Karen Read supporters outside courthouse as not guilty verdict announced, Dedham, MA, June 18, 2025. Getty // Boston Herald
Q1. On Wednesday, financial analyst Karen Read was acquitted in a Massachusetts court of manslaughter in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.
The prosecution alleged that after a night of drinking, Read ran O'Keefe over with her car and left him for dead outside the house of a former police colleague.
The defense countered that O'Keefe was beaten to death by another member of law enforcement who was at the house, and he, along with others in local law enforcement, covered it up and framed Read.
Prosecution relied on phone app data that showed O’Keefe walked only a few steps from Read’s car after she dropped him off, and never moved after that. The defense relied on expert testimony that O’Keefe had some injuries inconsistent with being hit by a car, and evidence of misconduct on the part of the lead investigator in multiple cases, including Read's.
Your view?
The prosecution alleged that after a night of drinking, Read ran O'Keefe over with her car and left him for dead outside the house of a former police colleague.
The defense countered that O'Keefe was beaten to death by another member of law enforcement who was at the house, and he, along with others in local law enforcement, covered it up and framed Read.
Prosecution relied on phone app data that showed O’Keefe walked only a few steps from Read’s car after she dropped him off, and never moved after that. The defense relied on expert testimony that O’Keefe had some injuries inconsistent with being hit by a car, and evidence of misconduct on the part of the lead investigator in multiple cases, including Read's.
Your view?
(Image: Read (right) as photo of victim's arm wounds entered into evidence, Feb 2025. Image via pool )
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
I believe Read killed O'Keefe
14%
18%
12%
23%
10%
7%
12%
11%
15%
20%
14%
I believe Read did not kill O'Keefe
42%
35%
49%
32%
44%
52%
56%
36%
41%
41%
42%
Not sure
32%
34%
30%
33%
32%
32%
25%
42%
30%
28%
32%
Don't care
11%
13%
9%
12%
14%
10%
7%
10%
14%
10%
11%
Q2. The case gained a wide national following, with case-related TikTok posts getting as many as several million views.
True-crime shows such as Dateline, 20/20, and Investigation Discovery chronicled the events, as did major true-crime podcasts including Crime Junkie (according to Forbes, the 2nd most popular podcast behind Joe Rogan). Netflix has a three-part documentary in the works.
What do you think are the two most likely reasons the case drew so much attention? (choose up to two)
True-crime shows such as Dateline, 20/20, and Investigation Discovery chronicled the events, as did major true-crime podcasts including Crime Junkie (according to Forbes, the 2nd most popular podcast behind Joe Rogan). Netflix has a three-part documentary in the works.
What do you think are the two most likely reasons the case drew so much attention? (choose up to two)
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Social media hype
64%
66%
64%
65%
63%
64%
89%
52%
68%
57%
64%
Legacy media hype
19%
23%
16%
28%
18%
12%
19%
21%
22%
15%
19%
Police officer was the victim
38%
44%
35%
34%
44%
42%
62%
33%
32%
41%
38%
Possible police corruption
49%
47%
51%
44%
54%
54%
60%
49%
53%
37%
49%
Woman is the accused
17%
20%
14%
10%
18%
23%
34%
20%
7%
16%
17%
White woman of means is the accused
25%
23%
26%
11%
34%
37%
30%
31%
21%
22%
25%
Uncertainty as to who is guilty
21%
27%
16%
23%
24%
18%
20%
28%
18%
16%
21%
Other
2%
0%
4%
2%
1%
4%
9%
0%
2%
1%
2%
Don't know
5%
2%
7%
1%
5%
8%
9%
6%
2%
4%
5%
Moot: It didn't get that much attention
5%
7%
4%
6%
7%
5%
1%
12%
2%
5%
5%
Don't care
5%
5%
5%
7%
5%
3%
0%
3%
8%
5%
5%
Q3. The acquittal came in Read's second trial, the first having ended in a hung jury.
In the second trial, the District Attorney appointed a highly regarded defense attorney and former prosecutor named Hank Brennan as special prosecutor at a cost "well in excess" of $500k. The prosecutor in the first case drew an annual salary of $149k. Brennan is best known for representing Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger at his 2013 trial.
Read's defense team was comprised of two high- profile California defense attorneys, including one who defended Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey against sexual assault allegations. For the second trial, they added an alternate juror from the first trial to the team. Read's legal expenses topped $5m before the second trial even started, though she had raised $1m in crowdfunding for her defense.
How much do you think money plays a part in the US justice system, and what would the verdict have been if Read spent $500k on her defense instead of $5m+?
In the second trial, the District Attorney appointed a highly regarded defense attorney and former prosecutor named Hank Brennan as special prosecutor at a cost "well in excess" of $500k. The prosecutor in the first case drew an annual salary of $149k. Brennan is best known for representing Boston crime boss Whitey Bulger at his 2013 trial.
Read's defense team was comprised of two high- profile California defense attorneys, including one who defended Harvey Weinstein and Kevin Spacey against sexual assault allegations. For the second trial, they added an alternate juror from the first trial to the team. Read's legal expenses topped $5m before the second trial even started, though she had raised $1m in crowdfunding for her defense.
How much do you think money plays a part in the US justice system, and what would the verdict have been if Read spent $500k on her defense instead of $5m+?
(Image: Read and legal team after verdict, June 18, 2025. Getty // Boston Herald )
overall
custom
male
female
rep
ind
dem
18-29
30-44
45-64
65+
Don't care
6%
6%
7%
8%
5%
5%
9%
2%
9%
6%
6%
The Gabby Petito murder case was deemed important news story by 55%
84% thought her boyfriend Brian Laundrie guilty
5% thought media coverage was so extensive because Petito was a white victim
How much does money play a part in the US legal system?
0% None
28% Some
66% A lot
Topics
Entities in this poll: (rate and comment)
