Prosecution rests in Karen Read murder trial - Boston News, Weather, Sports | WHDH 7News (2024)

DEDHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - The prosecution rested its case Friday after nearly two months of testimony from dozens of witnesses in the Karen Read murder trial.

Irini Scordi-Bello, who works at the state Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, was the final witness to testify for the prosecution.

Read’s defense team soon started presenting its case, calling three witnesses before proceedings ended for the day.

Read, 44, of Mansfield, is facing charges including second degree murder after prosecutors said she hit her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her car and left him to die after dropping him off outside the Canton home of Brian and Nicole Albert in January 2022.

Read’s defense has said she is being framed, saying O’Keefe was actually beaten to death and attacked by a dog during a party inside the Albert home.

Read’s attorneys claim police covered up details and planted evidence to implicate Read in the case. Among allegations, the defense has focused on State Police Trooper Michael Proctor as an investigator they say was involved in the alleged cover-up.

Read has pleaded not guilty in the case and maintains her innocence.

Scordi-Bello continues testimony

Scordi-Bello first testified on Thursday.

Back on the witness stand Friday morning, she said she was not pressured by Proctor to rule O’Keefe’s manner of death as a homicide.

“I am responsible for what goes on the death certification,” she said. “Unless I have clear and convincing evidence, I cannot determine the manner of death.”

The jury soon saw autopsy photos of O’Keefe.

Anticipating the photos ahead of Friday’s testimony, the judge in the case told the jury to not let emotions get in the way of their consideration of the case.

While photos were shown in court, O’Keefe’s brother Paul sat inside the courtroom. He could not see the photos but sat just below the monitor where they were shown, his head mere inches away from the screen.

Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally asked Scordi-Bello if the injuries to O’Keefe were consistent with a pedestrian strike.

“These are not the classic injuries we see in a pedestrian crash, no,” Scordi-Bello said.

She said she did not find injuries to O’Keefe’s legs. She said the Lexus which Read allegedly backed into O’Keefe is a bigger car, though, with a higher bumper than a sedan would have.

Scordi-Bello soon faced cross examination from defense attorney Elizabeth Little, who went further into O’Keefe’s lack of injuries below the neck.

Scordi-Bello agreed he did not have any significant injuries from the neck down.

“No significant injuries,” she said. “No.”

Little asked if Scordi-Bello would agree O’Keefe’s injuries are inconsistent with being struck by a 7,300 pound vehicle going 24 miles-per-hour.

“I would say it’s likely and unlikely at the same time,” she said.

On the topic of O’Keefe’s arm abrasions being consistent or inconsistent with being hit by a car, Scordi-Bello said she does not know and is not qualified to answer.

Little next displayed autopsy photos showing injuries to O’Keefe’s face.

“Are these injuries consistent with being punched,” she asked.

“That is a possibility,” Scordi-Bello said.

On the topic of open wounds to the back of O’Keefe’s head, Scordi-Bello agreed when Little said they could have been caused by being hit with a baseball bat or a barbell.

Scordi-Bello said she does not know what caused the scratches to O’Keefe’s arm.

The defense later finished its cross examination.

On redirect questioning with Lally, Scordi-Bello was asked if O’Keefe’s head injury could be consistent with striking his head on frozen ground.

“[It] could be, yes,” Scordi-Bello said.

Judge denies defense motion to end trial

Before the defense started calling witnesses, Judge Beverly Cannone denied a defense motion to end the trial with a not guilty “directed” verdict.

She said she is satisfied the prosecution has met its burden.

As jurors prepared to hear from the defense’s first witness, Cannone reminded the jury the burden of proof is on the prosecution.

She also reminded the jury Read does not have to testify.

Defense calls plow driver as first witness

The defense’s first witness was Canton native and resident Brian Loughran. He previously worked for Brian Albert’s brother, Chris, delivering pizzas in his 20s and 30s.

When O’Keefe died, Loughran was plowing snow for the town of Canton. He said he was told to be in town at 2:30 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 29 as snowy weather moved in.

Loughran said he has good visibility in his truck, adding that the lighting gives off “enormous amounts” of light. He said there are no obstructions to block his view.

While driving, he said his attention is not only on the road in front of him, but also on the side of the road to make sure he does not hit pedestrians or animals.

Asked if he saw anything in the Alberts’ yard when he passed their house, he responded — “I saw nothing.”

On a second pass, he said he again saw nothing.

Asked if he saw a body, he again responded — “No.”

On a third pass between 3:15 a.m. and 3:30 a.m., he said he made note of a parked Ford Edge car. He said the Alberts never had cars parked in front of their home.

“It stuck out as weird,” he said.

Loughran said he had to maneuver around the car. As he passed it, nothing else attracted his attention. Though he said he is supposed to call to have a car towed in a situation like the one on Jan. 29, he did not take action as a courtesy to the Alberts.

On cross examination, Lally tried to poke holes in Loughran’s testimony. Among questions, he asked if an investigator had pointed out a Ford Edge to him in a skating rink parking lot. Loughran said he was just trying to get his information straight and denied Lally’s contention that he originally said he saw an SUV outside the Alberts’ house.

Lally also pointed out Loughran gave different times for when he plowed the Alberts’ street in various reports. Loughran said he did not remember doing that.

Retired ER doctor, pathologist testifies

Retired California emergency room doctor and pathologist Marie Russell testified as the second witness for the defense.

Russell was previously in court for “voir dire” testimony without the jury present. On Thursday, Cannone ruled she could testify for the defense.

Russell studied at MIT decades ago and was a police officer in Malden from 1977 to 1984. She later moved to Los Angeles where she worked as a doctor.

In her testimony, Russell said she thinks O’Keefe was attacked by an animal, such as a large dog.

Discussing O’Keefe’s injuries, she said there were a number of patterns, including some that could be teeth or claw marks.

Cross examining Russell, Lally said she came to a quick conclusion and did not write a report.

Russel responded, saying she was not asked to write a report.

Lally, in response, noted a 2008 study saying dog bite science was not reliable.

Russell said she had not read the report but said she believes it is about linking bite marks to a specific dog.

Digital forensics expert testifies

Digital forensics expert Richard Greene testified after Russell.

He examined the phone of Jennifer McCabe, who made a much-discussed search on Jan. 29 — “Hos long to die in cold?”

McCabe was at the party at the Alberts’ house the night O’Keefe died and was with Read the next morning when Read spotted O’Keefe’s body in the snow.

In addition to McCabe’s phone, Greene examined data from Read’s phone and O’Keefe’s phone.

In initial questioning, he testified about the accuracy of O’Keefe’s location data, saying it is not possible to pinpoint the exact time steps are taken.

On cross examination, Lally brought up testimony from prosecution witnesses who also spoke about location data and internet search records.

Greene finished his testimony near 3:15 p.m.

This is adeveloping story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest updates.

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