Photo: Suzanne Sausville/WBZ NewsRadio
CANTON, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — As the Karen Read murder retrial is set to begin this week, Read’s supporters rallied over the weekend to reiterate support.
In a ruling ahead of the retrial, Judge Beverley Cannone expanded the perimeters of a 200-foot buffer zone in an effort to protect jurors from being “exposed to the protesters and messages.” The high-profile nature of the trial has attracted supporters for both the defense and prosecution, and Judge Cannone wrote in her ruling that protesters “could be clearly heard” inside Norfolk Superior Court.
Despite some changes to the rules, many on the Free Karen Read side said it will not stop them from showing their support. On Sunday, dozens of Free Karen Read standouts took place statewide, including in Canton, Mass., where Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe’s body was found on Jan. 29, 2022.
“We are here to free Karen Read, but we’re also here for justice for Officer John O’Keefe. They go together like peanut butter and jelly,” said one of Read's supporters.
Read More: Former Alternate Juror Becomes Newest Karen Read Defense Attorney
However, O’Keefe’s family has been firm in their stance that Read should be found guilty of the charges and spoken out about alleged harassment perpetrated by Read’s supporters. In an interview with CBS News Boston, Paul O’Keefe expressed regret for staying silent in the wake of his brother’s death.
"A lot of the public was misinformed, because they were only getting one side of the story, and you know we didn't come out and tell our side of the story or what we thought really happened,” Paul O'Keefe said in the interview. "Now it's time for people to understand the truth."
Gail White was one of Read’s first outspoken supporters and led Sunday’s standout in Canton, Mass. She said she will only be happy if Read is found “totally innocent” in the retrial.
“I was a victim of violent crime, and they screwed up my case, so I guess it unlocked the lion in me," said White. "I just saw them doing to her what they did to me and I just lost my mind."
The retrial is scheduled to begin with jury selection on Tuesday, April 1.
WBZ NewsRadio’s Suzanne Sausville (@WBZSausville) reports.