A Massachusetts jury discovered Karen Read not responsible of murdering her Boston police officer boyfriend in 2022, practically a yr after her first prosecution resulted in a mistrial.
She was acquitted of probably the most severe expenses, together with second-degree homicide, manslaughter and leaving the scene after an accident leading to loss of life.
The jury did discover her responsible of working underneath the affect of liquor. The decide instantly sentenced her to one-year probation, the usual for a first-time offense.
Cheers could possibly be heard from outdoors the courthouse, the place supporters of Learn have gathered, whereas the decision was being learn. Learn embraced her authorized group and cried following the decision.
A brand new “20/20” particular, “Karen Learn: The Verdict,” airing Wednesday, June 18, from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the following day on Hulu, examines the case.
Karen Learn hugs lawyer Alan Jackson after a not responsible verdict of second-degree homicide is learn in Norfolk Superior Court docket, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass.
Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger through AP, Pool
The jury started deliberating the afternoon of June 13 in Norfolk County earlier than reaching a verdict Wednesday afternoon.
Prosecutors alleged Learn hit her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, along with her automotive outdoors the Canton house of fellow police officer Brian Albert after an evening of heavy ingesting in January 2022 after which left him to die there throughout a significant blizzard.
The protection had argued that Learn’s automobile didn’t hit O’Keefe and as an alternative stated O’Keefe was attacked by a canine and crushed by different individuals who have been in the home earlier than he was thrown out within the snow to die.
Learn pleaded not responsible to the fees and has maintained her innocence.
Briefly remarks upon leaving the courthouse, she thanked her “wonderful supporters” for his or her monetary and emotional help for the previous practically 4 years.
“Nobody has fought tougher for justice than John O’Keefe than I’ve — than I’ve and my group,” Learn added.
Karen Learn leaves the courthouse after she was discovered not responsible of second-degree homicide on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass.
Josh Reynolds/AP
Karen Learn embraces a supporter as she leaves the courthouse firstly of the third day of jury deliberations in her trial at Norfolk Superior Court docket, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass.
Josh Reynolds/AP
Following the decision, a number of of the witnesses who testified towards Learn referred to as the results of the retrial “a devastating miscarriage of justice.”
“At this time, our hearts are with John and your entire O’Keefe household. They’ve suffered by a lot and deserved higher from our justice system,” members of the Albert and McCabe households stated in an announcement. “Whereas we might have extra to say sooner or later, at the moment we mourn with John’s household and lament the merciless actuality that this prosecution was contaminated by lies and conspiracy theories unfold by Karen Learn, her protection group, and a few within the media.”
Throughout deliberations, the jury requested 4 questions, together with, “If we discover not responsible on two expenses however cannot agree on one cost, is it a hung jury on all three expenses or only one cost?” the decide instructed attorneys in courtroom.
The decide instructed the jury she will not be ready to reply to their query, telling attorneys it was a “theoretical query.”
The jury additionally requested about the time-frame for when Learn is accused of driving underneath the affect, whether or not video clips from Learn’s interviews in regards to the case are to be thought-about as proof and if she is convicted on a sub-charge, if that will imply she is responsible on the general cost.
Karen Learn speaks after she was discovered not responsible of second-degree homicide on Wednesday, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass.
Josh Reynolds/AP
In an uncommon second, Choose Beverly Cannone instructed the courtroom earlier Wednesday that the jury had indicated throughout the lunch break that they’d reached a verdict, then up to date that they didn’t have a verdict. Cannone sealed that verdict slip and knowledgeable the courtroom that there was not but a verdict “as a result of, as everyone knows, there isn’t any verdict till it’s introduced and recorded in open courtroom.”
Learn’s first trial resulted in a mistrial in July 2024 after the jury couldn’t attain a verdict.
No less than 4 jurors who served on her first trial final yr have confirmed that she was discovered not responsible of second-degree homicide and leaving a scene of private harm and loss of life, in accordance with Learn’s attorneys. Nonetheless, the jury couldn’t agree on the third cost of manslaughter whereas working a motorized vehicle underneath the affect, the attorneys stated.
Her legal professionals filed a number of appeals, all the way in which to the U.S. Supreme Court, claiming Learn shouldn’t be retried on the counts the jury apparently agreed on, saying it might quantity to double jeopardy. Every attraction was denied.
Karen Learn watches jurors enter the courtroom to renew deliberations throughout her trial at Norfolk Superior Court docket, June 18, 2025, in Dedham, Mass.
Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger through AP
Learn’s attorneys made motions for a mistrial twice throughout her second legal trial, each of which have been denied by the decide.
Like her first trial, Learn didn’t take the stand in her personal protection.
“I’m not testifying,” Learn stated to reporters outdoors the courthouse on June 10. “[The jury has] heard my interview clips. They’ve heard my voice. They’ve heard lots of me.”
Learn had added one of many alternate jurors from her first trial to her authorized group for the retrial. Victoria George, the alternate juror, is a licensed civil legal professional in Massachusetts.
