Read murder trial starts Tuesday
A full jury has yet to be seated in the Karen Read murder trial but the defense has expressed concerns over whether each juror will see what they’re supposed to see.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of drunkenly backing her car into her boyfriend of two years, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, in the early morning hours of Jan. 29, 2022. She is charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.
On Thursday, attorneys in the case approved two more jurors on the third day of selection, bringing the total to 12 of the 16 needed to open the trial. Jury selection is set to resume on Monday and opening arguments could then commence as early as Tuesday, according to the case schedule. Attorneys have estimated the trial could take as long as six weeks.
Defense attorneys filed a motion yesterday indicating concern over the placement of the jury box, which is where the jurors will sit and watch the trial unfold.
“The seating arrangements proposed by this Court clearly violate Ms. Read’s constitutional right to face-to-face confrontation,” defense attorneys wrote in the motion. “Unless the Court rearranges the jury box as requested by the defense, at least six of the jurors will only be able to see the back of the witnesses’ heads while they testify at trial.”
The concern was developed during jury selection and an examination of the courtroom layout during that time, according to an affidavit supporting the motion written by defense attorney David Yannetti. In the affidavit, he attached photos taken from three seats of concern from the jury box that featured Yannetti himself sitting in the witness stand to demonstrate the view from each seat.
Two of the included photos, from seats 10 and 11, show an angle that is behind the head of a witness. The third photo, from seat 12, shows a perfect profile view of a witness.
“At least six members of the jury will be utterly unable to assess the demeanor and credibility of the witnesses that are testifying,” the defense concluded, saying that such an assessment is crucial to a juror’s full understanding of a witness’ testimony.
The defense also filed a motion and supporting affidavit for having a tech support assistant seated at their table for handling of audio and visual evidence.