In Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts, Jennifer McCabe faced questions from defense attorney Alan Jackson on Wednesday. The second murder trial of Karen Read, a former adjunct professor and financial analyst accused of causing the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, continues on Monday with more witnesses expected to testify. McCabe, a small-town mom of four, played a crucial role in Read’s retrial with her testimony over three days last week. Prosecutors aim to portray McCabe as a reliable witness, while the defense seeks to discredit her by alleging collusion in a cover-up scheme against Read. This is Read’s second murder trial, following a mistrial in the first trial due to a hung jury. She is charged with second-degree murder, vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of a collision resulting in death after allegedly hitting off-duty officer John O’Keefe with her vehicle. McCabe’s testimony in both trials could be pivotal for both the prosecution and the defense. She was present during key moments on the night of O’Keefe’s death, including a gathering at a bar and the subsequent search for O’Keefe. The prosecution sees McCabe as a crucial eyewitness, as she was with Read before and after O’Keefe’s death. Defense attorneys, however, have tried to undermine McCabe’s credibility by questioning her account of the events and her memory. Read’s defense team claims she is a victim of a cover-up orchestrated by off-duty law enforcement officers who allegedly killed O’Keefe and framed Read. McCabe’s testimony, including phone records showing her contact with O’Keefe, places her at the center of the case, with conflicting perspectives on her reliability and role in the alleged cover-up.
During a crucial moment in the trial, Jennifer McCabe testified that she was woken up by a phone call from O’Keefe’s niece around 5 a.m. She heard Read screaming in the background, as Read explained that she and O’Keefe had a fight at The Waterfall Bar and Grille. McCabe mentioned seeing Read’s vehicle outside her sister’s home earlier but Read claimed not to remember being there. Read expressed concern about potentially hitting O’Keefe and mentioned her cracked taillight.
Later, McCabe, Read, and another woman went to O’Keefe’s house to look for him before heading to 34 Fairview Road. Read’s behavior was described as erratic, with her continuously screaming. Upon arrival, Read spotted O’Keefe and got out of the vehicle, followed by the others. McCabe saw the other woman clearing snow from O’Keefe’s face.
Defense attorney Alan Jackson cross-examined McCabe, highlighting her connections to law enforcement and questioning inconsistencies in her testimony. Jackson suggested that Canton police reports did not support McCabe’s claims about Read’s statements. McCabe admitted to the confusion of that chaotic morning but affirmed informing officials about Read’s “I hit him” comment.
During another round of questioning, Jackson insinuated collusion among witnesses based on text messages, which McCabe denied. Jackson also brought up McCabe’s phone calls with a former state trooper involved in the case. The cross-examination intensified as Jackson returned to the chaotic events of that morning.
On the morning of January 29, Jennifer McCabe was questioned about her actions when she found O’Keefe’s body at 34 Fairview. The interrogator raised concerns about why she didn’t immediately seek assistance from Albert, a trained law enforcement officer who knew CPR, during the critical moments before first responders arrived. McCabe explained that she called 911 and attempted to contact her sister Nicole, but Nicole was unavailable. She emphasized that she focused on administering chest compressions to O’Keefe until help arrived. During cross-examination, doubts were cast on McCabe’s recollection of events from that day, to which she acknowledged some details were foggy but insisted that certain memories remained vivid.
Meanwhile, Karen Read’s blood alcohol levels were a focus of testimony in court. Forensic scientist Hannah Knowles from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab discussed the retrograde extrapolation performed on blood drawn from Read at 9 a.m. on January 29. The extrapolation indicated that Read’s alcohol level at 12:45 a.m. could have ranged between 0.14 and 0.28, significantly above the legal limit of 0.08 in Massachusetts. Read, who had been drinking at two bars before leaving The Waterfall around midnight, expressed skepticism about the accuracy of the extrapolation, stating that it relied on assumptions about her alcohol consumption timing. For more news and updates from CNN, sign up for an account on CNN.com.
