Massachusetts State Police Trooper Nicholas Guarino will return to the stand in the Karen Read case in one of the final days of prosecutor Adam Lally’s case against Karen Read in Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, faces charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter and leaving the scene of a collision causing the death of her boyfriend John O’Keefe, a 16-year Boston Police officer when he died at age 46 in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022.
Defense attorney David Yannetti told the Herald yesterday that he expects Lally to rest his case either today or tomorrow. The defense can begin their own presentation immediately after.
The jury was not present Tuesday as attorneys pre-questioned expected or desired witnesses for the defense. Following that short and unusual day, Read told reporters that she would be willing to take the stand in her own defense if her lawyers believe that is the way to go.
“I’m an outspoken person and I’ve never not been able to speak up for myself or my defense except when it matters the most. I’ve got to rely on them and their expertise and I’ll defer to the attorneys,” Read said. She added that if her attorney’s decide she should testify, it would likely be in the “11th hour.”
Today is expected to begin with the continuing testimony of Guarino, who on the stand Monday read some dramatic texts between Read and O’Keefe during his last full day of life, Jan. 28, 2022. The texts pointed toward a struggling relationship.
“Sick of always arguing and fighting. It’s been weekly for several months now. So yeh I’m not as quick to jump back into being lovie dovie as you apparently,” O’Keefe texted Read at 2:32 p.m. that day.
Read had her own theories over the state of their relationship: “Tell me if you are interested in someone else. Can’t think of any other reason you’ve been like this,” she texted at 2:25 p.m. that day.
“Nope,” O’Keefe responded. “Things haven’t been great between us for a while. Ever consider that?”
This is a developing story.
