Karen Read Retrial Set for January 2025

Karen Read's retrial for the alleged murder of her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O'Keefe, is scheduled to begin on January 27, 2025, following a mistrial earlier this month. Read is accused of hitting O'Keefe with her SUV and leaving him to die in January 2022. Defense attorneys argue that the jury had unanimously found Read 'not guilty' on two charges but were deadlocked on manslaughter, and claim retrying her on all charges would constitute double jeopardy. Prosecutors oppose dismissing any charges, calling the defense's claims 'hearsay' and 'conjecture.' The next pretrial hearing is set for August 9, 2024, where the defense will argue to dismiss the second-degree murder and leaving the scene charges. The case continues to draw significant public attention and polarized support.