DEDHAM, Mass. — A dog bite expert was back on the stand Tuesday morning as the high-profile Karen Read murder case returned to court for another pre-retrial hearing.
The hearing is being held in Dedham’s Norfolk Superior Court.
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Read is accused of hitting her Boston police officer boyfriend John O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV on Jan. 29, 2022, and leaving him to die in the snow outside the Canton home of fellow Boston officer Brian Albert after a night of drinking.
Dr. Marie Russell, a dog bite expert who testified for Read’s defense team during her first trial, was being questioned by the prosecution. Russell underwent questioning by the defense in December.
The defense wants to bring Russell back as a key witness for Read’s second trial, which Judge Beverly Cannone agreed to delay until April 2025, but the prosecution wants to block that.
Russell previously testified that the holes found in O’Keefe’s hoodie and the wounds to his arm were from a dog. Russell’s opinion is that O’Keefe’s injuries do not appear to have been caused by a vehicle.
“Those wounds were inflicted by a dog attack,” said Russell, former police officer and emergency room doctor.
The defense has sought to portray Read as the victim, saying O’Keefe was actually killed inside the Albert family home and then dragged outside and left for dead.
Special prosecutor Hank Brennan wants to block Russell from taking the stand at Read’s retrial because he says her testimony has changed since the last time she was on the stand.
During the December hearing, Brennan only got an hour to question Russell. His questioning will pick back up on Tuesday.
Read’s first trial ended with a hung jury this past summer.
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This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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