Defendant Karen Read won’t testify as prosecution plays crucial interviews

The choice of Karen Learn’s Protection Workforce to not name her to the witness financial institution is a bet that might assist or hinder her case after the persecution had performed her dangerous interview clips in her second homicide course of – in order that the jury might hear the model of Learn in her personal phrases.

Learn is confronted with the potential for life in jail for the alleged homicide of her boyfriend, police officer of Boston, John O’Keefe. The prosecutor learn claims learn O

The Learn’s protection group insists that her automobile by no means contacted O’Keefe and there was no collision.

“Once I got here to follow for the primary time, it was” by no means put in your buyer “,” New York Metropolis lawyer Louis Gelormino instructed Fox Information Digital. “However typically I do not agree with that. I believe we’ve achieved our largest victories once we put our consumer within the stands.”

Karen Learn’s actual crime documentaries can affect the second trial: courtroom paperwork

Karen Las Walks with one in all her attorneys, Alan Jackson, Mass throughout her trial Tuesday 27 Might 2025 in Dedham. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)

On Tuesday, the protection submitted the proposed jury directions of the group that point out that studying doesn’t take the place in its course of.

“As you realize, Mrs Learn didn’t testify throughout this check,” mentioned the directions. “Chances are you’ll not maintain that towards her. Mrs. Learn has an absolute proper to not testify as a result of, as I’ve defined, she is meant to be harmless and doesn’t need to do something to persuade you that she is harmless.”

The directions emphasize that the explanation that Learn selected to not take the witness financial institution shouldn’t be related to the jury’s deliberations and can’t be thought-about as proof in its course of. Authorized consultants inform FOX Information Digital that the selection to forestall a suspect from not at all times be your best option.

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Karen studying and John O’Keefe posing for an undated picture. (Karen Learn)

Gerormino mentioned he believes that Learn would do a robust efficiency on the witness financial institution, however her bells to testify, doesn’t come with out dangers.

“I believe the explanation they conceal her is as a result of they do not need her to elucidate to all these movies they noticed that they weren’t appearing in a great way,” mentioned Gelormino.

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Karen learn conversations together with her attorneys Robert Alessi and David Yannetti throughout her trial on the Norfolk Superior Courtroom, Tuesday 6 Might 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)

Particular public prosecutor Hank Brennan performed numerous clips from Learn’s tv interviews and Koos Clips who might probably injury the protection.

“I additionally surprise, I mentioned,” I might have touched him, “” “” Mentioned Mentioned In an interview from 2024 with analysis discovery. “Or was I instructed to me that I used to be struck him. And I knew I might by no means have mentioned that, so the closest to what I ought to have mentioned was,” Did I hit him? “

Learn questions within the clip in the event that they ‘actual’ [said] It’s so typically as regulation enforcement claims. ”

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View: Karen Learn provides first hand Report of the night time earlier than the loss of life of John O’Keefe

In one other clip she spoke about nailing her personal drinks with additional images as a result of they weren’t robust sufficient.

Gerormino mentioned that the protection group most likely doesn’t wish to learn that she is being confronted together with her statements about cross -hearing, probably opening the door for days of tense questions from the state.

“They do not need them to elucidate all this misconduct or what individuals would suppose can be dangerous conduct,” mentioned Gelormino.

However the option to take the place could stop her from giving her statements within the interviews, whereas she additionally clarifies her facet of the story.

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Public Prosecutor Hank Brennan asks a witness throughout the Karen Reader Trial in Norfolk Superior Courtroom, Tuesday 27 Might 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)

“There are two sides of every forex,” Gelormino instructed Fox Information Digital. “You would put her on and attempt to clarify it to her, or you’ll be able to fully keep away from it.”

Lormino pointed to the fact that studying might appear defensive and on the identical time provide a proof for her tales on the digital camera, which might shift the jury’s notion about her character.

“As a lawyer it’s a must to clear it up,” mentioned Gelormino. “So you will spend a variety of time defending your character there.”

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Karen Learn arrives on day 22 of the Karen Reader Trial at Norfolk Superior Courtroom in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday 28 Might 2025. (Greg Derr / The Patriot Ledger / USA Right this moment Community through Imagn Photos)

The movies are a brand new impediment for the protection, as a result of they weren’t performed in Learn’s first check final yr.

“The primary jury virtually convicted of studying manslaughter whereas working below the affect”, retired Massachusetts Superior Courtroom Choose and Boston School Legislation Professor Jack Lu instructed Fox Information Digital. “That was with out video statements from the suspect. Right here we’ve many dangerous explanations, and perhaps a couple of extra in refutation.”

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LU mentioned that the protection didn’t attempt to sort out the video clips or give context with regard to Learn’s model of occasions on this level within the course of.

“So the identical course of plus the dangerous video, the place the jury is sort of convicted, is dangerous for the protection,” mentioned Lu.

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Whereas the protection continues to name witnesses, the exceptional absence of Learn’s personal testimony will most likely solely be fully felt if the jury surpasses its judgment, whereby the persecution as the one facet that selected to incorporate her personal phrases within the courtroom.

“Primarily based on the truth that they’d a hung jury for the final time, [the defense has] An honest matter, “Lormino instructed Fox Information Digital.” So do you wish to smash that by defending her actions and character for the subsequent two or three days within the stands? That may be a tough determination. ”