Attorneys for a woman accused of striking her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV and leaving him for dead in a snowbank outside another officer's home began presenting their case Friday that she was framed by police, with a snowplow driver who said he didn't see a body.
Snowplow driver Brian Loughran, who was on his regular route during a storm early on Jan. 29, 2022, was the first witness called by defense attorneys for Karen Read after prosecutors rested.
Read has pleaded not guilty to in the January 2022 death of Officer John O鈥橩eefe. The 16-year Boston police veteran was found unresponsive outside Brian Albert鈥檚 home in Canton and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. An autopsy found O鈥橩eefe died of hypothermia and blunt force trauma.
Prosecutors allege Read and O'Keefe had been drinking and fighting before she dropped him off at Albert's home shortly before 12:30 a.m. They say she hit him with her SUV while making a three-point turn and then drove away.
Read鈥檚 lawyers say O鈥橩eefe was beaten up in the house and was bitten by Albert鈥檚 dog, then brought outside. They say investigators focused on Read because she was a 鈥渃onvenient outsider鈥� who saved them from having to consider other suspects, including Albert and other law enforcement officers who were at the party.
Loughran testified that he passed by the house around 2:45 a.m. and that he could see 鈥渁 very large portion, almost to the front steps" of the lawn and 鈥渟aw nothing.鈥� When he drove by again about 30 minutes later, he said, he again he saw nothing on the lawn but did see a car parked in the road in front of the house. He said he knew Albert and his family, so he was 鈥渂eing courteous鈥� and decided not to report as violating snowstorm parking restrictions.
When Loughran returned around 5:30 a.m, the street was blocked and first responders were there, he said.
Prosecutor Adam Lally questioned Loughran's times, suggesting he passed by much earlier, at midnight and 2 a.m., as well as his description of the vehicle. Loughran also told Lally he hit a basketball hoop during his route, but couldn't recall the time.
Prosecutors are relying on who testified that Read repeatedly yelled that she hit O鈥橩eefe as well as evidence that Read was legally intoxicated or close to it that her SUV had a broken taillight and that pieces of a broken light were found near O'Keefe.
Several witnesses testified the couple had a stormy relationship that had begun to sour. Prosecutors presented angry texts between the couple hours before O鈥橩eefe died. They also played voice messages from Read to O鈥橩eefe that were left after she allegedly struck him, including one left minutes afterward saying, 鈥淛ohn I (expletive) hate you.鈥�
Massachusetts State Trooper Joseph Paul testified that an analysis of safety system data from Read鈥檚 SUV indicated her vehicle slowed in reverse 鈥� going from 24.2 mph to 23.6 mph (39 to 38 kph) 鈥� which was consistent with a 鈥減edestrian strike.鈥� He also said O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 injuries were consistent with being struck by a vehicle.
Dr. Irini Scordi-Bello, a medical examiner who conducted the autopsy, said O鈥橩eefe had multiple skull fractures. 鈥淎ny blunt object鈥� could have struck him and caused his injuries, she said. They 鈥渃ould be鈥� consistent with a fall to the ground, she added.
Scordi-Bello said she saw no signs of a 鈥渟ignificant altercation,鈥� but she also said it鈥檚 possible that some of the injuries to his face could have been caused by a punch.
Asked by the defense Friday if O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 injuries were 鈥渋nconsistent鈥� with being struck by Read鈥檚 SUV at 24 mph, Scordi-Bello said, 鈥淚 would say it鈥檚 likely and unlikely at the same time depending on the position of the body and the vehicle in question.鈥�
Scordi-Bello said she did not know what caused cuts, some showing patterns, found on O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 arm. But Dr. Marie Russell, a recently retired emergency room doctor and forensic pathologist, testified Friday that the injuries were consistent with an animal attack, possibly a large dog. Under cross-examination, she said she was aware that clothing swabs of O鈥橩eefe鈥檚 had tested negative for canine DNA.
Defense attorneys have repeatedly raised doubts about the police investigation, including that Albert's house was never searched for signs of a fight involving O'Keefe and the was not secured. They highlighted that police collected blood evidence in plastic drinking cups.
The defense also has shown myriad conflicts of interest among police who were handling the case. Many people at the house party knew the investigators, including the lead investigator, who acknowledged sending offensive texts about Read to friends, family and fellow troopers during the investigation.
They also accused several witnesses of changing their story and pointed out that at least two people at the party 鈥� including Albert 鈥� got rid of their cellphones during the investigation.
鈥淭here is no case against me,鈥� Read said told reporters Tuesday outside the court. She went on to add: 鈥淎fter eight weeks, it鈥檚 smoke and mirrors and it鈥檚 going through my private life and trying to contrive a motive that was never there.鈥�
Michael Casey And Kathy Mccormack, The Associated Press
