In the Karen Read murder trial, a complete jury has not yet been chosen, and the defense is worried that not every juror will have a good view of the trial.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, is accused of driving her car into her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, while drunk on Jan. 29, 2022. She is facing charges of second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision causing death. charged with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a collision causing death.
Yesterday, the lawyers in the case agreed on two more jurors, bringing the total to 12 of the 16 needed for the trial to proceed. Jury selection will continue on Monday, and opening arguments could start as soon as Tuesday, according to the case schedule. The attorneys estimate that the trial could last up to six weeks. bringing the total to 12 of the 16 needed to open the trial. Jury selection is set to resume on Monday and opening arguments could then commence as early as Tuesday, according to the case schedule. Attorneys have estimated the trial could take as long as six weeks.
The defense team filed a motion on Friday expressing concerns about the placement of the jury box, where the jurors will sit and watch the trial unfold.
“The seating arrangements proposed by this Court clearly violate Ms. Read’s constitutional right to face-to-face confrontation,” defense attorneys wrote in the motion. “Unless the Court rearranges the jury box as requested by the defense, at least six of the jurors will only be able to see the back of the witnesses’ heads while they testify at trial.”
During jury selection, the defense team noted issues with the courtroom layout and raised these concerns in a motion, supported by an affidavit by defense attorney David Yannetti. He included photos taken from three specific seats in the jury box, demonstrating the view from each seat, including Yannetti himself sitting in the witness stand.
Two of the included photos, from seats 10 and 11, show a view behind the head of a witness. The third photo, from seat 12, shows a clear profile view of a witness.
The defense concluded that at least six jurors will be unable to properly assess the behavior and credibility of testifying witnesses, which is essential for a juror to fully comprehend their testimony.
The defense also filed a motion and supporting affidavit on Friday for the inclusion of a tech support assistant at their table to handle audio and visual evidence.
Karen Read appears in court for a hearing earlier this month. (Nancy Lane/Boston Herald)
