Day One of Karen Read murder trial starts with jury selection

The much-anticipated Karen Read murder trial began today at Norfolk Superior Court, more than two years after the murder of Read’s then boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe.

Read has been accused of backing her Lexus SUV into O’Keefe after dropping him off at the home of a Canton police officer, then leaving him to die in the cold. The theory has been widely disputed by many, with supporters of Read insisting she was framed.

The scene at the courthouse today was sort of a frenzy. Despite the 200-yard buffer zone ordered by the judge to keep supporters away from influencing potential jurors who were on site for vetting, the area was full of news crews and media from across the country, including Court TV. There were dozens of Read supporters scattered about, many standing in the areas behind orange cones that had been set up to indicate the 200-yard cut-off. At least one helicopter was hovering above the area and members of the Massachusetts State Police assisted in monitoring the perimeter of the courthouse.

Read and her defense team were present for the start of the jury selection process. Read stood when she was introduced to the room full of potential jurors and smiled. Soon after the arduous process of selecting jurors began, with the majority of those in attendance (over 80) raising their hands when asked if they had heard of the John O’Keefe murder.

By the end of the first day, only four jurors had been seated. The process will continue again tomorrow.

For live, in the moment updates from today’s trial, you can follow us on X (formerly Twitter) at the following link:

For an audio round-up of today’s proceeding, check out our Spaces event and listen to my after court take on opening day events.