‘Long 19 months’: Canton residents discuss impact Karen Read case has had on their community

Canton residents, some in tears, opened up about the impact the Karen Read murder case has had on their community during a town select board hearing on Tuesday night.

Read, the girlfriend of late Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, is accused of backing over him and leaving him to die in the snow outside of a Canton home during a blizzard in January 2022. She is charged with second-degree murder in his death.

The case has drawn national attention over the defense’s claims of a wide-ranging cover-up encompassing everyone from attendees of a party at the home, to law enforcement officials who have investigated O’Keefe’s death.

The defense claims O’Keefe entered the home, where party attendees beat him up and then covered up his resulting death and left him outside in the snow.

Prosecutors allege Read was drunk behind the wheel when she hit O’Keefe while executing a 3-point turn in the driveway.

Fatal hit-and-run: Karen Read, 41, of Mansfield, Mass., is charged with manslaughter in the Saturday, Jan. 29, 2022, death of Boston police Officer John O’Keefe. O'Keefe, 46, was off duty at the time of his death. (Boston 25 News, Boston Police Department)

Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial FILE - Karen Read sits in court during jury selection for her murder trial at Norfolk County Superior Court, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read, 44, is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. Read's trial is scheduled to begin Monday, April 29. (David McGlynn//New York Post via AP, Pool,File) (David McGlynn/AP)

Karen Read trial Day 1

Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial Karen Read, left, leaves Norfolk Superior Court with her attorney Alan Jackson, right, after the opening day of her trial, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is charged with killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by intentionally driving her SUV into him. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa/AP)

APTOPIX Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial Karen Read, right, is flanked by Massachusetts State Police while leaving Norfolk Superior Court after the opening day of her trial, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is charged with killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by intentionally driving her SUV into him. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa/AP)

Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial Karen Read leaves Norfolk Superior Court after the opening day of her trial, Monday, April 29, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is charged with killing her Boston police officer boyfriend by intentionally driving her SUV into him. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa) (Charles Krupa/AP)

Officer Killed Girlfriend Trial FILE - Karen Read, of Mansfield, Mass., center, departs Norfolk Superior Court following a day of jury selection, April 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. Read is accused of running into her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV in the middle of a nor'easter and leaving him for dead after a night of heavy drinking. Read's trial is scheduled to begin Monday, April 29. (AP Photo/Steven Senne, File) (Steven Senne/AP)

Karen Read opening statements begin

Karen Read

Karen Read and Officer O'Keefe

Karen Read

Aidan Kearney, seen here in the green shirt, attends an August hearing in the Karen Read case

Karen Read supporters

Karen Read Karen Read, facing a murder charge in the death of an off-duty Boston police officer, was ordered held on $100,000 bail.

Karen Read

U.S. Attorney ‘does not object’ to release of letters with feds in Karen Read case

Karen Read

Karen Read new in court

Karen Read

read boston officer

Karen Read

Officer John O'Keefe

Karen Read John O'Keefe High bail for girlfriend charged with manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston police officer

Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe (Boston Police Department)

Karen Read is arraigned in Stoughton District court accused of manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston Police officer John O'Keefe Karen Read is arraigned in Stoughton District court accused of manslaughter in death of off-duty Boston Police officer John O'Keefe

“It’s been a long 19 months and I want to see if there’s an outside and independent investigation, non-biased, that can look into this terrible thing that happened 19 months ago today,” an emotional Canton resident said in front of a large crowd that gathered at the board hearing.

O’Keefe’s bruised and battered body was discovered in a snowbank outside the home the next morning.

Read has maintained her innocence from the start, and earlier this summer, her parents told Boston 25 News that they’re confident in their daughter’s innocence as her legal fight continues.

In a rare move, Norfolk District Attorney Michael Morrissey released a video statement condemning the alleged ongoing harassment of witnesses in the case, calling it “absolutely baseless.”

An investigation remains ongoing.

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