Karen Read, who is facing criminal charges including murder, is requesting a delay in a wrongful death lawsuit against her until after her trial is completed. The lawsuit, filed by the family of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, blames Read for his death, as well as bars that allegedly over-served her despite signs of intoxication.
According to the lawsuit, Read was served multiple alcoholic drinks at two bars on the night of January 28, 2022, before she allegedly struck O’Keefe with her SUV in a snowstorm and left the scene. Her attorneys have filed a motion to postpone the civil trial until after her criminal trial, citing concerns about her Fifth Amendment rights and ability to defend herself.
However, the attorney representing O’Keefe’s family opposes the delay, noting that Read has spoken publicly about the case and participated in media interviews, suggesting she is not avoiding self-incrimination. The wrongful death lawsuit names Read, as well as the bars where she was served alcohol, as defendants and requests a jury trial.
In response to the lawsuit, one of the bars, Waterfall Bar & Grill, denied the allegations. Read, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of second-degree murder and other offences, faces a retrial scheduled for January 27 after the initial trial ended in a mistrial.
After dropping O’Keefe off at a fellow police officer’s home following the night of drinking, his body was found in the front yard, with the cause of death determined to be hypothermia and blunt force trauma. Read’s defence team has argued that O’Keefe’s death occurred inside the home, and that she is being falsely accused.
The complex legal proceedings continue to unfold as both the criminal trial and the civil lawsuit progress, with Read maintaining her innocence while navigating the legal challenges ahead.