The latest on the Karen Read murder case
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State Police union on Karen Read verdict: ‘The death of John O’Keefe has been investigated with great scrutiny’
“Careers have been lost, families have been devastated, and many lives have been changed forever,” the union said.
Soon after Karen Read was cleared of murder and manslaughter charges, the union representing Massachusetts State Police troopers and sergeants took to social media to defend the agency’s investigation into the death of Read’s boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
The State Police Association of Massachusetts said its members have faced “numerous attacks and accusations” since the start of Read’s lengthy trial. Jurors Wednesday acquitted Read of her most serious charges and only found her guilty of drunk driving, bringing an end to a criminal case that fueled online speculation for more than three years.
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“Careers have been lost, families have been devastated, and many lives have been changed forever,” the State Police union said in its statement Saturday, also sending condolences to O’Keefe’s family.
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“The jury has spoken, and we remain respectful of the process,” the union added, even as it defended the investigation that identified Read as a prime suspect.
Read, 45, was accused of striking O’Keefe with her SUV in a drunken rage while dropping him off at an afterparty in Canton early on Jan. 29, 2022. Her lawyers have long contended she was framed in a law enforcement conspiracy, suggesting instead that O’Keefe was attacked and mortally wounded after joining the party inside 34 Fairview Road. Both O’Keefe and then-homeowner Brian Albert were Boston police officers.
Two State Police troopers were ultimately disciplined in connection with the case, and a third — lead investigator Michael Proctor — was fired for his conduct during the investigation. However, prosecutors and State Police have pushed back on coverup claims.
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“As our current and former members continue to be the subjects of baseless accusations,” the State Police Association said, “it is important to remember that the investigation into the death of John O’Keefe has been investigated with great scrutiny by both members of the State Police Internal Affairs and the FBI.”
Despite the public backlash and rampant speculation, a secretive federal investigation into the state’s handling of the case ended earlier this year with no charges or arrests.
“To date, there has yet to be any information that this investigation was compromised in any way,” the State Police union said. “We remain steadfast in our commitment to represent the men and women of the State Police Association and are forever grateful for the work our members do every day to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth.”
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