Jury in Karen Read trial say they are deadlocked and judge advises them to deliberate further

DEDHAM — Karen Read’s verdict changed Friday when the jury told the judge they were deadlocked. But Norfolk Superior Court Judge Beverly Cannone ordered them back to deliberations. The jury deliberated until 4:15 p.m. before being sent home for the weekend.

Karen Read failed the jury

Just before noon, the jury sent Judge Cannone a note in which he wrote: “Despite our exhaustive review of the evidence and careful consideration of all disputed evidence, we were unable to reach a unanimous verdict.”

The judge called attorneys for both sides into the courtroom for a brief meeting.

“This memo arrived today after less than three hours of deliberations,” Cannone said. “I am not prepared to say that proper and thorough deliberation has taken place at this stage.”

The judge then called the jury back into the courtroom and told them, “Clear your heads, eat your lunch, and either begin your deliberations again or continue your deliberations.”

“This is what the deliberations look like,” defense attorney Alan Jackson told reporters as he left the courtroom.

Karen Read’s Trial

As jurors began their fourth day of deliberations, some legal analysts said juries often make a decision on a Friday, especially when a holiday falls next week.

Read’s lawyers and “Free Karen Read“supporters outside the Norfolk Supreme Court building in Dedham, Massachusetts, hoped for a quick verdict.

“We’re getting a little nervous because for me it’s like a decision that needs to be made. I’m a bit unsure where the jury is and what they’re still considering” – Emma Lowry, Read supporter he told WBZ-TV out of court.

However, in high-profile trials, juries are not uncommon.

The Karen Read case compared to other high-profile trials

The OJ Simpson The trial lasted eight months, and the jury deliberated just four hours before he was acquitted.

Aaron Hernandez’s first trial lasted almost three months before the jury convicted him. They pondered for 36 hours over seven days.

Whitey Bulger a two-month trial in Boston ended after a jury convicted him after 32 hours of deliberations over five days.

Before Friday’s session, Read’s jury deliberated for about 14 1/2 hours. They heard testimony from 74 witnesses and saw more than 600 pieces of evidence presented over nearly two months.

Karen Read Verdict Results

A jury is considering three charges against Read in the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe January 29, 2022 – second-degree murder, causing death while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident where bodily injury or death occurred.

“Nobody knows what’s going on in that jury room,” retired Massachusetts Supreme Court Justice Jack Lu told WBZ. “One way for the jury to do this is to start with exhibit number one and go step by step.”

“I think the defense is starting to get a little worried,” legal expert Jennifer Roman told WBZ. “I think the prosecutor’s office feels a little better.”

“The jury also has a lot to choose from here because of nature of fees“, Roman said. “They could always find her innocent on one charge, but then find her guilty less fee.”

Karen Read – First Jury Decision

“All of this, of course, means that the jury must believe that Karen Read actually hit John O’Keefe with her vehicle. If they find that, then they have to throw out this whole other debate about what charge is appropriate for conviction, if any, and what does all this evidence mean?” Roman said.

“If they can’t get a unanimous verdict on that, the jury’s deliberations will end there. In order to continue deliberations, they have to discover that she hit him.”

“We don’t know what stage their deliberations are at. We don’t know if they’re stuck on step one, or if they’ve unanimously made the decision to take step one and are now debating the charges,” Roman told WBZ.

What is a hung jury?

If the Read trial ends in a hung jury, in other words, no decision, it will lead to a retrial.

“I’m afraid it will be hung jury. “I say this because a jury is representative of a population of people and you can go to a party and talk to 10 different people and you’ll have 5 or 6 on one side, 4 or 5 on the other who all see this case differently,” Roman said.

“If it had been a hung jury, I have no doubt the prosecutors would have retried the case. I doubt they would have still charged him with second-degree murder in a retrial. I thought that was a bit of a stretch.”