Karen Read, whose recent high-profile trial for the death of a Boston police officer she was dating ended in a mistrial, is now facing a wrongful death suit brought by the late officer’s family that alleges she created a “false narrative” to escape responsibility for his death.
The civil suit also names two bars where Read and her then boyfriend John (JJ) O’Keefe were drinking the night of January 29, 2022 before O’Keefe’s body was found in the snow of a front lawn of a home the pair went to after drinking.
The plaintiffs charge Read with negligence, gross negligence and/or willful, wanton and reckless disregard for safety, and negligent and/or reckless infliction of emotional distress. They allege the bars served alcohol to Read when they knew or should have known she was intoxicated. The family is seeking costs, compensatory and punitive damages, lost value to next of kin and other relief.
Read faced trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence, and leaving the scene of O’Keefe’s injury and death. The criminal trial ended in a mistrial last month after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The judge has scheduled a new trial.
Criminal prosecutors claim Read intentionally hit O’Keefe with her vehicle while she was drunk and then drove away, leaving him injured on the ground in the cold and snow where he died. The family’s wrongful death suit similarly alleges Read hit O’Keefe and left him to die, which Read has denied.
Read has claimed that she has been framed and that O’Keefe was instead fatally beaten by others inside the house they were at and who then placed his body on the front lawn.
The civil suit has been brought by O’Keefe’s estate, his brother, father, mother and a 14-year old niece for whom O’Keefe had been guardian. The civil suit alleges that Read inflicted emotional harm on them all including O’Keefe’s 14- year old niece who the family says Read woke at 4:30 and in a “frantic call” related that her uncle may have been hit, and maybe she had hit him, or maybe a snowplow had hit him, then leaving the niece alone at home.
In addition to Read, C&C Hospitality, which owns the bar C.F. McCarthy’s, and the Waterfall Bar & Grill are named in the civil lawsuit, accused of negligently serving alcohol to an intoxicated person.
The suit maintains that in the period leading up to January 29, 2022, Read’s relationship with O’Keefe was deteriorating and that during this time, Read picked fights, exhibited jealousy and had “delusions of unfaithfulness.” The suit further claims that Read knew that her relationship with O’Keefe had “run its course.”
The family claims that Read created a “false narrative” about what happened that caused them “aggravated emotional distress.”
In speaking publicly about the evening, Read “knowingly and deliberately changed her story and fabricated a conspiracy” and “publicly communicated this false narrative” thereby frustrating justice for O’Keefe, according to the complaint.
According to the family’s allegations, after Read hit O’Keefe with her SUV, she fled the scene and returned to O’Keefe’s residence. “Read knew that it was snowing, knew there was an impending blizzard and knew or should have known that leaving O’Keefe outside in the blizzard would likely result in serious injury or death,” the complaint maintains.
The family says that after JJ O’Keefe was declared dead, “Read went to the grieving house of JJ, feigned comfort to JJ’s family, and used the opportunity to, amongst other things, remove the offending weapon, her vehicle, and/or destroy relevant evidence.”
The family suit labels Read’s conduct as “extreme and outrageous, beyond the bounds of decency” and “utterly intolerable.”
It further claims that as a result Read’s conduct, police officer O’Keefe “sustained serious injuries of body and mind, conscious pain and suffering, fear of impending death, lost earnings, medical, funeral and burial expenses, and died.”
The suit was filed in Plymouth Superior Court.
Topics Lawsuits Law Enforcement
Was this article valuable?
Here are more articles you may enjoy.
Disney Drops Bid to Toss Allergy Suit Because Plaintiff Signed Disney+ Arbitration 
Mailing a Letter, in Context With Other Clues, Is Sufficient Cancellation – NC High Court 
Yacht Insurer OMAC Is Hull Carrier for Yacht Sunk Off Sicily, Sources Say 
Propane Blast Levels Pennsylvania Home, Kills Woman and Injures Man 
