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DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Jurors continued to deliberate in the Karen Read murder trial in Dedham Friday despite telling the judge they were deadlocked.
Read, 44, is charged with second degree murder in the January 2022 death of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors allege Read hit O'Keefe with her SUV and left him to die in the snow outside a Canton home after a night out.
Read's defense team argues she was framed for O'Keefe's death, and that someone else beat up O'Keefe inside the home and dragged his body outside.
Read More: The Defense Rests In Karen Read Murder Trial
Shortly before noon on the fourth day of jury deliberations Friday, jurors sent Judge Beverly Cannone a note saying, "Despite our exhaustive review of the evidence and our diligent consideration of all disputed evidence, we have been unable to reach a unanimous verdict."
Judge Cannone called attorneys for both sides back into the courtroom for a brief meeting.
Assistant District Attorney Adam Lally argued that given the length of the trial and the amount of half-days jurors had this week, they did not have enough time to deliberate.
Defense attorney David Yannetti disagreed, saying jurors have been working nonstop and have "exhausted all manner of compromise, all manner of persuasion, and they're at an impasse."
Judge Cannone then brought the jury into the courtroom and, citing the length of the trial and multiple shortened days, told them to keep deliberating.
"We all know how hard you've been working. Lunch will be arriving shortly. When it comes, I ask you to clear your heads, have lunch, and begin your deliberations again—or continue your deliberations," Cannone said.
Should the jury fail to reach a unanimous verdict, it would result in a hung jury and lead the way to a retrial.
WBZ NewsRadio will carry the decision live.
WBZ's Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports.
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