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Karen Read defense faces 'high-wire' act as retrial's opening statements kick off, experts say

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Karen Read defense faces 'high-wire' act as retrial's opening statements kick off, experts say

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Karen Read’s retrial in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, kicks off Tuesday with opening statements, months after jurors deadlocked on the case and prosecutors had to start over. But experts expect a tough fight for the former financial analyst.

Read, 45, is charged with murder, manslaughter and fleeing the scene for allegedly striking O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022. He was found on fellow officer Brian Albert’s front lawn hours later with signs of hypothermia and traumatic injuries to his head.

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Read has pleaded not guilty, denied killing O’Keefe and alleged she is being framed, attempting to sow reasonable doubt in prosecutors’ claims and asserting that someone else killed O’Keefe and had ties to and influence over the investigation.

Albert hosted an after-party that evening, inviting a group of friends and acquaintances to drop by after the local bars closed at midnight. Attendees testified that O’Keefe never came inside. 

UNFAZED KAREN READ STARES DOWN LINGERING QUESTIONS ABOUT ‘DOG BITES,’ TEXTS WITH RETRIAL READY FOR KICKOFF

Karen Read’s booking photo (Massachusetts State Police)

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan and lead defense attorney Alan Jackson are slated to begin opening statements Tuesday. Experts say observers should expect fireworks.

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For the retrial, Judge Beverly Cannone has placed limits on how the defense can raise its theory that an alternate perpetrator is responsible for O’Keefe’s death. 

“Like a high-wire specialist, Alan is going to dance the line,” said Linda Kenney Baden, a high-profile defense attorney who has been following the case. “Sometimes when you do that, you fall off or, in this case, Brennan is going to try to push him off objecting.”

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John O’Keefe (Courtesy of Karen Read)

She said limiting what the defense can say in their opening about a potential third-party culprit is a severe hurdle for Read’s team.

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“Judge Cannone is going to cut the defense off at its kneecaps,” she said. She noted that David Yannetti, another one of Read’s lawyers, opened the first trial by claiming she had been framed.

KAREN READ AND JOHN O’KEEFE: INSIDE EVOLUTION OF BOSTON MURDER MYSTERY SINCE JULY MISTRIAL

“She did not cause his death, and that means that somebody else did,” Yannetti told the court in April 2024.

He pointed to the controversial lead investigator, Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was fired last month as a result of an internal investigation into his conduct.

Karen Read is shown with her attorneys, David Yannetti, left, and Alan Jackson during jury selection at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., on April 15, 2025. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP/Pool)

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Now that Proctor is no longer a member of law enforcement, the prosecution actually may have an easier time overcoming his sultry text messages in the eyes of the jury, according to Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor.

KAREN READ PROSECUTOR WANTS TO BLOCK DEFENSE FROM BLAMING AFTER-PARTY GUESTS, PET DOG IN OPENING STATEMENT

“Now that Proctor’s been fired, the prosecution can own these bad facts and get ahead of them,” he said Monday. “By ‘fronting’ the unprofessional and embarrassing evidence impeaching Proctor for the jury, and showing Proctor has been terminated for his misconduct, the commonwealth will have a better chance of securing a conviction this time.”

Retrials tend to go better for prosecutors, who know what to expect from witnesses for the defense, said Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based attorney and adjunct professor at Northwestern University’s School of Law.

Special Assistant District Attorney Hank Brennan introduces himself during jury selection in the murder trial of Karen Read at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., on April 15, 2025. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald via AP/Pool)

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“I think she faces a major uphill climb,” he told Fox News Digital. “They have many witnesses locked into their story. As for a prediction, I say the prosecutors are going to win this case as they are going to be loaded for bear with respect to her expert witnesses.”

Defense experts were key to Read’s strategy in the first trial, when they testified that O’Keefe’s injuries were inconsistent with being struck by an SUV.

Another attendee of the after-party was Brian Higgins, an ATF agent. Higgins and Read exchanged romantic text messages, and he testified that she once kissed him outside O’Keefe’s house.

ATF Agent Brian Higgins speaks during the Karen Read murder trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Mass., on May 28, 2024. (Stuart Cahill/Boston Herald via AP/Pool)

Speaking outside the courthouse last week, Read left open the possibility of taking the stand in her own defense, something she opted not to do last year. Since then, she’s given multiple media interviews, appearing on TV and in print to share her side of the story.

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Brennan, a specially appointed assistant district attorney brought in to spearhead the second trial, asked the court to appoint a third-party reader to read text messages between the defendant and the victim to the jury in court. Her defense opposed the move in writing Friday, arguing that an appointed reader could potentially drum up unfair prejudice with an over-dramatic inflection.

During the first trial, Massachusetts State Trooper Nick Guarino read the texts. The defense argued that was standard procedure.

Read the defense opposition to ‘independent readers’:

In the months since her first trial ended in a mistrial, the former lead investigator saw himself fired by the Massachusetts State Police over his handling of the investigation, which included sharing confidential materials in text messages that included lewd and unprofessional remarks about Read.

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He joked that he’d searched her confiscated phone for nude photos, called her a “c—” and said he wished she’d kill herself.

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Judge Beverly J. Cannone addresses potential jurors as jury selection continues for the murder retrial of Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court, April 14, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Pat Greenhouse/Boston Globe via AP/Pool)

The defense also raised evidence-collection and chain-of-custody concerns surrounding Read’s vehicle, fragments of the taillight authorities said they recovered at the scene and other key items.

Close to the time of his death, she allegedly left him a voicemail saying, “I hate you.” The two had also argued the morning before his death, but they went out drinking that night. 

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A key part of the retrial is expected to include expert testimony about injuries found on O’Keefe’s right arm, which the defense argues were caused by a dog and is potential evidence that he wasn’t killed by a vehicular strike but rather in a fight.

The defense will call Garrett Wing, a dog trainer, and the prosecution will have testimony from Dr. James Crosby.

The trial is expected to last six to eight weeks after taking more than two weeks to seat a jury.

Read could face a maximum of life in prison if convicted.

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Northeast

Pennsylvania state trooper fatally shot during traffic stop, officials say

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Pennsylvania state trooper fatally shot during traffic stop, officials say

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A Pennsylvania state trooper was shot and killed on Sunday night while conducting a traffic stop in Chester County, according to officials.

The shooting happened in West Caln Township shortly after 9 p.m. during a traffic stop near Compass and Michael roads.

Gov. Josh Shapiro announced that the trooper, identified as Timothy O’Connor, died from the shooting.

PENNSYLVANIA BUS DRIVER CHARGED WITH ENDANGERING DOZENS OF ELEMENTARY STUDENTS WHILE INTOXICATED

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L-R: Aerial footage of hospital; Corporal Timothy J. O’Connor Jr. (WTXF; PA State Police)

“I am profoundly saddened to announce that tonight, Pennsylvania State Police family lost a son, lost a hero, and lost a dedicated public servant,” Shapiro said at a press briefing.

“Corporal Timothy O’Connor is killed tonight doing what he’s dedicated his life to. And that is serving others, keeping our community safe, looking out for his fellow Pennsylvanians, especially right here in Chester County,” he continued. “Our entire Commonwealth, State Police family, Chester County, are mourning the loss of Corporal O’Connor.”

The governor added: “He died protecting others, and that is a noble calling. That is something we are profoundly grateful for tonight.”

The shooting happened in West Caln Township shortly after 9 p.m. during a traffic stop near Compass and Michael roads. (Pennsylvania State Police)

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Police “put their lives on the line every single day to protect us, to look after us, to ensure our well-being,” Shapiro said. “That’s what Tim was doing tonight. I hope that the good people of Pennsylvania take a moment to appreciate all who put on a uniform, especially the uniform of the Pennsylvania State Police, and go out every day to look after us, do a lot every day and run into danger to keep the rest of us safe.”

Shapiro said flags in Pennsylvania will be flown at half-staff on Monday in honor of O’Connor.

MINNESOTA POLICE SERGEANT, FATHER OF TWO, DIES SUDDENLY AFTER BRAIN INFECTION

Gov. Josh Shapiro said flags in Pennsylvania will be flown at half-staff on Monday. (Gilbert Carrasquillo/GC Images)

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Chester County Commissioner Eric Roe also said he was praying for the trooper.

“Chester County’s brave police officers put their lives on the line for us every day. I thank all of them for their extraordinary bravery and sacrifice,” Roe said on Facebook.

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Boston, MA

Boston Police Blotter: Southie pub brawl leads to alleged stabbing

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Boston Police Blotter: Southie pub brawl leads to alleged stabbing


Two people were stabbed following an alleged bar brawl in Southie over the weekend.

According to a police report, officers arrived at Tom English’s around 10:30 p.m., Friday for a report of a fight. When they arrived on the scene, a victim told police that he was sucker punched during a fight and pointed out a person who was the “main aggressor” throughout the incident.

The suspect was pat frisked by police, but the report said they did not find any weapons. “The suspect stated that he was jumped [by the party of the victim,” the report said. “The suspect refused to cooperate any further after repeated attempts by officers to get his version of events.”

Both the suspect and victim declined EMS.

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Then about an hour later, three more victims arrived at a nearby police station to report that two of them had been stabbed in the fight at Tom English. One of the unnamed victims said that the fight started after the suspect kept moving coins he put down to play pool. The suspect, according to one of the other victims, told them to meet him outside.

All parties were kicked out by a bouncer and “a large brawl ensued,” the report said. The victims told police that that suspect brandished a knife and the victims said they “fled the scene on foot fearing for their lives.”

In the report, police noted that they saw wounds on two of the victims. EMS was called to treat them.

BPD did not confirm whether the suspect was arrested.

Fireworks call leads to firearm recovery in Mattapan

Reports of fireworks led Boston Police to recover a firearm Monday night in Mattapan.

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Officers responded to the area around Callender Street at about 10 p.m. for a call of shots fire, but a supervisor alerted them that individuals were shooting off fireworks.

When police got to the scene, they said they saw a group of people standing near a car that had several packages of fireworks. As officers approached, one man started to sprint towards Blue Hill Ave., throwing a jacket off as he ran, according to BPD.

Multiple officers responded to detain the suspect and a pat frisk of the jacket uncovered a ghost gun with 7 rounds in the magazine, police said.

Kahnari White, 24, of Mattapan was charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license, carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm without an FID card, and possession of a large capacity feeding device.

While the foot pursuit and arrest of White unfolded, police said the group standing with the fireworks began to become “hostile and threatening to an officer who remained with them on scene.”

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One person allegedly continued to threaten an officer and bumped him on the chest as more officers arrived.

“Multiple de-escalation tactics were attempted, but the suspect continued to threaten officers,” Boston police said in a statement.

Eventually, officers were able to detain Sean Galvez, 40, of Quincy. Galvez was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and assault and battery on a police officer.

Both suspects are expected to be arraigned at Dorchester District Court.

Gun recovered after foot chase in Dorchester

A 22-year-old from Dorchester was arrested on gun charges after police said they approached the suspect for drinking in public Monday night.

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Officers saw a group on Draper St. drinking publicly around 8:30 p.m., and when they approached them, one individual started to walk away.

“When officers advised the male that he could not be drinking alcohol in public, he fled on foot,” Boston Police said in a statement. “A foot pursuit ensued, and officers stopped the suspect.”

Police recovered a Smith and Wesson M&P Bodyguard .380 with nine rounds in the magazine during a pat frisk and said that the serial number on the gun was defaced.

Denilson Pires was arrested and charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, and defacing a firearm serial number.

He is expected to be arraigned at Dorchester District Court.

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Pittsburg, PA

Steelers Add Year to Cam Heyward’s Contract, Creating Cap Space

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Steelers Add Year to Cam Heyward’s Contract, Creating Cap Space


The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have some clarity on Cameron Heyward’s short-term future with the team.

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac, the Steelers have added an extra year to Heyward’s deal. As a result, they freed up right around $5.5 million in cap space.

Heyward’s contract is now worth $32.25 million across two seasons, though only the first of those two years is guaranteed.

The reigning second-team All-Pro previously had one year left on his contract, which carried a cap hit of $19.150 million.

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Heyward’s deal was a source of contention during training camp last summer, as the 15-year veteran looked to negotiate his contract after previously having agreed to a two-year, $29 million extension leading into the 2024 campaign.

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Nov 23, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Cameron Heyward (97) against the Chicago Bears during the second half at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images | Mike Dinovo-Imagn Images

The 36-year-old, who was a first-team All-Pro that year, later compromised with Pittsburgh after it added a little over $3 million in incentives to his contract before Week 1 of the 2025 season.

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Over 17 games, Heyward recorded a total of 3.5 sacks and 78 tackles with a forced fumble.

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With it appearing set in stone that he’ll return for the 2026 season after agreeing to his modified deal, the question now becomes whether or not Heyward will play out the duration of his contract through 2027.

What Could Steelers Do with Extra Money?

Pittsburgh was rather active both shortly before and immediately after the legal tampering period began, re-signing cornerback Asante Samuel Jr. and linebacker Cole Holcomb while also signing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Jamel Dean and acquiring wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. via trade from the Indianapolis Colts, whom it immediately inked to a three-year, $59 million extension.

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It’s been a bit quiet for the Steelers since that initial wave, however, with punter Cameron Johnston representing their only move on the second day of free agency.

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There’s still plenty of names out there on the open market, and with needs remaining along the offensive line, at safety and receiver even after adding Pittman Jr., the action shouldn’t stop for Pittsburgh.

While quarterback remains the most substantial question mark for the Steelers on paper, the widespread assumption remains that Aaron Rodgers will eventually return to the franchise. When that decision will, or could, become official, though, is anyone’s best guess at the moment.

The money Pittsburgh saved by revising Heyward’s contract could help fill out its roster not only through free agency, but also via the 2026 NFL Draft now that it has 12 picks at its disposal upon being awarded four compensatory selections.

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