Photo: James Rojas/WBZ NewsRadio
DEDHAM, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — Thursday marked the eighth day of testimony in the Karen Read murder trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.
Read is accused of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her SUV after a night of drinking in January 2022 and leaving him for dead in the snow.
Read is facing multiple charges, including second-degree murder. She has pleaded not guilty.
The first witness to take the stand on Thursday was Canton Select Board member Chris Albert.
His brother, retired Boston Police Officer Brian Albert, owned the home where O’Keefe was found dead.
Chris Albert testified that he went out drinking that night with O’Keefe, Read, and others just hours before O’Keefe died.
Read More: Karen Read Murder Trial Resumes With Day 7 Of Testimony
During cross-examination, the defense asked Albert about his connection to the investigators in the Karen Read case.
The defense is arguing that Read was framed as part of a police coverup to protect a powerful family in the town of Canton.
Kevin Albert - Chris and Brian Albert’s brother - is a member of the Canton Police Department.
The second witness on Thursday was Julie Albert, Chris Albert's wife.
She was also at the bar that night.
Like her husband, the defense questioned her about her family's connections.
She was friends with Courtney Proctor, who is the sister of the initial lead investigator in the case, Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor.
Mass. State Police are conducting an internal investigation into whether Trooper Proctor violated department policy.
WBZ NewsRadio's Emma Friedman (@EmmaFriedmanWBZ) reports
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