DEDHAM, Mass. (WJAR) — Karen Read’s defense team cross-examined a key investigator at her murder trial Thursday.
Questions focused on two videos presented by the commonwealth.
Video of Read backing out of the garage the morning that the body of her boyfriend, John O’Keefe, was found was played again for the jury.
The defense enlarged the wheel of O’Keefe’s car.
“It appears that there is movement,” said Massachusetts State Police Trooper Yuriy Bukhenik.
Read’s attorneys claimed this is when her taillight was damaged.
“It’s enough to crack it for sure, and it did crack it,” said defense attorney Alan Jackson.
The prosecution alleges the Mansfield woman backed into her boyfriend in January 2022, cracking the taillight in the process.
Bukhenik testified about finding O’Keefe’s baseball cap at the scene and broken pieces of plastic in the melted snow days after his death.
“I directed the troopers in my office who obviously reside in the communities around us to make a point to travel by that location,” he testified.
A conversation between the trooper and Read was also heard by the jury.
“You are aware he was beaten up by Brian and Colin Albert. I mean, we’re all in on the same joke, right? My taillight is cracked and John is pulverized,” Read can be heard saying.
The defense, which alleges Read was framed, said video in the Canton Police Department garage is inverted, meaning the cracked taillight isn’t visible.
It was shown by the prosecution Wednesday.
“Mr. (Assistant District Attorney Adam) Lally didn’t ask you if it was inverted, correct?” the defense asked.
“That’s correct,” Bukhenik said.
It’s been unclear if the lead investigator in the case, Trooper Michael Proctor, would be called by the state. He’s under an internal investigation.
“Yeah, Proctor’s going to testify,” Jackson told NBC 10 News outside the courthouse.
Jurors also learned from the judge Thursday that the case will be done by the end of the month.
