Photo: Jared Brosnan/WBZ NewsRadio
DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The Karen Read case was back in Norfolk Superior Court Tuesday after Judge Beverly Cannone abruptly ended a pre-trial hearing last week, citing "grave concerns."
During Tuesday's hearing, defense attorney Robert Alessi argued on behalf of attorney Alan Jackson. Last week, the Commonwealth alleged that Jackson coordinated and scripted questions with two crash expert witnesses during Read's first criminal trial. This week's hearing ended without a ruling and another hearing has been set for next Tuesday.
The experts, with ARCCA, had initially been hired by federal investigators, who were separately investigating the Karen Read case. Prosecutor Hank Brennan also said ARCCA had billed the defense for nearly $24,000.
Attorney Alessi argued Tuesday that the Commonwealth had made mistakes, both sides had access to the same information, and that the defense should have been notified that these accusations were going to be made against Jackson.
"The Commonwealth having not given us notice that this was coming and not putting any of these statements in an affidavit, we didn't have the ability to stand up," Alessi said. "This could have been avoided had there been an accurate recitation of what had occurred...I don't know if this can be remedied."
Brennan said there are still a number of gaps in communication amongst the documents they got from the defense.
"There is a very unclear relationship, as we stand here right now, between the history of interaction between the defense and these ARCCA witnesses," Brennan said. "You can see from the emails, while there is some information provided, there are gaps."
Jackson could be removed from the case if it's determined that he lied to the court.
Read accused of striking down her boyfriend, Boston Police Office John O'Keefe, with her SUV back in 2022 and leaving him for dead in the snow. The defense argues she is being framed.
Read is facing multiple charges including murder. Her first trial ended in a mistrial and a second trial is scheduled to begin on April 1.