Take a closer look at the charges Karen Read jurors are weighing, late changes to the verdict slip

DEDHAM, Mass. — Jurors in the Karen Read murder trial are weighing three criminal charges as they continue to deliberate her fate.

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. The defense has made a case that O’Keefe was beaten up in a fight — only to have his body dumped outside in a panic before other officers framed Read for his murder.

The three criminal charges Read is facing calls for differing prison sentences. The jury will ultimately decide whether she’s guilty or not guilty. Take a closer look at what jurors are considering:

Offense 1: Second-degree murder (Read intended to kill O’Keefe, or knew she could kill him)

• No lesser included
• Maximum penalty of life in prison with opportunity for parole

Offense 2: Manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under the influence (Recklessly knowing something like this could result in death)

Check one or both:

• manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle under the influence (same)
• manslaughter while operating a motor vehicle with a BAL of .08 or greater
• Minimum penalty of 5 years in prison, but punishable by up to 20 years in state prison

Lesser included 1: Involuntary manslaughter (Acted recklessly and showed indifference and disregard, regardless of, if she knew it or not)

• Maximum of 20 years in prison or a minimum of 2.5 years in jail or house of corrections

Lesser included 2: Negligent motor vehicle homicide while operating under the influence (Read acted negligent and knew she might have endangered O’Keefe)

Check one or both:

• Motor Vehicle Homicide by OUI (no negligence)
• And/Or: Motor Vehicle Homicide over the legal limit of .08
• A minimum penalty of 30 days and up to 2 ½ years

Offense 3: Leaving the scene of a fatal crash

• The only options are guilty and not guilty
• A minimum penalty of 6 months and a max of 2 years

It’s important to note that a lesser included charge is a less serious crime committed during the commission of a greater crime. The lesser crime contains some of the same elements as the greater crime, and the greater crime cannot be proven unless.

The trial began on April 16 with jury selection. Opening statements were delivered on April 29, followed by 29 days of testimony in front of the jury. Closing arguments came Tuesday after the Commonwealth called 68 witnesses, while the defense called six.

When jurors returned to court Wednesday for Day 2 of deliberations, defense attorney Alan Jackson went back and forth with Judge Beverly Cannone 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.

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

See the amended slip below:

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