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DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — The second week of the Karen Read murder trial wrapped up with the ninth day of witness testimony Friday.
Read is on trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham for the murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O'Keefe. Prosecutors allege Read hit O'Keefe with her SUV after a night out in Canton in January 2022 and left him to die in the snow outside the home of retired Boston police officer Brian Albert and his wife Nicole Albert.
Read has pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder and other charges. Read's attorneys say she is the victim of an alleged frame job to protect the Albert family, a well-connected Canton family which also includes Canton Select Board member Christopher Albert and Canton detective Kevin Albert.
Read More: Karen Read Murder Trial Continues With Day 8 Of Testimony
During Friday's testimony, jurors heard from Julie Albert, Christopher Albert's wife and Brian Albert's sister-in-law. She and Christopher were out with Read, O'Keefe, and others at the Waterfall Bar & Grille hours before O'Keefe died. She also took the stand on Thursday.
The defense asked Julie about her relationship with Courtney Proctor, sister of Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case. Read's attorneys said Julie called Courtney Proctor 67 times in a seven-month period after O'Keefe's death, including the day Read was arrested.
Julie said she did not use Courtney Proctor as an intermediary to talk to Trooper Proctor about the case and did not remember the phone conversations she had with Courtney.
Next on the stand was Nicole Albert. She testified that her sister, Jennifer McCabe, burst into her and her husband's bedroom sometime between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. to tell them that O'Keefe had been found outside their house in the snow.
Nicole said she and Brian spoke to police that morning, then called friend and ATF agent Brian Higgins over to the house.
The defense asked Nicole why she and Brian didn't use blankets to help O'Keefe. Nicole said they did not go outside because they had no idea what was going on.
Read's attorney also asked Nicole about two phone calls her sister placed to her shortly after 6 a.m. Nicole said she did not answer those phone calls.
Brian Albert was the final witness to take the stand Friday. Brian testified about driving back to Canton from a police funeral in New York City with Higgins and two other officers, then stopping by the Waterfall after his wife asked him to join the gathering.
Brian recalled being awoken by his sister-in-law Jennifer and being told there were police downstairs. He said he met later that day with Massachusetts State Police troopers, including Trooper Proctor, whom he said he had never met before.
Brian Albert will re-take the stand for cross-examination when the trial resumes on Monday.
Friday's session was briefly paused as the judge heard arguments on whether blogger Aiden "Turtleboy" Kearney could remain in court. Kearney was arrested and charged with witness intimidation in the Read case in October. He pleaded not guilty.
The judge agreed with Kearney's attorney that he had a press pass and the right to be there, but said his presence has a "chilling effect" and he will be excused from the courtroom during testimony by Julie Nagel, Christopher Albert, Colin Albert, Michael Proctor, Jennifer McCabe, Matthew McCabe, Brian Albert, and Nicole Albert.
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