CANTON, Mass. — Boston 25 obtained a new court filing in the case of Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe’s death, where the defense is requesting several pieces of evidence for independent testing.
The defense is asking for O’Keefe’s clothing at the time of his death, tail light pieces from his former girlfriend Karen Read’s SUV, autopsy samples, and Canton Library surveillance videos.
According to the defense, the evidence has been at the State Police Crime Lab for more than a year.
Read was charged with backing over her boyfriend outside a home in Canton in January 2022 and leaving him to die in a blizzard.
25 Investigates was the first to share the other defense filings, claiming their client Karen Read, was wrongly charged in his death. They claim evidence points to other witnesses in the case.
Read’s defense team says newly unveiled cell phone data calls into question the prosecution’s case against Read.
O’Keefe was found in the snow outside a Canton home – owned by another Boston police officer – where a party took place the previous night.
The homeowner and his relatives told investigators that O’Keefe never came inside the party – and they never saw him. Some of the party attendees are witnesses for the prosecution.
25 Investigates: Defense claims evidence points to witness in BPD officer’s murder case
Read’s defense team has called the partygoers’ narrative illogical and questioned the independence of law enforcement’s investigation into O’Keefe’s death.
According to Read’s defense filing submitted two weeks ago, a relative of the homeowner searched on Google “ho[w] long to die in cold” hours before O’Keefe’s body was allegedly discovered.
And according to the defense, that Google search and a number of texts were deleted from the phone before it was turned over to the police.
The defense also claims autopsy photos suggest O’Keefe was severely beaten.
Traub, the spokesperson for the Norfolk District Attorney’s office, initially said it’s unclear whether Read’s team interpreted the cellphone “raw data correctly.”
But Traub tells Boston 25 Investigates that the district attorney will file a response in court on May 3.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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