Judge slams Karen Read for smirking at her as she awaits fate in murder trial: ‘This is funny?’
Karen Read was slapped down by a Massachusetts judge Wednesday for seemingly making a face during a discussion over key documents — as the jury continued to deliberate her fate in the sensational murder trial.
A video feed of the proceedings showed a seated Read obscured by defense lawyer Alan Jackson, who was standing as he had been addressing the judge.
Suddenly, Norfolk County Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone stopped and said: “Excuse me. This is funny, Ms. Read?”
The back of Read’s head could be seen shaking back and forth.
The judge responded: “All right, we’re done.”
It wasn’t clear what prompted Cannone to reprimand Read.
Jackson was contesting the verdict sheet that the jury must fill out, arguing that the wording would unfairly steer jurors toward a guilty verdict.
What to know about the Karen Read murder case
- Karen Read, 44, was charged with second-degree murder for allegedly mowing down her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, as she was dropping him off to meet friends in Canton, Mass., on Jan. 29, 2022.
- The night of O’Keefe’s death, the couple had been out on a bar crawl, with Read allegedly consuming seven drinks in just 90 minutes, according to reports.
- Prosecutors claim that after Read drunkenly ran over her boyfriend, she drove off and left O’Keefe to die outside as a snowstorm was set to sweep in.
- Read’s lawyers argued she was framed in a sweeping law enforcement cover-up and that O’Keefe actually died after getting into an altercation with his officer friends.
- The two-month trial that had 74 witnesses featured stunning revelations, including “unprofessional” messages by the lead detective, and crowds of fawning supporters who cheered Read outside court each day.
- On July 1, 2024, Judge Beverly Cannone declared a mistrial in the case, since the jury was not able to reach a unanimous verdict after five days of deliberations.
- Read faced up to life in prison if she had been convicted on the top count of murder.
But Cannone overruled Jackson’s objection, saying it was the standard verdict sheet in Massachusetts courts for this type of case.
Later, the judge said she reconsidered Jackson’s concern about the verdict sheet and read an additional instruction to the jury to clarify, also sending them a tweaked version of the form.
Read is charged with second-degree murder for allegedly mowing down her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her Lexus SUV after a night of drinking.
Prosecutors claim she then left O’Keefe to die in the snow during a storm on Jan. 28, 2022.
If convicted, she faces up to life in prison.
The jury deliberated for three hours Tuesday and has continued deliberating for a second day Wednesday.
