Death of John O'Keefe
John O'Keefe | |
|---|---|
| Born | John J. O'Keefe III December 8, 1975 Braintree, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Died | January 29, 2022 (aged 46) Brockton, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Alma mater | Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Lowell |
| Occupation | Police officer |
| Employer | Boston Police Department |
| Partner | Karen Read (2020–2022) |
On January 29, 2022, at 6:03 am, Boston police officer John O'Keefe was found unconscious on the front lawn at 34 Fairview Road in Canton, Massachusetts. The residence belonged to Brian Albert, a fellow Boston police officer (now retired). O'Keefe's body was discovered by his girlfriend, Karen Read, along with Jennifer McCabe and Kerry Roberts. The women went searching for him after he failed to return home that morning. He was later declared dead at 7:59 am at Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton. An autopsy performed two days later found that O'Keefe died of impact injuries to the head. The medical examiner noted "a laceration to the back of his head, skull fractures, a cut above his right eye, abrasions on his nose and arm, two black eyes, and a scratch on his right knee." His manner of death was undetermined.
Read was arrested on February 1, 2022, and charged with manslaughter, motor vehicle homicide, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle collision causing death. She was accused of striking O'Keefe with her vehicle after he exited the car at 34 Fairview. Boston criminal defense attorney David Yannetti was hired as her counsel. On June 9 of the same year, with no new records, statements, or evidence, the Norfolk County District Attorney's Office announced that a grand jury indicted Read on an additional charge of second-degree murder. The upgraded charges resulted in Read's case being moved from Stoughton District Court to Norfolk County Superior Court, where it was assigned to Judge Beverly Cannone.
Read's first criminal trial began on April 22, 2024. Along with David Yannetti, she was represented by Los Angeles-based attorneys Elizabeth Little and Alan Jackson. It resulted in a mistrial on July 1, 2024, due to a hung jury.
Read was tried for a second time beginning on April 1, 2025. Two additional lawyers joined her defense team: Robert Alessi and Victoria George, an alternate juror in Read's first trial. On June 18, 2025, she was found not guilty on all three major charges after 21 hours of jury deliberations. She was found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence, receiving the standard sentence of one year of probation.