DAY 3: Karen Read Retrial
Karen’s own words work against her in court.
Today was a short day in court, but I think the break from testimonies was much-needed for everyone.
As we know —
Emotions have been very heavy this week as we heard from John O’Keefe’s loved ones.
On top of that…
The media clips of the defendant being shown periodically between testimonies has been quite jarring at times. I can only imagine how overwhelming it is for the jury to be absorbing all this information.
The judge agreed this morning to allow this clip to be played of Karen mockingly describing how John’s mother said his injuries look like he was hit by a car. (John’s mom denies this moment ever happened).
TESTIMONIES FROM TODAY
DANIEL WHITLEY (Medic-Firefighter) returns to the stand for cross-examination.
Defense attorney, David Yannetti, questions Medic Whitley on his testimony (from yesterday) about Karen’s behaviors and statements.
Yannetti asks Whitley if he was aware— in regard to Karen not wanting to give a urine sample at the hospital — that Karen was on her period, and didn’t have a tampon. Whitley said he was aware she was on her period.
Yannetti asks if Whitley was aware that Karen would have been required to have a nurse in the bathroom with her (no privacy) due to being sectioned. Whitley says yes.
Karen did eventually provide a urine test. She was also given a blood test.
Yannetti sparred with the witness over semantics of word choices over some of the statements Whitley gave at the Grand Jury, and Whitley says they told him to be brief in his GJ testimony, and so he generalized the events.
Yannetti asked Whitely why he didn’t add in the report Karen’s statements about how long a person can survive in the snow without a jacket. Whitley says a remark like that would not typically be included in a report.
ON REDIRECT:
Prosecutor Brennan asks Whitley if he had secret meetings at a block party to corroborate some conspiracy with Kerry Roberts, a witness he was acquaintances with. Whitley laughs and says, no.
JEAN DEMULIS and BRIGID MEEHAN (Employees at the local bars)
Both workers testified to their bar security cameras of the night in question being handed over to investigators. They were also asked to confirm the appearance of the bars shown on security camera from the night in question, as well as if the layout of the bars still appear the same to this day. Both say yes.
**This clip is shown to the jury. Karen’s different media interviews where she discusses how many drinks she had the night she got behind the wheel.**
MICHAEL CAMERANO (Friend of John O’Keefe)
Mike Camerano was emotional on the stand as he discussed the last night John was seen alive.
They met up at the bar, C.F. McCarthy’s, and were celebrating that both their daughters got accepted into a particular high school. Eventually, another friend named Curt showed up to have a drink with the guys.
Karen Read eventually arrived at the bar as well. John and Karen seemed to be in good spirits and affectionate.
Mike got a call that his son lost a tooth playing hockey, so he left the bar around 9:30ish pm.
Early next morning he woke up and noticed he had several missed calls from both his wife and Karen Read.
Mike learns about the emergency, and is told that John’s niece (Mike’s daughter’s friend) is home by herself. He drives to John’s house to get her. The garage is wide open, he walks in and Kaylee is standing there distraught.
He takes her back to his house so she can be with his daughter. Eventually, Mike receives a call that John has been declared deceased. The family is at John’s house now, so Mike drives Kaylee back there so they could inform her of the difficult news. (Mike is emotional as he recalls the drive).
ON CROSS:
David Yannetti asks Mike if he had trusted Karen to care for his own daughter at times, and he said yes.
Yannetti asks if Mike had any indication Karen and John were breaking up, and he said no.
REDIRECT:
Prosecutor Brennan asks Mike is he was aware what was going on in the relationship behind closed doors, and Mike said no.
Brennan asks if Mike was aware of any jealousy in the relationship, and Mike said that Karen seemed to not want other women around John.
TROOPER GUARINO returns to read text messages aloud of Karen Read and John O’Keefe on 1/28/22.
The texts were shown on a powerpoint presentation for the jury. Here’s the extraction report of those texts.
John engages in conversation, but eventually starts telling Karen to stop calling him.
Between the times of 9:19 AM to 2:59 PM, Karen calls John 18 times.
John rejected 11 of those calls. 4 calls show up as “missed”, and 3 as “accepted”.
Karen asks him if he is cheating on her, and he says no.
I am disgusted by her qualifying her own ability to drive under the influence. She thinks she's got her own special, personal definition of laws we are all obligated to obey. She's repulsive-and a very sick, evil woman.
I'm so glad the jury got to see the ugliness of the true Karen in that first clip. I prefer to read your summary than listening to the local news with their pundits and legal experts.