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Accused Massachusetts cop killer Karen Read compares supporters to Vietnam War protesters after mistrial

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2 years ago

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Accused Massachusetts cop killer Karen Read compares supporters to Vietnam War protesters after mistrial

Massachusetts murder suspect Karen Read compared her supporters to Vietnam War protesters, telling a group Monday, “Thank you. I hope I meet all of you one day, and I don’t know you, but I love you.” 

Read, 44, has been accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, 46, in January 2022 by striking him with her SUV and letting him freeze to death in the snow outside a Canton home. 

Read has maintained her innocence and went to trial, which ended in a mistrial in July. Prosecutors plan to retry her in January.

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Karen Read departs Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass. on Aug. 9, 2024. (Patriot Pics/Backgrid for Fox News Digital)

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Stopping by the group demonstrating on the side of the highway in Dedham on Labor Day, Read expressed her appreciation for their support.

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“You’re brave,” Read told the crowd, and then compared their efforts to protests of the Vietnam War, which left nearly 60,000 Americans and millions of Vietnamese dead.

“You would’ve protested the Vietnam War and ended it. And this is the modern equivalent to that, so thank you all,” she said in footage obtained by WCVB.

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Read’s trial this year ignited dueling demonstrations outside the Dedham courthouse, with many supporting Read and advocating for her innocence as others voiced their belief in her guilt. 

O’KEEFE FAMILY FILES WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AGAINST KAREN READ FOR ‘RECKLESS CONDUCT’

After the mistrial, Read’s attorneys asked that the charges be thrown out by arguing jurors had voted to acquit her but misunderstood deliberation procedures. 

A judge denied the request, and since then, many people have continued to demonstrate across Massachusetts in support of her.

KAREN READ ARRIVES AT MASSACHUSETTS COURT THROUGH SEA OF ‘COP KILLER’ CHANTS, SUPPORTERS IN FIGHT TO DROP CASE

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Supporters of Karen Read celebrate near Norfolk Superior Court on July 1, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

Read pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

Prosecutors said Read dropped O’Keefe off at a house party hosted by a fellow officer after a night of drinking, then mowed him down while making a three-point turn and drove away.

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Read’s defense team countered that she had been framed by someone who beat O’Keefe to death inside the home.

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Read is free while she awaits her new trial, which is set to begin on Jan. 27.



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Massachusetts

DCR announces return of Pride Hikes at Massachusetts state parks

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15 minutes ago

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June 8, 2026

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DCR announces return of Pride Hikes at Massachusetts state parks


AMHERST, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) has announced the return of its Pride Hikes, a series of guided walks across several state parks in celebration of the LGBTQ+ community.

These events will take place throughout June to create welcoming outdoor experiences for all communities during Pride Month. Each of the six hikes will be held at a different DCR property, with the events varying in length, terrain, and level of difficulty.

Participants are welcome to dress in Pride colors and are encouraged to bring necessary hiking supplies, including sturdy footwear, water, bug spray, and sunscreen.

“Our public lands and open spaces belong to everyone, and our Pride Hikes are a chance to celebrate the beauty of our landscapes and of each other,” said DCR Commissioner Nicole LaChapelle. “We’re welcoming members of the LGBTQIA+ community, their families, friends, and allies into our parks to enjoy the outdoors together and strengthen connections to nature and one another. We’re grateful to our partners across the state for helping create welcoming spaces where people can celebrate Pride, build community and experience a sense of belonging.”

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The DCR is partnering with Queer Men of the Berkshires, the Stonewall Center at UMass Amherst, OUT MetroWest, and the Greater Boston and Franklin-Hampshire chapters of Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays to host this series of hikes, with additional support from volunteers with Mass Audubon and RiverCulture.

This year’s Pride Hikes will take place at the following DCR properties:

  • Great Falls Discovery Center, Montague
    • Sunday, June 14, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
  • Wachusett Reservoir, Clinton
    • Saturday, June 20, 7:30 to 9:15 p.m.
  • Mount Holyoke Range State Park, Amherst
    • Saturday, June 27, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.
  • Riverfront State Park, Lawrence
    • Saturday, June 27, 1 to 3 p.m.
  • Douglas State Forest, Douglas
    • Saturday, June 27, 2 to 4 p.m.
  • Bristol Blake State Reservation, Norfolk
    • Sunday, June 28, 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.

The hikes are subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather. To learn more about each Pride Hike location, visit mass.gov.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by WWLP. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat information into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by WWLP staff before being published.

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