Judge Halts Karen Read Pretrial Hearing After ‘Grave Concern’ Over New Information

Murder In The Morning | Daily True Crime News

A pretrial hearing in the Karen Read case took an unexpected turn when Judge Beverly Cannone abruptly ended proceedings, citing "grave concern" over newly disclosed information that could have "profound effects" on the defense. The dramatic moment unfolded after an open court discussion regarding federal involvement in the case, including expert witnesses from ARCCA, a forensic firm specializing in accident reconstruction.
“The Commonwealth just provided the court with information that causes me grave concern,” Cannone announced after returning from an unplanned recess. “The implications of that information may have profound effects on the defense and defense counsel.”
Cannone then suspended the hearing, stating that when proceedings resume, all affected parties should be "appropriately prepared" to address the issues at hand.
The abrupt decision followed a statement by special prosecutor Hank Brennan, who disclosed in open court that Read’s defense team had previously communicated with ARCCA experts before her first trial. Brennan referred to what appeared to be emails between the defense and ARCCA, along with a $23,000 invoice the firm allegedly sent to Read’s legal team.
Brennan, who recently filed a motion to bar ARCCA witnesses from testifying at Read’s retrial, accused the defense of concealing critical information about the experts' involvement. “Both Dr. Wolfe and Dr. Rentschler admittedly did not review all pertinent and relevant evidence that exists in this case,” Brennan’s motion stated, referring to ARCCA’s accident reconstruction specialists who testified in Read’s defense in June 2024.
Tuesday’s pretrial hearing was the first since the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court denied Read’s appeal to dismiss two of the three charges against her. Read is accused of striking her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her Lexus SUV in January 2022 and leaving him to die outside in a snowstorm after a night of drinking.
Her original trial ended in a hung jury, leading Cannone to declare a mistrial in July 2024. Read, who has consistently maintained her innocence, claims that she was framed and that O’Keefe was actually killed inside the home of Brian Albert before being dragged outside.
In an exclusive interview with Boston 25’s Ted Daniel on Super Bowl Sunday, Read reiterated her stance, stating, “I have nothing to hide. I’ve been framed.”
Her retrial, originally scheduled for early 2025, has now been pushed to April. The latest developments raise new questions about the role of federal forensic experts in the case and how their testimony might impact the outcome of the upcoming trial.
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