Karen Read murder trial deemed a mistrial after multi-day jury deliberations

A decide declared a mistrial Monday after jurors stated they have been at an deadlock within the homicide trial of Karen Learn, the Massachusetts girl accused of killing her police officer boyfriend in 2022.

The choice got here on the fifth day of deliberations and after a nine-week trial in a courthouse outdoors Boston the place Learn’s legal professionals described the killing of John O’Keefe, 46, as a cover-up carried out by legislation enforcement officers. 

Prosecutors had argued that Learn, 44, and O’Keefe had a tumultuous relationship that culminated with the monetary analyst backing her Lexus SUV into her boyfriend and leaving him for useless on Jan. 29, 2022.

Learn was charged with second-degree homicide, motorcar manslaughter whereas driving below the affect and leaving the scene of a collision inflicting loss of life.

In a word despatched Monday afternoon to Norfolk County Superior Courtroom Decide Beverly Cannone, the foreman stated that regardless of rigorous efforts, the jury of six males and 6 girls remained deadlocked. Some believed the proof surpassed the usual of proof wanted to convict Learn, the word stated, whereas others discovered that prosecutors had not established their case.

In an earlier word to Cannone, the jurors stated: “Regardless of our dedication to the obligation entrusted in us, we discover ourselves deeply divided by basic variations in our opinions and frame of mind.”

After the mistrial was declared, Cannone set a standing listening to for the case later this month.

In a press release, the district legal professional’s workplace thanked O’Keefe’s household and stated prosecutors intend to retry the case.

Outdoors the courthouse, a lawyer for Learn, Alan Jackson, instructed reporters that prosecutors had relied on compromised investigators and a compromised investigation.

“We won’t cease combating,” he stated.

O’Keefe’s physique was discovered unresponsive that morning, and he was later pronounced useless. The health worker attributed his explanation for loss of life to blunt drive trauma to the pinnacle and hypothermia.

Her legal professionals alleged that she was framed by officers who sought to hide a beating that they stated O’Keefe suffered throughout a gathering on the house the place his physique was discovered.

The protection alleged that the lead investigator within the case, Massachusetts state Trooper Michael Proctor, manipulated proof, did not correctly examine O’Keefe’s loss of life and despatched a collection of slurs and vulgar messages about Learn to associates, household and supervisors.

In his closing argument final Tuesday, Norfolk County Assistant District Legal professional Adam Lally acknowledged that Proctor’s texts have been “indefensible” however stated that they had no bearing on the integrity of the company’s investigation.

Lally dismissed the protection’s declare of a cover-up as “rampant hypothesis.”