It's Night Side with Dan Ray on WBZ Coustin New Radio.
Get those Blue Jays out of town. Let's bring the Cardinals back here. We can deal with them, that's for sure. My name is Danren. I thank very much, Dan Watkins, as we head into our second hour here on a Tuesday night. So this is interesting, as I think most of you know the Karen Reid trial, at least the jury selection part of that trial is underway. The last I heard, as of this morning, there were ten jurors that had been selected. They need sixteen to impanel a jury.
It would be twelve jurors and then four alternates, and they would not pick the alternates until left to the case was submitted to the jury. But sorry. Story that appeared yesterday in the Boston Globe Digital and we've had this guest on before, the writer Beth Title before, but she respectfully declined to join us for this one. And I'm beginning to wonder why. This is a really brilliant article that she wrote, and I'm going to take it
a step further. The headline in the story was and again, this is a Karen Reid story, so remember that that's always going to be interesting. Of the Beth title of the Globe went looking to see if any Karen Reid supporters had secretly flipped. Here's what happened next. The subtitle is some former Karen Reid super fians secretly thinks she's
guilty and they're afraid. Basically, what that title is reporting, and I'm going to quote a little bit from her article, but what she's essentially reporting is that some of the emails that she received quoting out left me meaning t Tell, feeling scared like I was hearing from people hiding from the mob. One read, thank you for having the courage to write about this. Another said I've only told people in my close circle. Third worried, I'm a bit paranoid
about personal info like my cell phone getting leaked. Another finally said be careful. The correspondents, according to Beth I Tell, were people who had once firmly believed or in her words, fervently believed in Karen Reid's innocence, and who almost more importantly, had bonded with others in the trial group. Now some have suggested that the Karen Reid supporters have become almost cult like. That might be too strong, but that's okay.
They spent their days harding each other's social media posts. Some had mustard outside the courthouse or on random road waves, waving signs raised money for a defense fund, and they wore pink. They bought the merch. According to t Tell, their whole personalities had become Karen Reid. She goes on to say that, you know, then maybe a new piece of evidence of merge or they came to discuss their
source of pro read news. But what had seemed like serious objective analysis allegedly proving Reid had been framed as the defense allegers began to feel a little rabbit holing, and according to Titel of The Globe, they changed their minds. And then what now I'm going to quote be goingy for other on the off change, she basically tells the story, and I think everyone in this audience knows the story of Karen Reid and the tragic death of her Boston
Police officer boyfriend John O'Keefe. She's been charged with second degree murder, as well as manslaughter, vaculum homicide, and leaving the sea of an accident and other crimes. That suggests, you know, the story that she might have backed into the boyfriend. Anyway, we all know that the first trial ended in a mistrial, and matter of fact, it's up back up at the well, it's up at the US
Supreme Court. Her lawyers are still saying that the jury who post trial told reporters and told the defense lawyers that the jury had actually agreed on the first and third charge that she was not guilty, although they had never actually I guess formally filled out the jury slip and submitted it to the clerk who handed it to the judge. So t tell with this as a backdrop,
and it's become a huge national story. Titel writes, I spent time interviewing her super fiens last year, and what struck me as much as anything was the obviously camaraderie they developed. They become members of an adult onset click, brought together by a woman they didn't know but whose life had become their cause. Many SKIP worker drove long distances to protest and regularly described fellow Free Karen Readers
fkrs as their new best friends. Last Sunday, as it would have been a week ago, as the retrial poised to start, I wondered what it would like to leave this group, a bunch of former strangers who came together and formed what has been called a cult. And then she said, out of an abundance of let's say idiocy, I took my question to the heart the Beast, Karen Reid's support group on Facebook with nearly sixty thousand members. If this is you and you'd like to talk anonymously,
I wrote, we can do that. According to I Tell, The responses came in hot and heavy hundreds. As the vitriol mounted, so did Beth admits her stress, and I stepped away from my laptop. When I returned a few hours laters, a few hours later, eight hundred and sixty three people had weighed in on my bias and poor judgment skills and who knows what else. Because they decided I didn't want this much, hated my life and deleted
the post. But it didn't help. The conspiracy stoking blogger who is credited in part with whipping up the global frenzy, posted Beth I Tell Beth I Tell's Facebook post that X and the abuse remained. Well, my question is, and we invited Beth to come on tonight, but she declined. Okay, my question is she did find people who said I absolutely started out thinking Karen Reid was framed, and now I'm completely ashamed of myself that I almost fell for that.
One wrote, I've silently flipped and I believe she's guilty. Another said I didn't feel this way in the beginning. I went to a fundraiser and bought the sweatshirt. The fear of being on the wrong side of your social group goes both ways. It should be noted again, I'm quoting here from Beth i Tell's digital piece of the Globe, even if in the Karen Reid case it's her supporters
who seemed more vocal and cleannish. Indeed, as emails from former Karen Reid supporters kept arriving, a direct message popped up in my Facebook. It was from someone who initially thought Reid was guilty, but who then changed her mind and now believe she was framed. But she and her like mind that friends fear having their true feelings exposed to members of the victims family, who also happens to be neighbors. I'm part of a secret group who support
Karen Reid. It began. So here's my question, and it's real simple is there anyone out there who wants to express their strong opinions one way or the other on the Karen Reid case. And even better, is there anyone out there who has changed their opinion over the last couple of years. Is there anyone out there who really fervently believed that she was guilty and now believe the
opposite that she was innocent? Or or in the contrary, is there anyone out there who believed she was innocent and now after the first trial, believes she was guilty. And then the additional layer that I'd like to put on top of this is this all of us. Remember that during the presidential campaigns of twenty sixteen, twenty twenty and twenty twenty four, you couldn't talk to anybody about this who was a strong Hillary or Joe Biden or
Kamala Harris supporter, or sometimes a strong Trump supporter. It fractured families. Remember we used to talk about Thanksgiving dinner and what it would be like sitting across the table from relatives and discussing presidential politics. I want to know if the Karen Reid case has generated similar dynamics within families. The people within your family who believe she is either guilty or innocent, or guilty or not guilty. Guilty or
innocent is different from guilty or not guilty. We've bought, We've gone through that several times. So I think you guys understand that and have either flipped their positions or or are now not talking to other family members because there's strong, so strong disagreement. Let's open it up here, just trying to do a little bit of a social experiment. We do not have Beth Titel with us, but I want to give her all the credit for the idea for this hour, and I hope you're intrigued at as
about it as much as I am. Six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine three one, ten thirty. We'll open up these phone lines. We'll get as many people in as possible between now and ten o'clock. I have a guest coming in at well, I should have guessed, I tell you I have a guest on the phone
at ten o'clock. For those of you who may be aware, the website twenty three and me, that's one of those sort of like ancestry websites as at other one ancestry dot com there's probably others I'm unaware of, but twenty three and ME has filed for bankruptcy, and many people are worried that some of the personal data that they and genetic information that they basically gave to the company now in the bankruptcy proceeding might be sold a bought
by another company, and then what happens to that personal information that maybe you thought would never see the light of day six one, seven, two, five, four, ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one ten thirty. Let's get it going here on Night Side, and well, yeah, we we don't have to take everything as life and death. But if you strongly believe one way or the other, or if you have family members who disagree with you, and if it's caused some angst, I'd love to hear
from you as well. We'll be back on Nightside. Let's keep it going here right away.
You're on Night Side with Dan Ray ONBZ Boston's news radio.
Well, we got full line, so let's see what people have to say. Again. The question is have you changed your opinion? And whether you have, you haven't, that's okay, uh. And then have you had any strong disagreements within your family? Like you've had political disagreements. Now, maybe some families are
all this way or all the other. I'm interested in those who you You have a conversation with your aunt or your uncle, or your brother or your sister or whatever, and you realize, WHOA, they don't see this the same way as I do. Let me go to Lola in California. In San Diego, California. Lola, you are first this hour nightside. Welcome back.
Hey, Dan. So I am an avid supporter of what's going on, and what's going on is in a nutshell, corruption across the whole country with different cases. So I'm on this website, on this Facebook page called Resistant to Silence, and this is for Karen Reid and in this private group, but you can join two point one k members. So this girl wrote in the other day, hold on, I'm scrolling down because I want to get it right.
To well, this is the group that supports believes Karen Reid is innocent. Okay, just to make sure the audience follows the bouncing ball, go ahead. Yeah.
And so this girl saw her picture posted by the Globe and she sent them a message. I'm scrolling down to it, and she's like they took my picture from somewhere without my permission and put it in the article. It's right here. The girl's name is Renee Rose. I don't know her. When the photo of Dina and Rita was switched out for a photo of Karen in myself exchanged, I pressed on with the Boston Globe, please peel.
But here's the problem. Here's the road we're going down. Lolo. Okay, yeah, I don't know. I know who you are. I don't know who this person is. And if they're claiming that there was a photograph that was mislabeled misidentified in the Globe, she's got to take that up with the Globe or with lawyers on her behalf, with the Globe, not on my show.
So no, no, I'm just explaining to you. I know that the article it says here the bars.
No, no, Lola, Lola, Lola, Lola. Yeah, I'm not going to litigate on my show.
Uh no, no, oh, I oh, I.
Think you are litigating. Okay, And as the judge here on that side, I have to make rulings, Lola. Okay. What I'm saying is, if you have a if Lola has an opinion about the case, I'm more than happy to hear that. Okay, if you believe that, uh that, it's your belief. But I don't want to get into what someone else is claiming on a page about the Boston Globe because that's between them and the Globe and I don't I'm not a party to it. Okay.
I wasn't trying to do that, Dan, I was what I was trying to explain in my opinion, based on what I have seen, it seems that this girl's photo got no.
That's it, Lola. Three strikes and you're out on this one. If you want to go to your opinion. But if you'll try to backtrack to this, we're done. That's all I'm saying.
I'm not trying to do that.
Well, I can hear it, Lola. I know the next sentence is going to put me in trouble with lawyers. And I'm a lawyer. I'm smart enough to understand where I don't want to go. If you were going to call me, and that's all I'm saying, Lola, please you know me, I understand you. Please respect the show. If you want to express an opinion, go ahead, but not don't.
My opinion. I won't is we have to have the facts, okay, And so some of the facts is starting to come out with a reference to there was an audit, and there was an investigation, and they're finding out that there was no The house in crime scened off.
Is what I've heard.
Like, I'm not saying that this is what happened that.
Right, Lola, apre's the deal? Loa, Lola? Why don't you just tell me what you believe. I know that you fervently believe that she was framed. That's fine, no problem. You have every right to believe that and every right to say that. However, However, the purpose of my conversation tonight is not to relitigate the case, or to relitigate
if somebody had a photograph in the globe. My purpose tonight is to find out if people have known of people who switched their points of view, If someone who a year ago thought she was guilty now thinks she's innocent. Does everyone in your circle of friends agree with you on this? Does everyone in your family agree with you on this?
Well, I'm not. My family's not involved. I do have high school classmates that are involved. That I that's how I got involved when I was home last NA and that's how I learned about it. And I'm in different groups. What I will say is there's more people joining the groups, then there's no groups separate. For the prosecution, the prosecuting attorney of the state of.
Let me ask an an honest question, and then I got to run to news. Has y has this become the cause of your life in the last couple of years?
No?
No, do you do standouts? You told me you do standouts in San Diego.
I do, but I don't do I've done four standouts.
Okay, that's that's a big commitment. That's a big commitment.
Well, I've only done it for two or three hours, and I've only done it. Look, I've only done it. I did it this week because my friend's sister was here from Sanfa Francisco and she doesn't have anybody to stand out with. Allright, it's not my life game.
All right, fair enough, farre enough. Well, I know you're very much involved in it, and I wanted to give you credit for being passionate. All Right, Lola, I'm in the newscast. I gotta run. I wish we didn't waste as much time. Thanks Loa. Talk talk to you soon, all right, only line six one seven. Look. I like to be generous and I like to be reasonable, but sometimes I do have the draw line. And if you agree, great, If you disagree, that's fine too. You have the number
six one, seven, nine, three, ten, thirty. That's the only lines that are open right now. The others were all full.
It's Night Side with Dan Ray on Boston's news radio.
All right, let's keep it rolling here, go to Jonathan and Bill Rick. Hey, Jonathan, how are you tonight?
I'm good?
How are you?
I'm doing just great, Jonathan. Focus if you would for me a little bit on the issue at hand, and that is, do you feel the same way about the trial today as you did, you know, a year or two years ago, and and it do you have friends with whom maybe your relationship has been adversely impacted because you have a strong belief one way or the other.
Absolutely, So, I actually have my perception of the case, or my opinion of the case has changed, I will say, over the past year, year and a half or so.
Okay, tell me what so.
I think just when I originally had heard the case and had heard a lot of people talking about it, the information just you know, it seemed that there was a lot of you know, information that related one way, if you will, and then kind of as I dove into the case a little bit, I kind of went in the other direction.
So so it's definitely changed.
And it's one of those things that I think, it's almost like it's to your point about like politics, especially in our area, it's one of those situations that you almost like don't bring up because you don't even talk about because some people are so heated over it, so you.
Don't bring it up.
In the environment definitely, but also in the work environment too. It's one of those situations that people are very, very opinionated, and you almost you know, don't want to bring it up.
Okay, So which which which way did you tread to transform yourself? Did you go from feeling she was guilty and now believe the opposite, or did you start off with questions and now are more convinced of her guilt? Which which which side of the fence did you go from to the other?
So I kind of feel like it's it's in the middle. I feel I went from feeling that she was completely innocent to feeling that she has some guilt. I don't think I don't realize what happened, But that's just my opinion. And you know, it's one of those things that when I talk to people and they get very heated on the other side, and I must say, it's just my opinion. I really have, you know, I you know, it's her life.
And unfortunately, I think the real horrible incident of this whole situation obviously is the death of you know, John O'Keefe and the fact that you know, he had his you know, niece and nephew and they had such a tragedy and all that stuff. But I think it's okay
for us all to have different opinions. And I have to say, if I was ever in a case where I had a jury deciding on something about my life, I would want people that had different opinions and visions and you know that kind of stuff of how they portrayed stuff. So I think it's okay that we feel a different way. Unfortunately, I don't think that everyone. Everyone's very strong on it, so and I will say most people feel that she is innocent.
So you you went from feeling she's innocent to kind of on defense. Is where you are.
I feel she has. I don't feel they should be charging her with what they're charging her with. I think she should just be charged with manslaughter. But I feel like they're I don't feel you know, I don't want to get into the specifics, but I feel like something happened that she was involved with. You know, I think she has guilt.
Well, let me just say this, Jonathan, you're the perfect caller for tonight. You caught what I'm saying. Okay, I'm just trying to understand, and I think your acknowledgment that you don't bring this up in certain sense of circumstances, It's really true. It's become almost the political passions have turned into legal passions, which is good. People are paying attention. Jonathan. Thank you so much. I really enjoyed the call. Thank you, my friend.
Thank you for everything you do. We talk to you to him, Thank you much.
All right, let me go next to Alex in Millis. Alex, go right ahead, sir. How are you on this one?
Oh good? I'll tell you. First off, my wife was never called. She's sitting right next to me, and she feels that darn Reed is innocent. I always say, you know, my goal is always to stay out of courtrooms and out of hospitals. And I think if this woman, if she had followed, you know, I mean, she's an intelligent woman, but somehow or other, she got caught up with these people.
Some of them, you know, most police officers are are really outstanding, but you've got a bunch of you know, I don't know, people say kind of thud type people. My feeling was in the beginning, I thought she was innocent. But right now I'm on the fence. And the only reason I would say that is because of you know, the investigation with what doctor did you know is leaning towards Karen Read's favor, So I can't. If I were
in the jury, I wouldn't convict her. But you know, deep down inside, I think you know something happened.
Okay, So my question do you Alex, And the question that I've put before the audience is, yeah, your wife feels that Karen is innocent. Correct, You're kind of moving towards your wife's position.
Uh.
Yeah, that's what you just told me.
I listened to you very carefully when you felt she was guilty, whenever that was six months ago, a year ago. Did that cause any hard words between you and your wife or did both of you understand Okay, it's a difference of opinion, it's no problem.
Uh, and you know my wife, Yeah, my wife didn't really didn't pay any attention. It's it's like a soap opera, you know, once you tune into a soap opper. She got you know, she got mesmerized. You know, so she goes, Oh, I know, she goes. I've been following this. You know she's innocent, you know.
Yeah, no, but that's not my question. Listen to my question. Okay, when you felt Karen was guilty and your wife is belief she was innocent, did that cause any conflict between you and your wife or did you vote say, hey, it's not the most important thing in the world. I feel one way, you feel another. Let's have dinner or that's what I'm trying to Okay, good, that's fine, Good, that's wonderful. Okay. Yeah, So let me ask you this.
When you vote, do you vote the same way? Is this the first time you've kind of seen something like this differently, or do you normally vote for the same candidates, et cetera.
Well, we're usually both from the same candidates, and this time my wife goes whatever you feel, you know, so she wasn't. If I had voted, you know, one way or another, she.
Would yeah, because a lot of times obviously, if you if you don't feel strongly and your spouse feels strongly, well, if you vote off, you've kind of negated the other person's vote. All right, Hey, Alex is always great to your voice. Thank you, say how to your wife and tells she should call some night. Okay, thanks Alex.
I heard my husband. He covered me. He called you all the time.
Okay, you're welcome to don't trust me. Don't let him control either they either remember this. Let me ask what is your first name?
Anna?
Anna? Remember you never let your husband control the telephone or the remote control on the television.
Okay, oh no, the television, I harrid.
All right, good night Anna, good night Alex.
Okay, he always call you guys.
That's okay. We we like our regular callers. Thanks, Honor, talk to you soon.
Good night, Alex, good night.
Good night. Gotta go to a break. We'll be back at night's side. We got a couple of lines one in six, seven, two, five, four thirty. We'll try to get you in or at six one, seven ninety a guest coming up at ten. So Karen, Bill and Gary, you're all set, no promises to anyone else. I'll try to get you in. That's the best I could do. Coming back on Night Side, It's.
Night Side with Dan Ray, Boston's news radio.
All right, back to calls.
Go.
Let me go to Karen. Hey, Karen, how are you having talked to you? I don't think this year. How are you, Karen?
I think I spoke spoke to you this year? I'm fine? Thank you.
What's your take on this?
Well, I think I don't know if you remember, but my view on Karen Reid is that from I think it's pretty open and shut case. You know, she was always served. She blacked out and she didn't remember what happened. You know what happened, and so the defense she got these high price attorneys who told her who fabricated something? And that's what I feel. I feel that she that she ran into her boyfriend. I'm not sure it was intentional or not. Who knows. I hope Brandon does a
lot more with the forensics of the vehicle. Okay, what I'm intrigued by is Betha tells article about how some of these diehard supporters are questioning, you know, what their foreign beliefs were, what the.
What word I missed that word?
Well, what their former beliefs were about this? You know they were diehard?
Well no, you know, hey, there are there are people who switch sides on IF issues all the time. But there must have been something that came up that most of the people who she talked to were people who once were Karen Read supporters and now are not what you call Karen Read supporters.
Well that's this I'm saying. I'm intrigued by that, and I'm wondering it's because she's really exposed herself. I mean, she's done so many shows.
Yeah, and.
I mean it's real. It's sort of uncanny how a murder murder defendant has been so like chirpy and upbeat, you know, coming in and out of court. You know, it just it's rather unusual.
Yeah, well, you know, some might might read that differently. Some might say, well, this just shows she's so relaxed that that she realizes that she didn't do anything bad. Or conversely, she might might look it might be perceived that that she is not taking it seriously enough. I guess that would be another way.
I don't know, you know, I don't know what's going on in people's minds. I just just from from the very beginning, I think I told you, you know, I just said that. I just s remised that she had told your drink and she ran into him, and that was that.
Okay. Amongst your amongst your friends, is it a big topic of conversation or no?
You know, no, Well, similarly acquaintances, they're just like, oh, they're just clueless about it.
Okay, that's no. So therefore that there's no that means there's no cost for any rank or amongst your friends.
You know.
What's interesting the claims I have who is pro karing you is also strongly Mecca, and I think there's I.
Think there's a little correlation there.
Go out on a limb here and say that I think there's something about distortion of the truth that runs in common.
Well, or it could be distrust in government, you know, or something like that. They could be a little bit of that there, Okay, possibly, but I sense that as well, Karen, I got a couple more I got to get to police call a little earlier. And I'll give you a little bit more time. I want to give everybody goodnight. Let me go next to Gary and Rockland. Gary. Want to get you in as quickly as I can here, get a couple more like to get to go ahead? Gary?
Oh hello, Gary, welcome, you're on the ear. What's your take on this?
I think she's framed?
Okay? Is that the way you felt all along?
Yeah?
Because there was so much uh wrong with the investigation.
All right, so you haven't changed You have not changed your mind, right, No, okay, that's fine. That's fine. Now amongst your friends, is it a topic of conversation? Do people agree with you or disagree with you? Or is it even a topic of conversation?
Oh no, all our neighbors think she's and framed.
Okay, well, so you you This interesting is you're you're securing your belief, which is fine, and the people who you interact with feel the same way. That's interesting.
The missing phone on the phone that was destroyed.
Yeah, No, I don't want to litigate the case. I mean, that's I'm trying to do that. I'm trying to understand if people are taking a second look or not. I mean, you everything you see is reinforcing your belief is what I'm saying. Right, Yeah, it's okay, that's fine, that's legitimate, you know. All right, Thank you, Gary, appreciate it. I really do, thank you much.
Thank you.
Bye. Hey, let me get Harvey Silvergladen here real quickly. Harvey, I'm really cramped for time. You probably understand where we're trying to.
Go with this with this comment comment. Okay, the fact that you have so many people who disagree with each other that defines reasonable doubt, doesn't it.
Uh Yeah, they're on the jury, that's for sure.
That's my comment.
All right, Thanks buddy, talk to you all right. That's best call of the night. Doreen, you're gonna give You're gonna be the last one here, you go, right ahead, Dorian?
Uh Hi, Dan guilty?
Okay? Have you changed your mind? Or have you always seen it that way?
I seen it that way?
Okay. Amongst your friends, your circle of friends, are you in the minority or the majority?
They all believe the same.
Okay, So you haven't run into anyone like in your circle of friends who sees it differently?
Now, okay, and how come they don't put them? How come they don't put these guilt. Well, if you're guilty or not, why don't they put them on the stand to talk for themselves.
Well, most lawyers will tell defendants not to get on the witness stand, okay, unless they feel the client really needs to connect with the jury. That's very, very rarely will the defense lawyer put the client on the witness stand, particularly if there's some potential evidence, because the client sometimes
can do more harm than good. Now, we've seen cases where you know, J. Simpson got on the witness stand and the prosecution made the made the mistake of try this glove on mister Simpson, and he tried it on and of course it had tightened up over time and he couldn't fit it. And uh, and then you know, Johnny Corkman said, if the glove doesn't fit, you must have quit. So o. J. Simpson was one defendant, and a likable one at that who I think helped himself
by being on the witness stand. But most people would, most lawyers would advise their clients not to not to do that. So Doreena, I'm glad. I'm glad to know that you and your friends all feel the same way. So there's no argumentation amongst amongst your group.
Well, we shall see.
Absolutely, Thanks Doreen, We'll talk soon.
Thanks, Okay, take care, damn good night.
Now we get back, we're gonna talk about something that I hope some of you are aware of, and that is that the website, very popular website called twenty three and me has filed for bankruptcy. And that website was a place where people sent their personal data. Sometimes they're well always their their DNA is simple as their DNA to get genetic information. What's going to happen with all
that DNA? And we're going to talk with an expert about that subject when we get back, right after the ten o'clock news here on Nightside.