Watch the full coverage of the live stream on The Emily D Baker YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/live/UwnYctoUtyU
Day 4 of the Karen Read Retrial happened on April 25, 2025. I covered it on May 1st when court was not in session. The Jury went to view the property at 34 Fairview Rd where John O'Keefe was found dead. Special Prosecutor Hank wanted the jury to observe specific details at the scene, such as the Lexus, rear tail light, bumper height, flagpole, and fire hydrant. David Yannetti ended his instructions with, "you will do a proper investigation." Judge Cannone reread the Jury View instructions, reinforcing that jurors are only to observe and not conduct their own investigations.
Dr. Garrey Faller, Chief of Pathology at Good Samaritan, testified to the methods of testing blood alcohol levels. At Cross Examination, attorney Elizabeth Little made a key point that the Hospital at Good Samaritan is a medical lab, not a forensic lab, meaning the blood test was for treatment purposes, not forensic purposes. This might not matter to jury as much due the interview clips of Karen Read admitting to driving slower while intoxicated and that she had been adding shots to her drink because they were weak so she didn't have as many as the Commonwealth had accounted for.
Jason Becker, the Fire Paramedic, who arrived at the scene with Daniel Whitley to put Karen Read in a Section 12 Hold. Mr. Becker had a conversation with Karen Read about her "last word" or "last conversation" with John O'Keefe. The Prosecution was aiming for it to seem that it could be about a fight they had when she dropped him off at 34 Fairview Rd while the Defense was aiming for it to be that Karen read was concerned about the voicemails she left him that night. Jason Becker said that Karen read tried to show him her phone about missed called but he refused to go through her phone. Mr. Becker said he never heard Karen mention anything about voicemails.
Whether the jury believes that Karen Read was upset about her last words to John O'Keefe being a fight in the car, or her voicemails after she left him at 34 Fairview Rd, could impact acquittal of charges 1 and 3 which needs to prove intent. Remember, if there are two reasonable interpretations, the jury must pick the interpretation that leads to innocence.
RESOURCES
What You Need to Know About the Retrial - https://youtu.be/89Jpa8vz1RQ
Karen Read Retrial Playlist - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbUyvZas7gKOJlfL__9F027hlETVU-vo
Karen Read Trial - 2024 - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsbUyvZas7gKUeCUzApgsEuQRXu5IXeTS