Karen Read defense attorneys David Yannetti and Robert Alessi joined us for a live conversation about the murder trial. Watch their extended interview here, covering the dramatic end to the trial, key moments along the way, Judge Beverly Cannone, how to explain complicated technical evidence, why they didn't call several key witnesses (Michael Proctor, Brian Albert and Brian Higgins) and much more. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as ...
Jul 02, 2025•37 min•Ep. 126
You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube page. Subscribe here: www.youtube.com/@NBC10Boston If you have questions on the case, send them to us at Canton.Confidential@nbcuni.com
Jun 26, 2025•21 min•Ep. 125
Paula Prado, juror #11, sat down with Sue O'Connell for a conversation about the Karen Read trial, including her impressions of the attorneys and witnesses, what she perceived as holes in the investigation, and what she knew about the case before it all started. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube page. Subscribe here: www.youtube.com/@NBC10Boston If you have questions on the case, send them to us at Canton...
Jun 23, 2025•31 min
Juror #11 shared what the group was discussing as it decided Karen Read's fate. Plus, we hear from Read's parents as the long legal battle finally ends. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube page. Subscribe here: www.youtube.com/@NBC10Boston If you have questions on the case, send them to us at Canton.Confidential@nbcuni.com
Jun 20, 2025•22 min•Ep. 124
What comes in the aftermath of Karen Read's criminal trial? In this episode of "Canton Confidential," we dive into the strategy that turned a murder charge into an OUI conviction, and what could still be to come in a civil case. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube page. Subscribe here: www.youtube.com/@NBC10Boston If you have questions on the case, send them to us at Canton.Confidential@nbcuni.com
Jun 20, 2025•21 min•Ep. 123
After an eight-week trial and days of deliberation, a jury acquitted Karen Read of the most serious charges against her in John O'Keefe's death — she was convicted only on an OUI charge, prompting a sudden cheer from the hundreds of Read's supporters outside. On this special edition of "Canton Confidential," our experts discuss how the defense created a "relatively soft landing spot" for the jury to convict only on an OUI charge, what part of the acquitted charges prosecutors weren't able to pro...
Jun 19, 2025•52 min•Ep. 122
The jury sent in four questions about the charges against Karen Read Tuesday, and while they didn't deliver a verdict, there was plenty of drama in court — some of it starting to sound familiar to people who followed the first trial. Here's what Judge Cannone said to each question, and our experts' analysis. Plus, hear from Read's anxious supporters waiting outside the courthouse and our courtroom insider on the high tension inside court and how Read's lawyers and the Read and O'Keefe families r...
Jun 17, 2025•22 min•Ep. 121
How long will it take for the Karen Read jury to deliver a verdict? Here's what other high-profile murder trials suggest. And with our legal analysts, we dig into the verdict slips — the loss and the victory that Judge Cannone gave the defense on changing the documents, and whether the slips could ever be made clearer. Plus, how Read's defense team is working to corral the crowd of her supporters outside of court. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as vide...
Jun 17, 2025•22 min•Ep. 120
Karen Read's fate is now in the hands of the jury, after eight weeks of testimony and dramatic closing arguments. Here's what happened in court Friday — a legal breakdown of the lawyers' arguments and how they went over in court. Plus, Ronald Estanislao, a juror from the first trial, gives his take on the now controversial jury slips and explains what it was like starting deliberations after a long trial: "we were all suddenly realizing the scope of what we were about to do." You can watch the T...
Jun 13, 2025•22 min•Ep. 119
The sides in the Karen Read murder trial have one last chance to persuade the jury, but before their closing arguments, we got a sneak peek during important preparations in court. The defense is taking a new strategy on its third-party culprit claims and made some new requests of the judge, while making a somewhat rare request for the jury to consider a lesser charge. The prosecution, meanwhile, insisted the defense experts conflicted. Our experts, including attorney and YouTube analyst Emily D....
Jun 13, 2025•22 min•Ep. 118
With Karen Read’s defense resting its case — and prosecution now saying it’s not calling a rebuttal witness — here’s what we’re expecting for the final stage of the trial beginning on Thursday and Friday. All that came after an intense day of testimony and cross-examination, with the prosecution at one point asking ARCCA biomechanist Andrew Rentschler if he had a theory about evidence being planted. Our experts discuss why the prosecution is choosing not to call a rebuttal witness, the procedura...
Jun 12, 2025•22 min•Ep. 117
A forensic pathologist called by Karen Read's defense was insistent that the evidence shows her SUV didn't hit John O'Keefe — and while she was prohibited from saying his arm injury was caused by a dog bite, Judge Cannone did give the defense a partial victory on the subject. Then, the defense called what's believed to be their final witness, and the ARCCA biomechanist also testified that the evidence doesn't suggest O'Keefe was hit by a vehicle. Plus, a juror's surprise note for the judge, how ...
Jun 10, 2025•22 min•Ep. 116
"The commonwealth has no case, they have no collision. They are desperate," defense attorney Robert Alessi said in court as he moved for a mistrial for a second time in the Karen Read retrial. Our legal experts explain what happened in court, why Judge Beverly Cannone didn't declare a mistrial and what it might mean for the case. Plus, ARCCA crash reconstruction expert Daniel Wolfe showed video of his test on — did it help or hurt the defense? And who is in charge of maintaining decorum in the c...
Jun 09, 2025•22 min•Ep. 115
The prosecution fought tooth and nail to keep Karen Read's ARCCA witnesses from testifying, but the first of two took the stand Friday. Here's what he said — when the judge didn't sustain objections to the questioning — and what it was like in court. Plus, a former police chief reflects on the recent officer testimony in the trial, a former juror answers some key questions on how objections are seen from the jury box and much more. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the other...
Jun 06, 2025•21 min•Ep. 114
Karen Read expects her defense to rest next Tuesday, "give or take." With the day off in court, our experts share what they make of her team's presentation so far, whether they've managed to convey reasonable doubt and what's becoming of their third-party culprit defense. Plus, we break down the proposed jury instructions and answer your questions on the meaning of a reasonable degree of certainty and if Read can be convicted on only some of the charges. You can watch the TV version of this epis...
Jun 05, 2025•23 min•Ep. 113
Karen Read's team called Canton snow plow driver Brian "Lucky" Loughran, who testified that he didn't see John O'Keefe's body outside the home in the hours before he was found there, though he says he did see something else that was odd. He was also asked, by the prosecution, about controversial blogger Aidan "Turtleboy" Kearney. Our chief legal analyst breaks down how effective Loughran's testimony was for the prosecution and defense. Plus, why there's no court on Thursday. You can watch the TV...
Jun 05, 2025•22 min•Ep. 112
Big accusations were made in the Karen Read trial Tuesday — did they stick? Prosecutors' questioning of a dog bite expert led the defense to move for a mistrial, citing activity that was "abhorrent to a fair trial," but it was ultimately denied. Then, a Dighton police sergeant testifies that a piece of Read's now-broken taillight "was intact" when he saw it, soon before state police took custody of the vehicle. Our chief legal analyst explains the arguments behind the mistrial motion and the pos...
Jun 03, 2025•22 min•Ep. 111
A former Canton police officer called by Karen Read's defense got into a heated exchange with one of the lawyers in court as he accused her of changing her testimony since speaking to federal investigators. We ask our experts what they thought of the exchanges, if she met the definition of a hostile witness and about Read's claim she's part of a "blue wall of silence." Plus, how the jury reacted to a dog bite expert from the first trial and, after childhood friend of Michael Proctor's takes the ...
Jun 03, 2025•22 min•Ep. 110
The Karen Read trial is now in the hands of the defense, after they tried and failed to have Judge Cannone dismiss the charges outright, and their first witness was a digital forensics expert with a different view of technical data that the prosecution had presented. It's the first of what will be several battles of the experts — we take a look. Plus, Michael Proctor's infamous text messages will soon return to the courtroom. Why the prosecution tried to block testimony from witnesses connected ...
May 30, 2025•21 min•Ep. 109
After nearly 40 witnesses spoke over weeks, the prosecution in the Karen Read trial rested. Did Hank Brennan's case match the expectations he set? Our experts weigh in on his presentation, whether he left room for reasonable doubt and more. Plus, the defense will likely call Michael Proctor, Brian Albert and Brian Higgins in the coming weeks. What will happen if and when they take the stand? You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happ...
May 29, 2025•21 min•Ep. 108
Wednesday saw the culmination of the prosecution's case against Karen Read, their key crash reconstruction expert sharing his conclusion about what happened to John O'Keefe — or what the judge allowed him to share. Then, the defense began working to poke holes in the argument. Here's what happened in a stop-start day in court, and how important our legal experts say it could prove to be when the jury considers whether to convict Read. Plus, what the expert revealed about how he obtained the repl...
May 29, 2025•21 min•Ep. 107
It was a key day in the Karen Read murder trial as biomedical engineer Judson Welcher, a prosecution crash reconstruction expert, showed highly detailed video that illustrated what he said the data shows about Read's SUV and John O'Keefe's death — but his testimony ended with a dramatic objection over his conclusion on what happened. We break down what the jury saw — and what they missed while out of the courtroom — as well as what the defense's addition of four new witnesses may suggest about t...
May 27, 2025•22 min•Ep. 106
The prosecution is expected to call its final witness, potentially a critical one who may tie key evidence together, while the defense is gearing up to call its own witnesses. Here's a comprehensive recap of the prosecution's case and analysis on what they've shown, plus more from our chief legal analyst on what the defense will set out to show. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube page. Subscribe here: www....
May 27, 2025•21 min•Ep. 105
Karen Read expects the prosecution to call just one more witness in her murder retrial, meaning her team will soon begin making its case to the jury. While she isn't saying whether the defense will call Michael Proctor, the former state trooper looms over the testimony, and our experts explore what strategy they may take. Plus, concerns over the qualifications of a brain surgeon who's testified and answers to your questions — on why Hank Brennan was brought in to prosecute the case, what jurors ...
May 23, 2025•21 min•Ep. 104
After a surprise start to the day in Karen Read's murder retrial, a brain surgeon broke down the injuries John O'Keefe sustained, what may or may not have caused them and why they didn't kill O'Keefe right away. Martin Radner, of the "Brother Counsel" YouTube page, shares what the surgeon's testimony solidifies, and what he still leaves open. Plus, more on the courtroom being cleared for Judge Cannone to question jurors, what a forensic analyst testified about the debris found on O'Keefe's cloth...
May 21, 2025•22 min•Ep. 103
The Karen Read prosecution tried to prove that the analysis done by forensic expert Shanon Burges on her SUV wasn't affected by misstatements about his college education. Did it work? Our experts react — former Judge Jack Lu says, "If I were Karen Read, I would be worried sick." Plus, some police officers from the Read investigation appeared in another high-profile criminal proceeding Monday and Tuesday. How are they connected? You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, a...
May 20, 2025•22 min•Ep. 102
A day of dense, scientific testimony in the Karen Read case took a dramatic turn as the defense called a prosecution expert's credentials into question — he confirmed a CV on his firm's site said he had a college degree that he hasn't gotten yet. Our experts, attorneys Michael Coyne and Peter Tragos, said it was a damaging moment for the prosecution. Here's why, how the jury appeared to react and what it could mean for other witnesses still to be called in the case. You can watch the TV version ...
May 19, 2025•22 min•Ep. 101
After a day, and a week, heavy on forensic and physical evidence in the Karen Read trial, our experts had plenty of thoughts on what things like DNA found on John O'Keefe's shoe and the taillight of Read's SUV might mean to the jury — especially given how complex the science is compared to how simple TV shows can make it look. Plus, they look at why Judge Beverly Cannone is allowing a prosecution expert to slightly change their findings over the defense's objection, who took better advantage of ...
May 16, 2025•22 min•Ep. 100
It was a difficult day in the second Karen Read murder trial, as the most graphic evidence so far was presented while the medical examiner who performed John O'Keefe's autopsy testified about her findings. Get a recap and analysis of her testimony on the undetermined death finding, more of what it was like in court while images of O'Keefe's body were shown as well as an update on the buffer zone that's kept protesters far away from the courthouse. You can watch the TV version of this episode — a...
May 15, 2025•22 min•Ep. 99
Karen Read's defense worked to suggest that evidence presented in court Wednesday, including glass and a hair found on her SUV, got there improperly. Our experts discuss what they said, and how the jury may be receiving it. Plus, what John O'Keefe's niece said when she testified about his relationship with Read — her comments couldn't be recorded, because she's not 18. You can watch the TV version of this episode — and all the others, as well as video from court as it happens — on our YouTube pa...
May 15, 2025•21 min•Ep. 98
