Karen Read retrial: First jury questions could favor defense, experts say

The primary collection of questions from jury members who have been despatched again to the courtroom within the motion of Karen Learn is usually a optimistic signal for her protection – not less than because it pertains to essentially the most severe indictment with which she is confronted, consultants say.

Choose Beverly Cannone learn the three questions in courtroom round 11 am Tuesday:

1. “What’s the timeframe for the OUI (working beneath the affect) Calculation? 12:45 or 5 hours?”
2. “Are video clips from Karen’s interviews proof?”
3. “Condemning condemnation responsible of a subcadder, for instance infringement 2 No. 5, the general indictment?”

Karen Learn’s judgment may come shortly – or not: that is what different circumstances present

Karen Leest leaves Norfolk Superior Courtroom beginning as jury causes, Tuesday 17 June 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Richard Beetham for Fox Information Digital)

“Undoubtedly the protection is delighted,” says Jack Lu, a retired choose of Massachusetts and Professor in Boston School Regulation.

Questions one and three are favorable for the protection, Lu advised Fox Information Digital, whereas two are ‘impartial’. All three point out Jury members consider A lesser report as an alternative of the highest counting of homicide within the first diploma.

Learn is accused of killing her then pal John O

View: Karen Learn Learn Recounts Evening of Consuming in Native Bar in 2024 Tv Interview

Mark Beerow, a lawyer-based lawyer who represents Learn Ally and Canton blogger Aidan Kearney, stated that the questions would have been answered if the protection motion for a modified jury-slip was rejected on Monday.

Karen Learn’s protection needs to simplify a judgment slip as a result of jury members deliberate the indictment of homicide

“Plainly the jury is fully targeted on OUI on the premise of all three questions,” he stated. “This contains the issue with the rely 2 slip and appears to be a repeat of what occurred through the first take a look at – when a confused jury apparently acquitted on all the costs of homicide circumstances and have become confused with the difficult directions concerning the Rely 2 Lessers.”

View: Karen -Learn jury members despatched 3 inquiries to assess because the deliberations proceed

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The primary strategy of Learn ended final yr in a hung jury after jury members had gone for greater than 25 hours in 4 days with out reaching an settlement.

Lawyer David Yannetti warned that the prevailing judgment slip has a “actual potential to confuse the jury and trigger errors” – aimed toward Rely 2 – the drunken floating manslaughter. The slip signifies that jury members can’t discover her responsible of the indictment and a collection of lesser violations, or they will discover her individually responsible of three much less severe crimes starting from involuntary manslaughter to drunk driving.

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

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Learn set her drink within the hours earlier than the demise of O’Keefe in a documentary interview that was performed through the trial.

“The drinks they provide me at McCarthy’s, the place I consumed many of the alcohol, was the weakest vodka -Tonic,” she advised the digicam. “It tasted similar to all of the comfortable drink water with lime, not that I must be a Martini, but it surely may need a touch of vodka.”

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Officer John O’Keefe poses for his official headshot. O’Keefe’s girlfriend, Karen Reed, at the moment stands for homicide after he was discovered lifeless in January 2022 exterior a home in Massachusetts. (Boston Police Division)

The blood alcohol content material of Learn was estimated at round 0.09% when she was admitted to the hospital for a test in psychological well being care after the invention of the stays of O’Keefe. 9 hours earlier, on the time of his demise, it was estimated that it was significantly increased, though the protection argued that she may have continued to drink after returning residence.

“That tells me that they focused on how alcohol performed a job on this case, regardless of the final jury thought,” stated Grace Edwards, a lawyer in Massachusetts who follows the case.

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Learn faces to life in jail when they’re convicted for essentially the most severe indictment-twisted homicide. A few of the OUI-related prices even have multi-year fines, Edwards stated.