Karen Read’s defense has to provide info from federal crash experts, judge says (2025)

The judge overseeing the Karen Read case set key deadlines requiring Read’s defense to turn over information about its relationship with a pair of accident reconstruction experts first hired by the federal government in advance of her second trial.

During a hearing Wednesday, special prosecutor Hank Brennan accused Read’s defense of attempting to ambush them with new information in the middle of the trial. He said they needed to turn over information regarding the experts, who work for the firm ARCCA. But Alan Jackson, a lawyer for Read, said the defense had met its obligations in advance of the forthcoming second trial.

• Read more: Prosecution targets federal crash experts’ testimony ahead of Karen Read trial

Judge Beverly Cannone ordered the defense to turn over any bills or invoices from the firm and all communications between anyone working for ARCCA and any member of the defense, including Read herself, by 5 p.m. Friday.

They must also disclose any representation agreements or anticipated reimbursements or payments by that time.

Cannone also ordered the defense to disclose any additional testing they either requested or contemplated from ARCCA, the date additional testing will be completed by, and the results of any additional tests.

Jackson said in court Wednesday that the experts, who were retained by the defense last month after their employment with the federal government ended, may conduct additional testing to refute the conclusions of a prosecution expert.

The experts, Daniel Wolfe and Andrew Rentschler, testified at Read’s first trial that they were hired by the FBI to examine the damage to Read’s car. Their testing, they said, showed the car was likely not damaged by striking Read’s boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe, as prosecutors have said.

But much like the first trial, neither Wolfe nor Rentschler will be allowed to testify that they were first hired by the federal government.

Read’s second trial on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death begins in earnest with opening statements on Tuesday.

Prosecutors say Read, 45, intentionally hit O’Keefe with her SUV after dropping him off outside the home of a fellow Boston Police officer in Canton. O’Keefe’s body was found in the snow outside on the morning of Jan. 29, 2022.

Read’s defense claims she is being framed and others are responsible for O’Keefe’s death.

Separately, Read has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court in a bid to get the murder and leaving the scene charges dropped on double jeopardy grounds. The nation’s highest court will discuss whether to take up her petition at a conference next on April 25.