KAREN: THE RETRIAL

KAREN: THE RETRIAL

In Season 1 of KAREN, we unpacked the explosive case of Karen Read, accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her SUV. After the first trial ended in a hung jury, the high-stakes case of Karen Read returns to court—and the pressure has never been greater. In KAREN: THE RETRIAL, we return to the courtroom—where the stakes are higher, the drama is deeper, and the fight for truth is far from over. KAREN: THE RETRIAL isn’t just about the verdict—it’s about power, perception, and who gets to write the story. Investigative Reporter Kristin Thorne is embedded at the heart of the action, bringing exclusive interviews, expert analysis, and real-time reporting from inside the courtroom. With new prosecutors, a relentless defense, and a public obsessed with every twist, we ask: Is Karen Read the victim of a malicious prosecution—or is there finally enough evidence to convict? And in a trial tried as much in the media as in court, how much does the truth even matter? KAREN: THE RETRIAL is your front-row seat to a legal battle where reputations, lives, and the very meaning of justice are on the line. Listen to KAREN: THE RETRIAL exclusively on Wondery+ and follow the show page to keep up on all the latest developments. You can join Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Spotify, or Apple Podcasts.

Episodes

July 10, 2024 5 mins

A stormy evening in January 2022 begins as an innocent night out for drinks with friends for a local couple in Canton, Massachusetts. But by daybreak, Boston police officer John O’Keefe turns up under six feet of snow and his girlfriend, Karen Read, is immediately suspected of striking him with her SUV - leaving him for dead. 

As the investigation into John’s curious death unfurls, rumors of a police cover-up captivate...

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An old flame is rekindled between suburban Massachusetts couple Karen Read and police officer John O’Keefe in 2020, but the thrill of renewed love fades -- fast. In the midst of mounting relationship woes, the two join a group of friends for drinks on a particularly stormy winter night in Canton. The evening takes a shocking turn when Karen Read is implicated in the mysterious death of her boyfriend – locally beloved John ...

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October 23, 2024 38 mins

On the morning of January 29th, 2022, John O’Keefe was nowhere to be found. He never came home after allegedly attending a house party in Canton.  His girlfriend, Karen Read, enlists two acquaintances to help find her boyfriend. Tragically, O'Keefe turns up dead under a blanket of snow outside the home she claims to have last seen him. When first responders arrive on the scene, Karen’s behavior and damage to her vehic...

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October 30, 2024 36 mins

Karen Read’s defense attorneys scramble for an alternate theory as to how John O’Keefe could have met his tragic fate. Then, an anonymous tip comes in from a seemingly viable source claiming John was beaten and left for dead in the Alberts’ home on January 29th, 2022. And, Karen’s lawyers aren’t the only people who begin chasing the lead. With the unexpected help of a local blogger, a solid argument gains traction: Karen R...

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November 6, 2024 44 mins

In pre-trial hearings, newly entered evidence comes under scrutiny. Some of the evidence implicates Karen, while other details build a case strong enough to possibly have her case thrown out entirely. And, as the trial date grows closer, so does the number of Karen Read supporters stepping out to make their voices heard.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/priva...

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November 13, 2024 53 mins

The trial begins, but not without fanfare. Initial witnesses leave the jury with more questions than answers. For Karen Read’s defense, this is precisely what they hoped for. Will the prosecution be able to revive their case despite the questionable investigation?

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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November 20, 2024 58 mins

Key witnesses take the stand and while each one of their stories contain inconsistencies, they all agree: John O’Keefe never made it through the front door of Nicole and Brian Albert’s home. Jennifer McCabe and Brian Higgins’ digital footprints raise eyebrows and demand answers. And, first responding officer Yuri Bukhenik is confronted with suspicious surveillance footage.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and...

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November 27, 2024 58 mins

Controversial lead investigator, Trooper Michael Proctor, finally gets his chance to set the record straight. But testimony expected to clear up the alleged mishandling of the case takes a turn when Proctor’s shocking text exchanges become the focus of his two days on the stand.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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December 4, 2024 85 mins

Karen Read’s trial powers through its final days as witnesses from both the prosecution and the defense continue to present conflicting testimony, leaving the jury with their work cut out for them. After lengthy closing arguments, five days of deliberation elapse before the jury returns to the courtroom. What they ultimately arrive at provides little closure, opening up yet another can of worms. Will the case of the Common...

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March 24, 2025 5 mins

When Luigi Mangione was arrested for allegedly shooting UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, it sent shockwaves across the country, but the aftermath was even more unsettling. While mainstream media condemned the act as a brutal murder, a very different narrative was taking shape online—one that questioned the true villains in this story. Was the alleged shooter a violent extremist, or had he become an unwitting symbol of something muc...

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April 18, 2025 3 mins

LAUNCHING APRIL 28TH – In Season 1 of KAREN, we unpacked the explosive case of Karen Read, accused of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her SUV. 

After the first trial ended in a hung jury, the high-stakes case of Karen Read returns to court—and the pressure has never been greater. In KAREN: THE RETRIAL, we return to the courtroom—where the stakes are higher, the drama is deeper, and the f...

Mark as Played
July 28, 2025 29 mins

A dead officer, a girlfriend on trial, and a case that tore a town apart.

When John O'Keefe was found lifeless in the snow in January 2022, Karen Read said she dropped him off. Prosecutors said she left him to die.

As the high-stakes retrial begins, we recap the explosive first trial—tainted evidence, missing pieces, and a system under fire. Was it a drunken accident, a murder, or a cover-up buried beneath a blizzard of lies...

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August 4, 2025 42 mins

The retrial heats up—and the stakes are higher than ever.

Karen Read's defense tries to stop the case before it starts, a disgraced lead investigator becomes a ticking time bomb, and a new special prosecutor sharpens the commonwealth's attack. With a jury finally seated and opening statements fired, both sides are playing for keeps. Will the prosecution’s precision win the day, or will the defense turn a compromised investi...

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