Karen Read murder trial: Prosecution rejects attempt to dismiss charges
- Prosecutors in the Karen Read murder trial refuted defense's attempt to dismiss two out of three charges.
- They argued that Karen Read had consented to the mistrial, indicating the motion lacked merit.
- The prosecution is pushing to keep all charges against Karen Read intact.
In the ongoing Karen Read murder trial, prosecutors have responded to the defense's attempt to dismiss two of the three charges against her by asserting that Read consented to the mistrial. The defense argued that two charges should be dropped based on alleged unanimous agreement by jurors, but prosecutors countered, calling the defense's claims unsubstantiated and legally inappropriate. Legal Analyst Jennifer Roman suggested the defense's move was a strategy to pressure the prosecution into retrying the case. Prosecutors Adam Lally and Laura McLaughlin emphasized that Read had ample opportunity to be heard during jury deliberations and that her alleged consent to the mistrial removes any double jeopardy bar to retrial. They refuted the defense's assertion that jurors unanimously acquitted Read of two charges, stating that the court carefully considered alternatives before declaring a mistrial. The defense, however, maintains that trying Read again for murder would violate constitutional double jeopardy protections. The case revolves around accusations that Read rammed her Boston police officer boyfriend with her SUV, leaving him for dead in a snowstorm. The mistrial was declared after jurors were deadlocked, leading to a debate over whether the charges should be dropped or a new trial pursued. The defense argues that a post-verdict inquiry is necessary to establish the record that should have been created before the mistrial was declared, while prosecutors contend that Read's silence during deliberations indicated her consent to the mistrial. The trial's outcome remains uncertain as Judge Beverly Cannone has yet to rule on the motion to dismiss. A hearing scheduled for July 22 will further discuss the possibility of a new trial at Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham. The case has garnered attention for its complex legal arguments and the conflicting perspectives of the prosecution and defense regarding the mistrial and potential retrial of Karen Read on charges related to the death of her boyfriend.