Prosecutor Hank Brennan addressed jurors during closing arguments in the murder trial of Karen Read at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham, Massachusetts on June 13, 2025. The special prosecutor who oversaw the retrial of Karen Read expressed disappointment in the jury’s decision to acquit Read of murdering her police officer boyfriend. Hank Brennan, appointed by the Norfolk County district attorney to retry the case, stated that the evidence pointed to only one person in his first statement since the verdict. He expressed regret over the lack of justice for John O’Keefe and his family.
Karen Read had been accused of fatally hitting O’Keefe with her SUV while allegedly driving drunk on a winter night in January 2022. Though acquitted of murder and leaving the scene of the accident resulting in death, she was found guilty of drunk driving and sentenced to one year of probation. Brennan, a prominent criminal defense attorney, emphasized that his thorough review and a closed federal investigation found no other possible suspect in O’Keefe’s death.
During the trial, Brennan argued that Read had struck O’Keefe with her SUV, causing him to fall and suffer skull fractures. Read, however, claimed to be the victim of a cover-up orchestrated by others involved in O’Keefe’s death. Her supporters rallied behind her, alleging police corruption and criticizing the investigative process as biased.
Brennan condemned the intimidation and abuse directed at witnesses and their families, stressing the importance of upholding the integrity of the judicial system. He expressed hope that with the verdict, witnesses and their families would be left in peace. Brennan extended his condolences to the O’Keefe family and expressed faith that they would eventually find peace and closure.
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