DEDHAM, Mass. — Jury selection started Tuesday morning in the retrial of Karen Read, the Mansfield woman who says she was framed by law enforcement in the 2022 death of her Boston police officer boyfriend.
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Read’s second murder trial began with Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone introducing the case against the 45-year-old Mansfield woman and issuing instructions to 92 prospective jurors.
Good morning from the courthouse in Dedham, MA where jury selection begins in the Commonwealth vs. Karen Read 2.0.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 1, 2025
-We are in the main courtroom for jury selection. Larger and more comfortable courtroom compared to where the trial will take place. Defense and prosecution…
Cannone read the names of all 150 potential witnesses that the defense and prosecution could call in this case and asked the prospective jurors to disclose whether they knew anyone on the witness list.
Of the 92 prospective jurors called to court on Tuesday, 40 indicated that they’ve already formed an opinion of the case, 16 indicated they’ve already formed a “bias,” and 78 indicated that they’ve heard or spoken about the case.
Candidates for the jury were then asked to fill out a jury questionnaire with at least 30 questions to gauge how much they knew about the case.
Clerk told us there are 92 jury candidates in the courtroom today
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 1, 2025
-40 indicated they've already formed an opinion of the case
-16 indicated they've already formed a "bias"
-78 indicated they've heard or spoken about the case
The candidates are filling out the questionnaire now.
In an update at 1:45 p.m., Boston 25′s Ted Daniel reported that one juror had been chosen so far out of 17 screened jurors.
New: Court clerk tells me 1 juror has been chosen in the Karen Read case out of the 17 screened so far. #boston25
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) April 1, 2025
Judge Cannone also announced that she expects Read’s second trial to last six to eight weeks, with 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. court sessions, Monday through Friday.
One hundred thirty prospective jurors are being summoned to court every day this week until a jury is seated. Jury selection in Read’s first trial lasted five days, but this time, it could last weeks due to the high-profile nature of the case.
Read is accused of hitting John O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV in Canton on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in the cold after a night of drinking.
The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home at 34 Fairview Road in Canton and then dragged outside and left for dead.
She has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of a crash resulting in death.
The questions include whether they’ve already made up their mind about the case, whether they have family or close friends in Canton, how they might believe or disbelieve the testimony of a police officer, or if they’ve been involved in groups critical or in support of law enforcement and police officers.
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Judge Cannone ruled Monday that Read’s defense team will not be allowed to blame others for John O’Keefe’s death by name during opening statements.
According to Cannone, Read’s lawyers could potentially name Brian Albert and Brian Higgins as suspects in front of the jury. But she noted only if evidence supporting it comes out at trial. Cannone also ruled that there was no evidence to show Collin Albert was ever in the house at Fairview Road at the time of O’Keefe’s death.
In a separate court filing Monday, Cannone said she would not allow Michael Easter, a retired FBI agent, to testify on behalf of the defense about the quality of the investigation into the death of O’Keefe. Read’s lawyers wanted Easter to talk about flaws and procedural issues.
The start of jury selection comes after several failed attempts by the defense to get the case thrown out.
Read’s first trial ended with a hung jury in July 2024.
Hundreds are expected to gather outside the courthouse over the next several weeks in support of Read.
“It’s worldwide; the world is watching,” said Bonnie Fitzgibbon in Dedham.
Get caught up with all the latest news in the Karen Read case.
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Karen Read tells her story in exclusive one-on-one interview: Watch the extended cut:
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