Prosecution rests, defense calls plow driver, dog bite expert to stand in Karen Read murder trial

DEDHAM, Mass. — After 68 witnesses, the prosecution rested on Friday in the Karen Read murder trial.

The defense began its presentation to the jury after the judge denied their request to immediately find Read not guilty.

Attorneys Alan Jackson and David Yanetti began with a plow driver — Brian “Lucky” Loughran.

Loughran works for the town of Canton and was plowing overnight on January 29, 2022.

He says his route takes him right by 34 Fairview Road — the house John O’Keefe’s body was found on the lawn of.

The prosecution says Karen Read struck O’Keefe around 12:45 a.m. with her SUV — and his body was on the lawn until about six that morning.

Here’s why Loughlin is important: He says he passed by 34 Fairview Road at 2:45 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. and claims there was no body.

“When you make that first pass by that residence at 245 in the morning, sir, with your headlights on,” Attorney David Yannetti asked, “What, if anything, did you see on the front lawn in the area of the flagpole? "

“I saw nothing,” Loughlin replied.

“If there had been a six-foot-two, 200-pound man lying in the snow there, would you have seen it?” Yannetti inquired.

Prosecutor Adam Lally objected to this and Judge Beverly Cannone sustained the objection.

During a later trip to the neighborhood, Loughlin testified that he saw something unusual outside 34 Fairview Road. He says he saw what he describes as a Ford Edge parked near the flag pole and he drove around it.

In previous testimony, the jury heard that the then-owner of 34 Fairview, Brian Albert, owns a Ford Edge.

Prosecutor Lally suggested Loughlin’s story has changed over the years – and his testimony is not reliable.

There is a full week of testimony expected next week, although Yannetti tells Boston 25 Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel with only three witnesses to call, the defense could wrap by the end of the day on Monday.

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