Photo: Suzanne Sausville/ WBZ NewsRadio
DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — After more than two months of testimony and nearly five full days of deliberations, the Karen Read murder trial ended in a mistrial Monday afternoon.
Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey said the Commonwealth will retry the case.
In a note to Judge Beverly Cannone, the jury said their division showed their "sincere adherence" to their individual opinions on the case.
"To continue to deliberate would be futile and only serve to force [them] to compromise these deeply held beliefs," the note read.
Prosecutors accused Read of deliberately backing into Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe with her car and leaving him out to die in the snow after a night out in Canton on Jan. 29. 2022. She was charged with second-degree murder. The defense argued she was the victim of a massive cover-up involving law enforcement.
The jury started deliberating June 23. On the fourth day of deliberations, June 26, they said they were at an impasse, but Judge Cannone instructed them to keep trying to reach a unanimous verdict.
Court broke for the weekend and returned for more deliberations Monday morning.
Shortly thereafter Monday morning, they sent another note saying they could not get past their "fundamental disagreements."
Judge Cannone delivered Tuey-Rodriguez instructions, urging the jury one more time to reach a unanimous verdict.
About three hours later, the jury sent their final note and Judge Cannone declared the mistrial.
Judge Cannone scheduled a status conference for July 22 in Norfolk Superior Court.
WBZ NewsRadio's Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.
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