The Massachusetts Supreme Court has denied Karen Read's appeal to dismiss her case based on double jeopardy, paving the way for a second trial in April. Read is accused of second-degree murder and leaving the scene of a fatal accident involving her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe. O'Keefe died from head trauma and hypothermia during a snowstorm in January 2022. The prosecution alleges Read struck him with her SUV after an argument, while Read claims she left before any injuries occurred and suggests a cover-up.

The first trial resulted in a hung jury, prompting Read's appeal. She argued that the jury's deadlock on one of the three charges should lead to the dismissal of the other two. However, the court rejected this, citing the jury's explicit statements during deliberations that they hadn't reached a unanimous verdict on any of the charges. Justice Serge Georges Jr. clarified that post-trial juror disclosures cannot retroactively change the trial outcome. The court affirmed the denial of Read's motion to dismiss and her request for a post-trial juror inquiry.

The upcoming retrial, scheduled for April 1st, will be led by special assistant prosecutor Hank Brennan, known for previously representing James “Whitey” Bulger. Brennan has already initiated efforts to obtain unpublished records from journalists who interviewed Read. Legal experts agree with the court's decision, emphasizing that double jeopardy applies only after a verdict, not a mistrial. Read faces a separate wrongful death lawsuit filed by O'Keefe's family.

In recent interviews, Read has maintained her innocence, alleging she was framed and implicating other law enforcement officers she believes were involved in a fight with O'Keefe after she dropped him off at a colleague's home. Testimony from a key investigator, Trooper Michael Proctor, proved detrimental to the prosecution in the first trial, with jurors reacting negatively to revealed text messages containing disparaging remarks about Read.