Karen Read Embraces Routine After Boston Murder Trial Acquittal

Karen Read Returns to Normalcy After Dramatic Acquittal in Boston

After a whirlwind of courtroom battles, Karen Read, 45, was spotted Friday embracing the mundane—hauling trash outside her Boston hotel. The image of Read, dressed casually in a white top and black leggings, tossing boxes into a dumpster marks her first public appearance since her acquittal in the high-profile case tied to the death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.

The trial, a rollercoaster of legal twists spanning over 30 days of testimony, ended with Read cleared of second-degree murder but found guilty of operating a vehicle under the influence. Jurors rejected charges of drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene, a verdict that sparked cheers from supporters gathered outside the courthouse. This followed a mistrial last year when jurors couldn’t agree.

O’Keefe, 46, was found unresponsive in the snow outside a fellow officer’s home in Canton, Massachusetts, on January 29, 2022, with signs of head trauma and hypothermia. The prosecution claimed Read struck him with her SUV and left him to die in a snowstorm. Her defense, led by a powerhouse team including attorneys Hank Brennan and Robert Alessi, argued O’Keefe was attacked inside the house, hinting at a potential cover-up by law enforcement insiders.

The case’s fallout has been seismic, triggering audits of the Canton Police Department and the dismissal of a state police homicide detective. Legal expert Jack Lu called the outcome a “stunning victory” for Read, likely bolstering her defense in an ongoing civil lawsuit from O’Keefe’s family.

As Read carried her phone and returned to her hotel, her calm demeanor belied the chaos of the past three years. For now, she’s trading courtroom drama for curbside chores, stepping back into a life where routine reigns.