After deliberating for a 4th day and hours after telling the judge they were unable to reach a verdict, Judge Beverly Cannone told court that the jurors in the Karen Read murder trial will return to deliberate on Monday.
Earlier Friday, the jurors in the high-profile Karen Read murder trial told Judge Beverly Cannone that they’ve been “unable to reach a unanimous verdict” after less than four full days of deliberations.
‘Clear your heads’: Judge sends Karen Read jurors back to try to reach verdict in murder trial
After considering opinions on the matter from the prosecution and defense, Cannone ordered the jurors back to work to try to reach a verdict, saying they hadn’t been deliberating for a sufficient amount of time.
Around 3:45 p.m., the judge told the courtroom that the Jurors would like to continue deliberating until 4:15 p.m. Around 4:20, the courtroom briefly refilled before Cannone said jurors will continue to deliberate next week.
We came in briefly to the courtroom and Judge in the Karen Read trial said the jury has asked to continue deliberating until 4:15pm
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) June 28, 2024
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with her car and leaving him for dead in the snow in Canton in January 2022, but the defense has made a case that she is being framed.
Jurors are deciding whether Read is guilty or not guilty of second-degree murder, which in Massachusetts is punishable by life in prison with the possibility of parole. Read also faces lesser charges of manslaughter while operating a vehicle under the influence, punishable by five to 20 years, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, punishable by up to 10 years.
VERDICT WATCH: Day 4 of jury deliberations in the Karen Read murder trial.
VERDICT WATCH: Day 4 of jury deliberations in the Karen Read murder trial.
Posted by Boston 25 News on Friday, June 28, 2024
LIVE COURT UPDATES:
4:18 p.m.
Cannone sends the jury in the Karen Read murder trial home for the weekend. They will return Monday to continue deliberations.
3:40 p.m.
The courtroom briefly refills as the judge said the jury has asked to continue deliberating until 4:15 pm
12:20 p.m.
Judge Cannone says she is not prepared to end deliberations due to the amount of witnesses, evidence, and complexity of this case. The judge is now telling them to continue to try to reach a verdict. Sending them back to deliberate.
Video of the discussion over the deadlock is below.
Judge Cannone says she not prepared to end deliberations due to the amount of witnesses, evidence and complexity of this case. Judge is now telling them to continue to try to reach a verdict. Sending them back at that.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) June 28, 2024
12:10 p.m.
In a note, the jury says they have conducted an “exhaustive” review of the evidence.
Breaking: Judge in Karen Read trial says the jury has sent a note saying they have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict.
Breaking: Judge in Karen Read trial says jury has sent a note saying they have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) June 28, 2024
11:55 a.m.
The jury has another question for the court.
Court clerk tells us there is another jury question in the Karen Read trial.
— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) June 28, 2024
9 a.m.
The judge said the jury could set their own timetable for leaving early and staying late.
The defense team is getting dropped off on the left side of the courthouse and going straight in with a police escort.
Good morning from inside the courtroom in the Commonwealth vs. Karen Read. #Boston25
-Today is the 4th day of jury deliberations on the Friday before the 4th of July week.
-Judge said jury can set their own timetable for leaving early, staying late.
-Defense team is getting… pic.twitter.com/FO6vM8gm3u— Ted Daniel (@TedDanielnews) June 28, 2024
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Jurors were handed the case on Tuesday after closing statements were delivered and have been deliberating for about 16 hours at this point.
Read is accused of dropping O’Keefe off at another officer’s house party after a night of drinking, and then ramming him with her SUV and leaving him to die in a snowstorm. But her defense team argues she was framed, and that the evidence shows O’Keefe was beaten up by someone else inside the house, bitten by a dog, and left outside.
Karen Read’s jurors weigh evidence in a murder trial that challenged police integrity
On Thursday, both sides including Read and her team only entered the courtroom twice, once in the morning when the jury arrived and again at the end of the day when they were sent home.
Former state prosecutor and defense attorney Marty Kane said you’re generally looking for a quick verdict as a defense attorney and said he would have expected it sooner.
“They have heard six weeks, seven weeks of trial, 60, 70 witnesses. They respect their obligation as jurors, and they are going to be diligent, go through all that evidence, marshal the evidence, and come back with a unanimous verdict,” Kane told Boston 25.
Kane also reminds it’s the job of the foreperson to make sure the group of jurors comes to a consensus.
The jury of 12 comprises six men and six women, plus two alternates. One juror was dismissed before closing arguments on Tuesday morning.
The trial began on April 16 with jury selection. Opening statements were delivered on April 29, followed by 29 days of testimony in front of the jury.
Closing arguments came Tuesday after the Commonwealth called 68 witnesses, while the defense called six.
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Karen Read’s jurors weigh evidence in a murder trial that challenged police integrity
Is she a murderer or was she framed? Everything to know right now about the Karen Read trial
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