Read, O’Keefe ‘never entered my house,’ homeowners testify
knew o’keefe had decided to “step up” and raise his niece and nephew after their parents died.
“Although i didn’t know him well, i considered him to be a friend,” Brian Albert said of o’keefe. “i considered him to be somebody that i could hang out with and have a good time with.”
At the bar, Albert said he spoke briefly with o’keefe, who let him know his sergeant was leaving and joked that “i should try to get a job where he works.”
Brian Albert said he did not recall speaking to Read at the bar, where “everybody was in a great mood.” he said he had met her for the first time about a week before with o’keefe.
Brian Albert said there was some talk at the bar about going to his brother’s pizza shop, but “for whatever reason, that didn’t happen.” his wife, Nicole, noted that their son, Brian Jr., was turning 23 at midnight and mentioned to her sister and her brother-in-law that people could come by the house to wish him happy birthday, he said.
When he got to his home on Fairview Road, Brian Albert said he let their family dog, chloe, outside in the backyard and then brought her upstairs. he said he then returned downstairs and gathered with everyone in the kitchen area.
“people were just sitting around having drinks,” listening to music, and “just talking, hanging out.”
he said he never saw or heard anything in front of the house to draw his attention outside and had never been told that Read and o’keefe might be coming.
“John o’keefe and karen Read never entered my house,” he said.
Albert is slated to face questioning from Read’s lawyers on
Monday as the trial proceeds.
earlier on Thursday, Nicole Albert testified under cross-examination. one of Read’s attorneys, elizabeth little, asked her if she noticed any tension between o’keefe and Read. prosecutors have said their relationship was rocky.
“i didn’t have really any interaction with them, but no i didn’t see anything,” Nicole Albert said.
she said she did not observe any signs of intoxication in Read but also didn’t speak to her.
little later pressed Nicole Albert on why they did not go outside to help o’keefe.
“We were sound asleep,” Nicole Albert said.