Juror Turned Defense Attorney Joins Karen Read’s Team as Murder Retrial Looms

A Massachusetts attorney who once served as an alternate juror in the mistrial of Karen Read has now joined her defense, just days before Read faces a second trial on murder charges for the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.

Victoria George, a Northeastern University law graduate and former Princeton student, formally joined Read's defense team this week, according to court filings. George described the first trial as an experience that deeply shook her faith in the Massachusetts criminal justice system. "If as a lawyer I was too afraid to stand up for what I believed in, who would?" she said in a recent interview.

Read, 45, is accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a deadly accident after O'Keefe was found dead in the snow outside a fellow officer’s house following a night of post-bar partying on January 29, 2022. Prosecutors allege she struck him with her Lexus SUV during a drunken argument and fled the scene. Read, however, has consistently claimed her innocence, arguing she’s being framed and that someone else at the party is responsible for O'Keefe’s death.

The first trial ended in a hung jury, with jurors unable to reach a unanimous decision after days of deliberation. The case has since become even more controversial due to the conduct of the lead investigator, former Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor. Proctor was fired last week following an internal investigation into his handling of the case, which revealed vulgar and biased text messages about Read. These messages, read aloud in court, included remarks suggesting she should kill herself, jokes about searching her phone for explicit photos, and derogatory terms like "wack job" and worse.

Victoria George, now part of the defense team, questioned how any evidence from Proctor's investigation could be trusted, given his apparent biases. "Based on his own words, he had a pretty strong personal bias against the person in the defendant’s chair," George told Vanity Fair.

Adding to the drama is the fact that this may be the first time in legal history where a former juror has joined the defense team ahead of a retrial. David Gelman, a defense attorney and former prosecutor, called this move a significant win for Read’s team. "Usually retrials don’t go well – that’s why a hung jury is a win for defendants," he stated. Gelman also noted that Proctor’s termination and the suppression of certain evidence could work heavily in Read’s favor.

To further raise the stakes, this retrial will now be overseen by special prosecutor Hank Brennan, who previously defended infamous mobster Whitey Bulger. Meanwhile, O'Keefe’s family has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read, adding another legal battle to the mix.

As the retrial approaches, the case continues to draw significant attention, not just for its tragic details but also for the legal twists and turns that have made it a spectacle. Read’s new trial is set to begin Tuesday, with all eyes on the courtroom.