Juror Changes Verdict, Acquits Karen Read of Murder

A juror involved in the recent trial of Karen Read disclosed that she initially leaned toward guilt but ultimately decided to acquit the 45-year-old after thoroughly reviewing the evidence. She was one of 12 jurors who found Read not guilty on charges of second-degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, and manslaughter while driving under the influence.

Juror Janet Jimenez, a personal trainer from Medfield, Massachusetts, admitted she had no prior knowledge of the high-profile case, which involved Read allegedly striking her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe, with her car outside a house party in January 2022. Jimenez stated she believed her fresh perspective was valuable: “I felt like if they didn’t pick me, they’d be fools because I didn’t know anything about this case.”

Jimenez explained that her verdict was based on doubts about the investigation. Despite the defense claiming that Read was the victim of a police cover-up and that O’Keefe had been beaten at the party and left in the snow, she did not believe these claims. Instead, she believed inside the house, “something happened,” but she was uncertain if Read’s car was involved in O’Keefe’s death.

Another juror, identified only as Paula Prado, shared her belief that O’Keefe’s fatal injuries might have resulted from an internal altercation, not a car impact. Prado mentioned her doubts grew over the trial period due to missing evidence and unexplained aspects of the case.

Jimenez noted that her decision was influenced by the evidence she reviewed rather than the defense’s narrative. “I’m not there to say the defense’s story was right or wrong,” she said. “There were things we saw, things we heard… it could have fit that scenario.”

While some jurors expressed certainty about Read’s innocence, others, like Jimenez, acknowledged lingering doubts. The trial’s outcome was viewed as a victory for the defense, highlighting the importance of reasonable doubt in criminal cases.