The well-known Karen Read murder trials ended on Thursday. The verdict, which readers said was not surprising, found Read, 45, guilty of operating a vehicle while intoxicated but acquitted of second-degree murder of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O. Keefe.
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We won despite the process, Karen Read attorney Alan Jackson tells Howie Carr
More than 1,500 people answered when we invited Boston.com readers to comment on the decision. 85% of the 1,310 readers, or the vast majority, stated that the results did not surprise them. 52 readers (3%) expressed uncertainty about the result, and another 171 readers (11%) claimed they were startled.
South Boston resident Neil R. believed the prosecution had not proven its case beyond a reasonable doubt. The prosecution failed to achieve its burden of proof, despite the fact that it is likely that Read is to blame for this man’s death.
Similarly, Jeff K. from Deerfield stated that the jury was not persuaded that Read was guilty beyond a reasonable doubt by the Massachusetts State Police investigation. John O. Keefe and his family have my sympathy. They were worthy of better. However, the way the police handled the inquiry raised legitimate questions.
However, a lot of readers, including Jeff from the Metrowest, were shocked by Read’s acquittal.
A person lost their life as a result of her driving while intoxicated. He stated, “I’m shocked that she was cleared of all other charges.”
Boston resident Mike expressed similar surprise, raising questions regarding the probe itself. The only thing that surprises me is how corrupt the entire inquiry and procedure have been. They should feel embarrassed about putting her through another trial after the first one, and what a waste of resources.
Though opinions on the verdict differed, two themes persisted: a profound sense of tragedy for John O. Keefe and doubts about the objectivity of the investigation. For everyone concerned, the case raises unanswered questions regarding justice and accountability.
Jay, a reader from Springfield, expressed hope that this might result in improvements to the way police departments collect evidence and carry out investigations.
Readers explain why the Karen Read retrial verdict surprised and did not surprise them below.
The responses have undergone minor grammatical and clarity corrections.
Were you surprised by the verdict in the Karen Read retrial?
No, I wasn t surprised
Given the hung jury from the first trial and the absence of evidence to back up the prosecution’s accusations, the prosecution should have known better than to waste taxpayer money on a retrial. This is not at all surprising.C. Mikhail and Carlisle
I didn’t believe there was sufficient proof to imprison someone. lousy cops conducted a lousy investigation. The way police departments obtain evidence and carry out investigations should alter as a result of this.Springfield’s Jay E.
I anticipated this result because OUI was the sole charge that the state established beyond a reasonable doubt.Wrentham, Steve M.
It appeared at first that it would be difficult to convict her of murder. At best, I believed they would show she hit him while intoxicated, but as the trial progressed, even that seemed improbable. I believe the prosecution made a mistake by pursuing murder charges rather than just manslaughter. Additionally, the participating police officers appeared to be unprofessional and hostile.Ed from the South Shore
This was a victory of panic and fantasy over logic, inference, and reasoned reasoning. Read owes her life to TurtleBoy for starting and disseminating the irrational conspiracy notion that tainted the entire jury pool in conjunction with her more extensive media appearances. They deliberated for three days before convicting someone on a single OUI charge? I don’t want to sound too pessimistic, but I believe this decision speaks volumes about the general decline in critical thinking skills among Americans.Dave from Worcester
Despite my own opinion that she was probably guilty, I was confident she would be exonerated due to the absurdity of the case.Boston’s Phoebe
I’ve seen both cases through to the end, and it’s clear that the Commonwealth failed to establish its case beyond a reasonable doubt. We wouldn’t have needed a second trial, in my opinion, if the verdict slip had been more transparent during the first one. Regarding the language on the slip, the court ought not to have been so strict. In the second trial, both the defense and the jury performed their duties.Lisa C. from New Hampshire’s Concord
Yes, I was surprised
I’m shocked that this case didn’t go to trial again because it’s so complicated.Newton, Janet H.
Given Karen’s admissions in media documentaries and the plethora of tangible evidence, such as John’s DNA on Karen’s bumper and fragments of taillight in John’s clothing, I was taken aback by the not guilty decision.Belmont, Grant S.
The only thing that surprises me is how corrupt the entire inquiry and procedure have been. They should feel embarrassed about putting her through another trial after the first one, and what a waste of resources. All I can hope for is that they keep looking into this and bring justice to Office O. Keefe, who has regrettably been overlooked amid this circus.Boston’s Mike
On occasion, Boston.com uses surveys and informal polls to engage with its readers. These findings should be seen as an unreliable indicator of readers’ opinions.
Annie Jonas writes for Boston.com as a community writer. She used to work as a freelancer at the Financial Times and as a local editor at Patch.
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