of July holiday travel, but experts tell WBUR’s Dan Guzman this afternoon is likely to get pretty congested, too. AAA forecasts it will get busy on the roads between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., as holiday travelers mix with people just trying to get home from work.

The big picture: AAA Northeast spokesperson Mark Schieldrop says you can thank the pandemic for big changes around the way people take time off for holidays. “Folks are taking additional days off around a three-day weekend,” he told Dan. “They’re leaving in the middle of the week, instead of the day before the holiday. They’re coming home in the middle of the week … and for many folks, the Fourth of July holiday is now a week long event.”

P.S.— Headed to the Cape this weekend? We have just the podcast to help you kill time in traffic. WBUR’s Barb Moran teamed up with Scientific American for a three-part “Science, Quickly” series on the pollution threatening Cape Cod’s water-based tourist economy. Listen to the first episode here.