Prosecutors in the Karen Read case are seeking additional data from the defendant’s SUV to strengthen their case in the upcoming trial. Hank Brennan, the special prosecutor, has requested further testing of the defendant’s Lexus telematics system to extract key evidence related to the precise locations of the vehicle on the morning that former police officer John O’Keefe died. The data extraction procedure last December was deemed incomplete by the digital forensic expert, prompting the request for additional testing.
The requested data includes track logs that could provide GPS coordinate measurements, as well as information on Wi-Fi connections during the vehicle’s route. Prosecutors aim to use this data to pinpoint the locations where the defendant’s SUV traveled from the time of the fatal collision until the vehicle was seized. O’Keefe died after being struck by the defendant’s SUV following a drunken argument.
The defense argues that outside actors conspired to frame Read for O’Keefe’s murder and claims that the injuries sustained by O’Keefe are inconsistent with a pedestrian strike. However, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Joe Paul testified that the data recovered from Read’s SUV and O’Keefe’s injuries were consistent with a pedestrian strike.
Read, who pleaded not guilty, faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter under the influence, and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. A mistrial was declared in the two-month criminal trial in July due to a deadlocked jury. Brennan has requested prompt testing and production of relevant discovery to prepare for the retrial scheduled for late January.
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