Karen Reed trial draws huge crowd
Reed, who is charged with involvement in the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police Department officer John O’Keefe, has received support and opposition from people virtually tailgating outside the courthouse. (Patriot Pics/Backgrid for Fox News Digital)
Supporters and critics of Karen Reed, who is on trial for the murder of Boston police officer John O’Keefe’s former boyfriend, clashed Friday outside a Massachusetts courthouse where a jury was unable to reach a verdict in the case.
“Free Karen Reed!” supporters chanted, while protesters held up signs saying “Rot in prison” and “Guilty”.
“If you look at the evidence, the laws of physics show he never made contact with the vehicle,” a supporter of Reed, 44, told Fox News Digital on Friday.
“Both state (medical examiners) have said the injuries were not caused by a traffic accident, and the two defense forensic pathologists have said the same thing. It’s absurd that this has even gone to trial.”
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Supporters of Karen Reed (center) who believe she is innocent of the murder of her boyfriend, Boston Police Department officer John O’Keefe, clashed with critics who say she is guilty outside a Massachusetts courthouse on Friday. (Associated Press)
One of her critics, holding a sign that read “Karen Reed Killed People,” told Fox News Digital, “I feel like there is no such thing as smoking gun evidence in the criminal justice system. There shouldn’t be. Whether you acquit or convict someone is determined by the totality of the evidence. And the totality of the evidence points to Karen Reed and no one else. From her vehicle data to the victim’s GPS data to the tail lights near the scene, tail lights found on his clothing. DNA results. It all points to Karen.”
Ms Reed’s critics allege that some of her supporters have harassed Ms O’Keefe’s family.
“Witnesses receive death threats every day and it really is disgusting to remember John,” Julie Ginto told reporters outside court.
Her supporters accuse the police of “corruption.”
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Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe. (Boston Police Department via The Associated Press)
“It’s unbelievable. This poor woman has been framed for a crime,” Michael Ward told reporters. “Not only has this not been proven, it has been proven that she is innocent.”
Reed is accused of drunk driving in a rage in January 2022, slamming into O’Keefe’s (46-year-old) SUV and leaving her to die in the snow.
The jury in the two-month-long trial – six men and six women – was unable to reach a verdict Friday in the case that has attracted national attention but is scheduled to return for a fifth day of deliberations on Monday in a Dedham courtroom outside Boston.
Reed’s defense team argues that Reed was framed by co-workers who killed O’Keefe and dumped her body.
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Many of Reed’s supporters attended every day of her trial, but Friday marked the first day they faced off against those who believe she is guilty.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
