DEDHAM, Mass. — A new court filing on Friday claims four jurors in the Karen Read murder trial contacted the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, with one saying that Read was unanimously acquitted on two charges she was accused of, including murder.
Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally received an unsolicited voicemail and three emails from alleged jurors on Sunday, July 21, who claimed, “It is true what has come out recently about the jury being unanimous on charges 1 and 3.”
On Friday, July 26, prosecutors say Lally received another unsolicited voicemail from the same individual, stating: “Can confirm unanimous on charges one and three, as not guilty and as of last vote 9-3 guilty on the manslaughter charges...on the lower-level manslaughter charges.”
The Commonwealth didn’t respond to the jurors due to ethical violations about the juror deliberation process.
The DA’s office also claimed prior to that, they received three emails from individuals identifying themselves as jurors who wanted to speak anonymously.
On July 16, the Commonwealth reportedly responded to the emails stating they would “welcome the opportunity to discuss the evidence or the Commonwealth’s case, however we are ethically prohibited from inquiring as to the substance of your jury deliberations. That would include your individual or the jury’s collective thought process, the content of your deliberations, or the reasons for your decisions.”
After saying the DA’s office couldn’t promise their confidentiality, all three alleged jurors declined to further communicate.
In a statement, Read’s defense attorney, David Yannetti, said the following:
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, in its new filing, finally admits that they have received the same information that the defense has received from sitting jurors: Karen Read was acquitted on two charges, including murder.
We now expect that the DA’s Office will do the right thing and dismiss, at a minimum, indictments 1 and 3.
Of course, our position remains that all three indictments should be dismissed because they have charged the wrong person. Should they persist in pursuing this wrongful prosecution, we stand ready to defend our innocent client no matter how long it takes.
The full filing can be read here:
New court filing says 4 jurors contacted Commonwealth claiming Karen Read acquitted of two charges by Boston 25 Desk on Scribd
In mid-July, Judge Beverly Cannone indefinitely extended an order to impound the jury list for Read’s murder trial after once of the juror’s expressed fear for their safety.
“I am frightened for my personal safety as a result of learning that someone associated with this case has been criminally charged with intimidation,” the concerned juror, listed as “Juror Doe,” said in an affidavit that was filed in Norfolk Superior Court. “I also recall testimony from at least one witness who described being harassed by |individuals and her family being harassed because of their involvement in this case. I do not know any of the specifics of any such harassment, but I fear that my family and I will not only be harassed if the names of the jurors are made public, but that our personal safety will be seriously compromised.”
Read is accused of killing O’Keefe by striking him with her SUV and leaving him in a snowstorm in Canton in January 2022.
Prosecutors said Read and O’Keefe had been drinking heavily before she dropped him off at a party at the home of Brian Albert, a fellow officer. They said she hit him with her SUV before driving away.
The defense sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside Albert’s home and then dragged outside and left for dead.
Her first trial ended with a hung jury and a mistrial. Read’s second trial is tentatively scheduled for January 27, 2025.
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