Defense Begins Case in Karen Read Murder Trial with Testimony from Snowplow Driver

The defense team in the high-profile Karen Read murder trial began presenting its case on Friday, following the prosecution's conclusion after calling 68 witnesses. Defense attorneys Alan Jackson and David Yanetti called their first witness, snowplow driver Brian “Lucky” Loughran, whose testimony they believe is crucial to challenging the prosecution's timeline and theory.

Loughran, a Canton town employee, testified that he was plowing his regular route during a storm on the night of January 29, 2022, and passed by 34 Fairview Road, the location where Boston police officer John O’Keefe’s body was later found. According to Loughran, he drove by the house at 2:45 a.m. and 3:30 a.m. but saw no body on the lawn either time.

“When you make that first pass by that residence at 2:45 in the morning, sir, with your headlights on,” Attorney David Yanetti asked, “What, if anything, did you see on the front lawn in the area of the flagpole?”

“I saw nothing,” Loughran replied. 

“If there had been a six-foot-two, 200-pound man lying in the snow there, would you have seen it?” Yanetti inquired. 

Prosecutor Adam Lally objected to this line of questioning, and Judge Beverly Cannone sustained the objection. Loughran later testified that he saw a Ford Edge parked near the flagpole on a subsequent pass, a vehicle owned by Brian Albert, the then-owner of 34 Fairview Road.

Prosecutor Lally challenged the reliability of Loughran’s testimony, suggesting that his account has changed over time and questioning his timeline. Despite these objections, the defense maintains that Loughran's observations are pivotal in disproving the prosecution's case.

“I saw nothing,” Loughran reiterated, emphasizing that he had a clear view of the lawn and would have noticed a body if it had been there. He also mentioned seeing a car parked in front of the house during his later pass but chose not to report it due to his familiarity with the Albert family. 

In a significant development in the Karen Read murder trial, Dr. Marie Russell, a retired emergency room physician and forensic pathologist, testified that the wounds on John O'Keefe's right arm were likely caused by an animal attack, potentially by a large dog. Dr. Russell's testimony aligns with the defense's theory that O'Keefe was attacked by "Chloe," a German shepherd mix living at the scene.

"I have a very strong interest in wounds in general, and I have a strong interest in dog bites in particular," Russell explained. She has extensive experience in the field, having seen over 500 patients with animal-related injuries and authored several peer-reviewed papers on law enforcement dog bites.

Defense attorneys Alan Jackson and David Yanetti used Dr. Russell's testimony to challenge the prosecution's claim that Read struck O'Keefe with her SUV. Projecting an image of O'Keefe's wounded arm, Jackson asked Russell to describe the injuries. She pointed to "a number of patterns" in the wounds, including parallel lines she identified as "inflicted by either teeth or claw marks" and "punctate" marks from a pointy tooth.   

When asked if she believed the injuries were from an animal attack, Russell replied, "Yes, based on a reasonable degree of medical certainty."

During cross-examination, Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally questioned Russell's qualifications, noting she is not certified in forensic medicine or pathology and last worked in a coroner's office in 1995. Russell acknowledged these points but stood by her assessment, stating she formed her opinion after reviewing hospital records, autopsy photos, grand jury testimony, and local dog bite reports.

The defense argues that O'Keefe was beaten inside the house and bitten by Albert's dog before being placed outside, countering the prosecution's timeline that O'Keefe was hit by Read's SUV around 12:45 a.m. The defense pointed to Chloe, the dog living at 34 Fairview Road, as the likely culprit for O'Keefe's arm injuries.

With a full week of testimony expected this week, the defense aims to conclude their presentation quickly. Attorney Yanetti suggested to Boston 25 Investigative Reporter Ted Daniel that they could wrap up by this week with only three witnesses left to call. Judge Cannone has also indicated that jury deliberations could begin this week.

Karen Read maintains her innocence, telling reporters, “There is no case against me. After eight weeks, it’s smoke and mirrors and it’s going through my private life and trying to contrive a motive that was never there.”

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