Karen Read Asks Judge to Toss Case on Double Jeopardy | CRIME ALERT HOURLY UPDATE

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In this Crime Alert: Karen Read’s defense team makes several motions to dismiss the charges against her in the death of her police officer boyfriend. In three cold cases dating back to 1977, authorities in Southern California have identified a 73-year-old trucker as the suspected killer. Drew Nelson reports.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
You're listening to Crime Alert Hourly Update, a brand new
five minute podcast from Nancy Grace and Crime Online. I'm
Jackie Howard, executive producer for Crime Stories with Nancy Grace.
Each hour on the Hour hour, reporters and experts bring
you the latest and true crime in just five minutes.
We provide real time updates on high profile cases, missing

(00:23):
person alerts, trial developments, and all the gripping true crime
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favorite podcast app.

Speaker 2 (00:36):
Crime Alert. I'm Drew Neilson, breaking crime news now. A
notorious case followed closely by Crime Alert has taken another turn.
Following the trial of a Massachusetts woman accused of leaving
her boyfriend to die in the snow, which ended in
a mistrial last month. Karen Reid's defense team has made
several motions to dismiss the charges against her, arguing that

(00:56):
double jeopardy should apply, claiming the five jurors had come
forward to say they had unanimously agreed on a not
guilty verdict for the second degree murder charge and the
charge of leaving the scene of an accident. The jurors
were reportedly deadlocked only on the manslaughter charge. Karen Reid
was on trial for the death of Boston Police officer
John O'Keefe, whom she allegedly struck with her SUV after

(01:18):
a night of drinking. In January twenty twenty two. O'Keeffe
was found outside the home of another officer, and his
death was attributed to hypothermia and blunt force trauma Crime
alert Sidney Sumner has more.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
Central to Reed's defense is that the many law enforcement
officers present at Brian Albert's home have framed Reed for
a murder she did not commit. Evidence that lead investigator,
Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor violated state policy by
taking on a case he had personal ties to supports
the defense's claims. Proctor had a personal relationship with the

(01:52):
Albert family, who owns the home where John O'Keefe was
found dead. Proctor is now facing internal investigation for the
alleged policy by but remains on full active duty.

Speaker 2 (02:03):
After two months of intense testimony, the jury could not
reach a unanimous verdict, leading the judge to declare a
mistrial on setting a tentative date for another trial. January
of next year, Reid's attorney requested a private hearing where
the jurors could testify anonymously about their deliberations. The lawyer
cited the appeal case of Alex Murdau, where a special

(02:24):
hearing was held to question jurors about possible external influences.
You may remember Murdaw as the South Carolina man accused
of killing his wife, Maggie and their son Paul. He's
been sent away for two life sentences. The lawyer argued
that retrying Reid on the charges that she was acquitted
of would be unprecedented and unjust, urging the judge not

(02:44):
to let Reed be the first person in Massachusetts to
face reprosecution for a murder under such circumstances. The prosecutor
opposed the motion, saying that Massachusetts law prohibits questioning the
content of jury deliberations, even if jurors reach out volunteer Haarily.
He contended that there was no formal verdict on the
murder and leaving the scene charges, and that the defense

(03:06):
was twisting legal precedent to fit their narrative. He emphasizes
that what the defense was proposing was against the rules
the law and established case law. The judge did not
immediately rule on the motion. For the latest crime and
justice news, Follow crime stories with Nancy Grace on your
favorite podcast app. With this crime Alert, I'm Drew Nelson.

Speaker 1 (03:26):
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