On April 23, 2025, Peggy O’Keefe, the mother of Boston police officer John O’Keefe, gave an emotional testimony during the retrial of Karen Read at the Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts. In her testimony, O’Keefe recounted the heartbreaking moment she learned of her son’s death on January 29, 2022. She described a phone call with Karen Read, who told her that she had left John behind at a party.
O’Keefe also detailed how Read, accompanied by her father and brother, came to their home after John’s body was discovered. They requested to retrieve some of Read’s belongings, which added to the complexity of the case.
The retrial comes after the first trial ended in a mistrial when the jury was unable to reach a unanimous decision. Karen Read is accused of second-degree murder, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of an accident in connection with the death of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe. Prosecutors allege that Read hit O’Keefe with her car during a snowstorm after a party, while her defense team argues that O’Keefe was attacked inside a house and left outside, with Read being wrongly blamed.
The retrial is expected to last nine weeks, with about 150 witnesses set to testify. The case has garnered significant public and media attention, particularly over alleged mishandling of the investigation and concerns about transparency within law enforcement.
