Massachusetts
Protesters gather in Florence to support woman accused of murder in Massachusetts
FLORENCE, S.C. (WPDE) — Over a dozen people protested Monday in a grassy median on Highway 327 right at I-95 in Florence.
The group captured much attention as they held signs and chanted, “Free Karen Read.”
Read is accused of hitting her boyfriend with her SUV outside a Massachusetts home in January of 2022, leaving him to die in a snowstorm following a night of drinking, according to media outlets.
Her boyfriend, John O’Keef, was a Boston police officer.
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Read’s defense said O’Keefe was dragged outside after he was beaten up in the basement and bitten by a dog at a fellow Boston police officer’s home.
Read’s first trial ended earlier this summer with a hung jury. She’s expected to retry early next year.
Those demonstrating are from parts of the Pee Dee and Horry County.
A few of them said they lived in Massachusetts, but have no connection to Read.
The group said they’ve followed her case and believe in her innocence.
We’re backing Karen. We also have cards that we are going to hand out. As people ask questions, we want to give them the cards. The information themselves. There’s also a QR code on there if they want to donate to Karen and help her out. They can do that as well. So, free Karen Read,” said Annette Stephenson.
Lauren Wilson and her fiancé traveled from Georgia to Florence to join the protest.
“You can see this is a mess. And she deserves justice. And so does the officer who died,” said Wilson.
The group said they’ll protest again if necessary to show their support for Read.
When Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey is informed of the latest scandal, indictment, or attempted billion-dollar bid-rigging etc., she inevitably claims to be as astonished as everyone else.
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A teenager was pulled from a pond in Milton, Massachusetts, after he went missing while swimming Saturday night.
The Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office said the teenaged male was taken to a Boston area hospital following the incident at Houghton’s Pond. It’s unclear how long the teen was under water, and there was no immediate word on his condition.
State police had said earlier that they responded to the pond shortly after 7 p.m. for a person who entered the water and didn’t resurface. State police divers, detectives, troopers, and the Milton Fire Department were all on scene involved in the search.
The DA’s office is conducting an investigation with state police that remains ongoing. Further information is not being released at this time.
This story will be updated when we learn more
A Massachusetts man is facing multiple charges for allegedly engaging in inappropriate communications and exposing himself to children.
Orate Kyle Graham, 20, of Bridgewater, was arrested this week on two counts of disseminating obscene material to a minor and one count of accosting or annoying another person.
Bridgewater police said they were made aware Tuesday of allegations involving interactions between several girls age 12 and 13 and an individual known to them only as “Jay.” The individual said he was 17 years old during conversations with the girls through FaceTime and in person.
Through an investigation, police identified “Jay” as Graham, and also found that he had regularly engaged in interactions with the minor victims. During those interactions, he allegedly exposed himself and asked the girls to expose themselves to him.
He was arrested Thursday and taken to the Plymouth County House of Correction, where he was held on $25,000 bail. The case remains under investigation by Bridgewater police and the Plymouth District Attorney’s Office.
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