Karen Read’s The decision of the defense teams not to call it to the witness post is a bet that could help or disturb their case after the prosecution played their harmful interview clips in their second judgment for murder, which allows the jury to listen to the readings of the version of the events in their own word.
Read faces the possibility of life imprisonment for the Alleged murder Or her boyfriend, Boston police officer, John O’Keefe. The prosecutor’s claims read O’Keefe with their Lexus SUV in a drunk discussion, letting him freeze until death in the front courtyard of the party of a friend’s house shortly after midnight on January 29, 2022.
Read defense team insists that their vehicle never contacted O’Keefe and there was no collision.
“When I first practiced, it was” never put your client in stand, never, “said the defense lawyer of New York Louis Gelormino to Fox News Digital.” But sometimes I tend to disagree with that. I think we have the Goths our greatest victories when we put our client on the stand. “
Karen read walks with one of his lawyers, Alan Jackson, Durtation his trial on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)
On Tuesday, the defense presented the teams Propose jury instructions That indicates that Read will not take the position in your judgment.
“As you know, Ms. Read did not testify in this test,” the instructions are read. “He may not hold him against him. Mrs. Read has the absolute right not to testify because it is explained that she is supposed to be innocent and does not have to do anything to convince him that she is innocent.”
The instructions stress that the reason why reading chose not to take the witness position is not relevant for jury’s deliberations and it cannot be considerate evidence In his judgment. Legal experts tell Fox News Digital the option to prevent a defendant to speak may not always be the best option.
Karen Read and John O’Kefe pose for a photograph of Undet. (Karen Read)
Gelormino said he believes that Read will have a solid performance in the witness position, but calling it to testify does not come without risks.
“I think the reason why they are hiding it is that you don’t want to have to explain all these videos that you saw of it not acting in good sense,” said Gelormino.
Karen read conversations with his lawyers Robert Alessi and David Yannetti duration of his trial in the Superior Court of Norfolk, Tuesday, May 6, 2025, in Dedham, Mass. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)
The special prosecutor Hank Brennan played numerous clips of televised Read interviews, selecting clips that could potentially damage the defense.
“I also wonder, I said:” I could have hit it “?” Read said In a 2024 interview with the discovery of research. “Or it was for me that I said. And I knew I could never say that, so the closest thing I should have said:” Did I hit it? “
In the clip, read questions if she really ” [said] As many times as the application of the law affirms. “
Look: Karen Read gives a first -hand story of the night before the death of John O’Keefe
In another clip, he talked about clarifying his own drinks with additional shots because they were not strong enough.
Gelormino said the defense team probably does not want to face Read about their statements In interrogationIt is possible to open for days of tense time of the State.
“They don’t want to explain all these bad behavior or what people would think it would be a bad behavior,” Gelormino said.
But the choice to maintain reading outside could prevent him from providing an explanation for his statements in the interviews and at the same time clarify his history side.
The main detective text messages issued Shadow about Karen Read Murder Trial
Prosecutor Hank Brennan questions a duration of the witness Karen Reader’s trial in the Superior Court of Norfolk, Tuesday, May 27, 2025, in Dedham, Massachusetts. (Matt Stone/The Boston Herald through AP, Pool)
“There are two sides of each currency,” Gelormino told Fox News Digital. “You could put it and try to explain it, or you can avoid it completely.”
Gelormino pointed out the reality that he reads to the defensive while offering an explanation for his stories in the chamber, which could change the perception of his personality jury.
“As a defense lawyer, you will have to clean that,” Gelormino said. “So you will spend a lot of time defending your character there.”
The videos represent a new obstacle to the defense, since they were not playing in the first READ test last year.
“The first almost convicted jury read by involuntary homicide while operating under the influence,” said the Judge of the Superior Court of Massachusetts and Boston Professor of Boston College Jack Lu a Fox News Digital. “That was without video statements of the accused. Here, we have many harmful statements, and perhaps some more in refutation.”
Lu said the defense has not tried to address the video clips or provide context with respect to the readings of the events version at this time of the test.
“Then, the same trial plus Damag’s video, where the jury almost convicted, is bad for the defense,” Lu said.
As the defense continues to call witnesses, the remarkable absence of own testimonies readings will probably only feel completely once the jury reads its verdict, with the Prosecutor’s Office acting as the only side that chose to include their own in the courtroom.
“Based on the fact that they had a jury hanging last time, [the defense has] A decent case, “Lormino told Fox News Digital.” So, do you want to invent that with defending your actions and character for the next two or three days on the stretch? That is a difficult decision. “
