Photo: Chaiel Schaffel/WBZ NewsRadio
DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Hank Brennan, special prosecutor in the Karen Read murder retrial, has spoken out for the first time since Read was found not guilty on all charges except for OUI.
In a statement obtained by CBS News Boston’s Kristina Rex, Brennan expressed his disappointment with the verdict.
Read in the statement in full:
“I am disappointed in the verdict and the fact that we could not achieve justice for John O’Keefe and his family. District Attorney Michael Morrissey appointed me, giving me full discretion to independently assess the case and follow the evidence no matter where it led. After an independent and thorough review of all the evidence, I concluded that the evidence led to one person, and only one person. Neither the closed federal investigation nor my independent review led me to identify any other possible suspect or person responsible for the death of John O’Keefe.
The campaign of intimidation and abuse that has been waged, funded, and promoted in public and on social media is the antithesis of justice. If this type of conduct becomes commonplace, it will threaten the integrity of our judicial system, affecting both victims and criminally accused.
We cannot condone witness abuse, causing participants to worry for their own safety or that of their families. It is my hope that with the verdict, the witnesses and their families will be left alone. The harassment of these innocent victims and family members is deplorable and should never happen again in a case in this Commonwealth.
My heartfelt condolences to the O’Keefe family and faith that over the coming years they will find peace and closure.”
You can find more on the verdict of the Karen Read retrial verdict here.