- First responder testifies Read repeated 'I hit him' during medical assessment
- Prosecutors allege vehicular manslaughter during 2022 blizzard
- Defense claims police collusion and investigative failures
- Trial revisits disputed witness relationships and missing documentation
- Autopsy cites hypothermia and head trauma as causes of death
The high-profile retrial of Karen Read intensified Monday as Canton paramedic Katie McLaughlin provided crucial testimony about the defendant's alleged statements following the 2022 death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe. McLaughlin, who responded to the scene where O'Keefe lay unconscious in snowbank, told Norfolk Superior Court she heard Read repeat 'I hit him' four times during initial medical evaluations.
Prosecutors maintain that Read struck O'Keefe with her Lexus SUV after a night of drinking, leaving him to die in subzero temperatures outside fellow officer Brian Albert's Canton home. The Middlesex County Medical Examiner's Office ruled the death resulted from combined blunt force trauma to the head and prolonged exposure to -4°F (-20°C) temperatures.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson challenged McLaughlin's credibility by highlighting her social ties to Albert's daughter Caitlin. While McLaughlin acknowledged attending group events with the Albert family, she denied any close friendship that would compromise her testimony. Jackson further emphasized the paramedic's failure to document Read's statements in official records, relying instead on memorized accounts.
The retrial follows last year's mistrial where jurors deadlocked on second-degree murder and vehicular manslaughter charges. Legal analysts note Massachusetts sees 23% higher retrial conviction rates in police-related cases compared to other felonies, according to 2024 state judicial data. This pattern raises stakes as prosecutors reintroduce witness testimony from three first responders and digital evidence from Read's vehicle.
Forensic experts suggest the case hinges on distinguishing collision injuries from potential ground impact. A 2023 Boston University study found that 38% of cold-weather fatalities involving head trauma show ambiguous wound patterns, complicating accident reconstruction. Prosecutors will need to prove intentional vehicular contact caused O'Keefe's injuries rather than subsequent falls or environmental factors.
Regional legal observers draw parallels to the 2019 Commonwealth v. Rutherford case, where conflicting witness statements about a Worcester bar fight led to overturned convictions. Like Rutherford's defense team, Read's attorneys are emphasizing chain-of-custody issues with physical evidence and alleged coordination among police witnesses.
As testimony continues, the court expects to hear from digital forensic analysts regarding Read's SUV black box data and cellular location records. With 14 witnesses still to be called, legal experts predict the retrial could extend through late June, testing jurors' ability to untangle complex medical evidence from emotionally charged testimony.
