Live updates: Day 3 of jury deliberations finishes without verdict in Karen Read trial

DEDHAM, Mass. — The third day of verdict watch in the Karen Read murder trial ended without jurors being able to reach a decision.

The jurors will return to Norfolk Superior Court Friday for a 4th day of deliberations on Friday.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with her car and leaving him for dead in the snow in Canton in January 2022, but the defense has made a case that she is being framed.

Jurors are deciding whether Read is guilty or not guilty of second-degree murder, which in Massachusetts is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. Read also faces lesser charges of manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence, punishable by five to 20 years, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, punishable by up to 10 years.

• WATCH LIVE: Streaming verdict watch updates from the court begin at 9 a.m.
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• Live court updates from Boston 25′s Ted Daniel

LIVE UPDATES:

3:30 p.m.

• Judge informs the court the jury would like to go home. Verdict deliberation will continue for a fourth day Friday.

2 p.m.

• Court is back from lunch.

1 p.m.

• The jury breaks for lunch until 2 p.m.

12:20 p.m.

• Hundreds of Karen Read supporters are gathered outside Norfolk Superior Court waiting on edge for the jury’s decision.

10 a.m.

• Defense, prosecution can leave the building at 10 a.m. as they await a verdict.
• The defense team just walked out of the courtroom. They have a church hall across the street to wait.

9:20 a.m.

• Lawyers are told to alert the court if they are leaving the building.

9 a.m.

• Karen Read appears briefly in courtroom as Judge Beverly Cannone convenes court shortly after 9 a.m. for a third day of jury deliberations.

8:50 a.m.

• Karen Read and her team enters Norfolk Superior Court from the other side of the building today.

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Jury deliberations began Tuesday afternoon following closing arguments. The 12 jurors must reach a unanimous decision on the verdict and the panel has been told not to give in to the others – just to wrap things up.

Jurors asked one question Wednesday, to review a report from the Massachusetts State Police search for evidence outside of 34 Fairview Road where the taillight and other evidence was found.

Judge Beverly Cannone told them, “They have all the evidence they need” and they didn’t get any new documents.

Outside of the court, defense attorney Alan Jackson reminded that the report was never produced by the prosecution so there was none to give to the jury.

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Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial Karen Read speaks with her lawyer as the jury deliberates in her murder trail, Wednesday June 26, 2024, at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass. Read is charged with second-degree murder in the January 2022 death of her boyfriend Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger via AP, Pool) (Greg Derr/AP)

Earlier in the day, Jackson went back and forth with the judge over one of the three verdict slips provided to the jury. He argued the slip should have a “not guilty” line to check for the lesser charges Read could face under the offense of manslaughter.

“That’s their decision to make,” said Judge Cannone.

“How do they make it if they don’t have an option to check a box that says not guilty?” replied Jackson.

The judge went on to say, “This verdict slip as submitted to the jury is exactly how it always is in Massachusetts.”

“I don’t really care how it always is in Massachusetts. I care about whether or not it’s appropriate,” said Jackson.

About two hours later there was a change made to the verdict slip.

The judge said, “I do appreciate the concern about the confusion this might cause the jury.”

Outside of court, Alan Jackson commented, “In 30 years, I’ve never seen a verdict slip like what was presented this morning before it was changed.”

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