Karen Read: The Verdict

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Karen Reed: The Verdict" – 20/20 by ABC News

Release Date: June 19, 2025

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Introduction

In this gripping episode of ABC News' 20/20, titled "Karen Reed: The Verdict," listeners delve into one of Massachusetts' most controversial and closely watched true crime cases. The episode meticulously unpacks the events leading to the tragic death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe and the subsequent legal battle against Karen Reed, O'Keefe's girlfriend, who stands accused of his murder.

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Case Overview

Karen Reed, a finance professional and educator, is charged with the second-degree murder of John O'Keefe, a dedicated Boston police officer. The case has polarized the community, drawing intense media scrutiny and public debate over the validity of the evidence and the integrity of the investigation.

Notable Quote:

• Brad Milke (00:55): "This is the case the whole country couldn't stop watching."

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Background

John O'Keefe, age 29, was a beloved police officer and a devoted single father growing up two children after losing his sister and brother-in-law to cancer and a subsequent tragic death. His commitment to his family and profession painted him as an honorable man, deeply embedded in his community.

Notable Quote:

• Karen Reed (06:46): "Johnny was a huge fan of the Red Sox. Fenway was a constant destination for us throughout our entire life."

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The Night of the Incident

On January 29, 2022, amidst a record-breaking nor'easter in Canton, Massachusetts, Karen Reed and John O'Keefe attended gatherings at local bars. The night culminated in Reed driving John to the Albert's home under severe weather conditions. Hours later, John was found dead in a snowy driveway, leading to immediate suspicions and accusations against Reed.

Notable Quote:

• Karen Reed (10:16): "I was miffed because it just was in the essence of saving time... I got my backup more than I normally did."

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Investigation and Controversy

The initial investigation by the Canton Police Department quickly shifted to the Massachusetts State Police to avoid conflicts of interest. Trooper Michael Proctor led the inquiry, but his credibility came under fire when derogatory text messages about Reed surfaced during a federal investigation. These revelations fueled defense claims of bias and misconduct, casting doubt on the prosecution's case.

Notable Quotes:

• Michael Proctor (11:27): "They don't care what the evidence is. They are just all in on this theory that Karen Reed was framed."
• Karen Reed (17:19): "I say, I think John's mother thinks I did something to John."

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The First Trial and Mistrial

The first trial saw intense courtroom drama, with the prosecution presenting evidence of Reed's alleged DUI and her supposed hit-and-run of John. However, the emergence of Trooper Proctor's offensive texts undermined the prosecution's narrative, leading to a deadlocked jury and a subsequent mistrial.

Notable Quote:

• Trooper Michael Proctor (42:05): "Yeah, she's a babe. We had Fall River accent, though. No ass."

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Retaliation and Second Trial Preparations

Following the mistrial, public sentiment hardened on both sides. Reed's supporters rallied, criticizing the investigation's legitimacy, while John O'Keefe's family sought justice through civil suits. The defense, now bolstered by seasoned prosecutor Alan Jackson, prepared to challenge the prosecution's evidence and Proctor's integrity.

Notable Quote:

• Alan Jackson (27:38): "John O'Keefe was murdered. No question he died at the hands of another person. Just wasn't Karen Reed."

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The Second Trial

The retrial featured a revamped prosecution team led by Hank Brennan and introduced new evidence, including digital forensic data from John’s phone and vehicle analysis. The defense countered with expert testimonies suggesting alternative theories, such as potential assaults by a dog and questioning the validity of tail light damage linking Reed's SUV to the incident.

Notable Quotes:

• Alan Jackson (46:35): "I simply ask you to follow the evidence, follow the science."
• Dr. Marie Russell (72:34): "I believe they are [dog bite marks]."

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Key Evidence and Testimonies

1. Tail Light Damage: Critical evidence involving the damaged rear tail light of Reed’s Lexus SUV, with conflicting accounts on when and how it was broken.

   • Karen Reed (20:07): "So we go into the house... I think I need to leave."

2. Digital Forensics: Analysis of John’s phone location data, presenting a contested narrative of his movements on the night of his death.

   • Ian Wiffen (50:04): "The device never moved far away from the flagpole."

3. Trooper Proctor’s Texts: Demeaning and biased messages that questioned Reed's credibility and fueled defense allegations of a corrupt investigation.

   • Michael Proctor (57:46): "She's a whack job... She's gross."

4. Expert Witnesses: Testimonies from forensic experts and biomechanical engineers questioning the physical evidence linking Reed to the incident.

   • Andrew Rentsler (75:28): "The evidence is inconsistent with Mr. O'Keefe being struck on the right arm by the SUV."

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The Verdict and Aftermath

After 33 days of intense litigation, the jury delivered a not guilty verdict on all charges against Karen Reed, including second-degree murder, DUI, and leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death. The verdict sparked jubilation among Reed’s supporters and profound disappointment among O'Keefe's family and friends. The case remains unresolved civilly, with ongoing wrongful death suits against Reed.

Notable Quotes:

• Karen Reed (80:06): "Not guilty. I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters."
• John O'Keefe's Friend (44:25): "I think that she hit him. I think that she knew she hit him."

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Conclusion

"Karen Reed: The Verdict" paints a complex picture of a legal battle fraught with emotional turmoil, questionable investigations, and deeply divided communities. As the civil suits loom and public discourse continues, the case underscores the profound impact of true crime on all parties involved.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Brad Milke (00:55): "This is the case the whole country couldn't stop watching."
• Karen Reed (06:46): "Johnny was a huge fan of the Red Sox. Fenway was a constant destination for us throughout our entire life."
• Karen Reed (10:16): "I was miffed because it just was in the essence of saving time... I got my backup more than I normally did."
• Michael Proctor (11:27): "They don't care what the evidence is. They are just all in on this theory that Karen Reed was framed."
• Karen Reed (17:19): "I think John's mother thinks I did something to John."
• Trooper Michael Proctor (42:05): "Yeah, she's a babe. We had Fall River accent, though. No ass."
• Alan Jackson (27:38): "John O'Keefe was murdered. No question he died at the hands of another person. Just wasn't Karen Reed."
• Alan Jackson (46:35): "I simply ask you to follow the evidence, follow the science."
• Dr. Marie Russell (72:34): "I believe they are [dog bite marks]."
• Ian Wiffen (50:04): "The device never moved far away from the flagpole."
• Karen Reed (80:06): "Not guilty. I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters."
• John O'Keefe's Friend (44:25): "I think that she hit him. I think that she knew she hit him."

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This comprehensive summary encapsulates the multifaceted dimensions of the 20/20 episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the Karen Reed case, its legal intricacies, and its broader societal implications.

Transcript

[Brad Milke]

Hi, I'm Brad Milke. I'm the host of the Crime Scene Weekly, a new show from ABC Audio about the biggest headlines in true crime. This week, in the heart of Washington's wilderness, a tragedy has shattered a family. Three young sisters are dead and their father is on the run. I'll talk to ABC News correspondent Kayna Whitworth to get the latest. Listen now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon or wherever you get your podcasts. An all new 2020 starts right now.

[Karen Reed]

I said he's right there. His eyes were shut and he had spots of blood in different areas on his face.

[Brad Milke]

She's accused of killing her boyfriend, a Boston police officer.

[Michael Proctor]

Enough's enough. We've been quiet for too long.

[Brad Milke]

We love you. Par A verdict for Karen Reed, the defendant at the bar. Guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. All the way, honey. All the way. This is the case the whole country couldn't stop watching.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

I hit him.

[Karen Reed]

I hit him. I hit him. I said it with a question mark.

[Kayna Whitworth]

It's like that my cousin Vinnie moment. I shot the clerk versus I shot the clerk free.

[Karen Reed]

Carry me.

[Alan Jackson]

You'll see that this case carries him cancer. His name is Michael Prince Proctor and all new.

[Brad Milke]

And you're the first person from inside the investigation to speak out. The exclusive interview with the controversial trooper in the bullseye.

[Michael Proctor]

That's tough.

[Brad Milke]

I'm sorry. One of the texts that you sent about Karen Reed is that you said hopefully she kills herself. Telling his version first time on camera.

[Michael Proctor]

And he's like, wait. People need to know what has been going on. They need to know the truth.

[Karen Reed]

It just feels like a kind of purgatory.

[Brad Milke]

Now her wait is over. Mr. Jury, have you agreed upon a burden? Yes. On murder in the second degree. What say you? Is the defendant at the bar guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. 002. What say is the defendant at the bar not guilty or guilty? Not guilty. Operating under the influence of liquor by operating a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol level of 0.08 or greater. So say you all leaving the scene after action resulting in death? Is the defendant not guilty or guilty? And a stunning conclusion to the Karen Reed murder retrial. One of the most divisive cases in Massachusetts history is no one has fought.

[Karen Reed]

Harder for justice for John o' Keefe than I have. Than I have and my team.

[Kayna Whitworth]

A story unlike one I've ever seen that has many layers to it.

[Forensic Expert]

You've got an alleged conspiracy between an entire group of people. You've got forensic evidence. You've got intoxication. You Have a hero. Police officer John o' Keefe was raising two kids after his sister and her husband died. You have all the elements here for great public interest prosecution.

[Brad Milke]

They say Karen Reed killed John o' Keefe. Big drunk. She hit him, she left him to die. It's that simple. The defense, they say Karen Reed is innocent.

[Alan Jackson]

There was no collision. She's the victim of a botched and biased and corrupted investigation that was never about the truth, folks.

[Brad Milke]

Every single detail dissected and at the center of it all, John o' Keefe. Two trials, the first ending in a mistrial, come at me tonight. You've heard about it for years, but now the whole story, the facts, the theories and the verdict. It all begins in the middle of a record breaking nor' easter. Officer John o' Keefe is found dead outside of a home in Canton during the blizzard. His body discovered outside the Canton home of a fellow officer. O' Keeffe's girlfriend, Karen Reed is now.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Facing charges with his death.

[Brad Milke]

What happened in the Boston suburb of Canton, Massachusetts that led to the death of John O' Keefe during that epic blizzard in January of 2022? Throughout two trials now, the country has debated the charges against Karen Ren. And when we interviewed her before her first trial, she proclaimed her innocence. Did you kill John o' Keefe?

[Karen Reed]

I did not kill John o' Keefe. I've never harmed a hair on John o' Keefe's head.

[Brad Milke]

The Commonwealth says that you had nine drinks that night. You claim it's for and change. I mean, is it possible that you had hit him with the back of your car and just didn't realize it?

[Karen Reed]

No.

[Brad Milke]

Would you say that you were angry with John that night?

[Karen Reed]

Yes.

[Brad Milke]

Could you have been angry enough and slightly drunk because he had annoyed you that in the fit of rage you.

[Karen Reed]

Just backed up, Never tried to tap him? I would never.

[Brad Milke]

Not to try to kill him, but try to.

[Karen Reed]

To tap him with my 6000 pound full size SUV to hit John's body with my car? No.

[Brad Milke]

Karen Reed told me she loved John o' Keefe. Now she claims she's also a victim here. Claiming that she is framed in a cover up. Pitted against the family and friends who are demanding justice for the life they say was stolen from John o' Keefe or as everybody knew him, Johnny.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

We grew up in Braintree, which is middle class Boston suburb. Heavy Irish, heavy Italian. And Johnny was both.

[Brad Milke]

John is the middle child of three. His sister Kristen is just 22 months older than he is and his brother Paul is several years Younger Johnny and.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

I grew up on the same street. We were in Little League together, elementary school all the way through high school, and went to proms and homecoming together. And he was in my wedding party. Johnny was a huge fan of the Red Sox. Fenway was a constant destination for us throughout our entire life.

[Brad Milke]

Opening day was a religious day for him.

[Forensic Expert]

He went every year.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Every year.

[Brad Milke]

It's one of his favorite days.

[Karen Reed]

I dated Johnny early 2000s, then stayed friends for over 20 years. I remember when I first met him and I asked him what he did for a living and he was in the police academy. I kind of made a joke like, oh, no, police officer. And he said, no, no. Like I'm the good kind. I want to be a cop because my grandfather was a cop.

[Brad Milke]

Johnny was 29 when he got on.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

The Boston Police Department.

[Brad Milke]

One of John's other most cherished roles was becoming an uncle.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

He was incredibly excited about becoming an uncle. It was a celebration, essentially. They were a large part of who he was.

[Brad Milke]

But in 2013, the O' Keeffe family gets some devastating news when John's older sister Kristen is diagnosed with cancer.

[Forensic Expert]

Johnny and Kristen were very, very close.

[Brad Milke]

That changed Johnny. He was unbelievable, making sure that the kids were taken care of.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

It was just a little over five months from the time that I was diagnosed until Kristen passed.

[Karen Reed]

That was a huge loss.

[Brad Milke]

When she passed, he lost a part of himself.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

And almost unbelievably, Steve passed away almost exactly two months after Kristen did.

[Brad Milke]

In a very short amount of time, John loses his sister, his brother in law, he takes in their kids. How was he able to handle all of this?

[Karen Reed]

He had a big support system.

[Brad Milke]

And emotionally, how'd he do it? I feel like I guess he just.

[Michael Proctor]

Knew he had to.

[Forensic Expert]

Johnny's niece was 6 and Johnny's nephew was 3.

[Brad Milke]

It wasn't even a question.

[Forensic Expert]

Johnny was going to step in and raise those kids.

[Brad Milke]

Karen reed's story begins 35 miles south of Boston in the town of Mansfield. Karen, before all of this happened, tell me what life was like for you.

[Karen Reed]

Routine. I took the morning train literally and just had a predictable, easy, fortunate life.

[Brad Milke]

What did you do for a living?

[Karen Reed]

I was in finance and asset management, what I always wanted to do. And then at night I taught college juniors introduction to capital markets investing.

[Brad Milke]

How did you meet John O' Keefe?

[Karen Reed]

I met John in 2004, February, at his sister's 30th birthday party.

[Brad Milke]

And so what drew you to him? I mean, what did you like about him?

[Karen Reed]

I thought he was handsome. And he was sweet. And I mean, I was 24, so that's. That was about the criteria at the time. It just came and went and didn't speak to him again, not intentionally. It just wasn't serious.

[Brad Milke]

By 2020, more than 15 years later, Karen is living in the Boston area and John is now a single dad, a cop, raising two kids in the middle of a pandemic. And then he messaged Karen on Facebook.

[Karen Reed]

When I saw his picture, it was with several young children. And he told me, yeah, I have the kids now. I thought that was amazing. And he said, They're 9 and 12.

[Brad Milke]

How serious did things get that second round?

[Karen Reed]

Pretty serious. Very fast.

[Brad Milke]

Was there talk of marriage?

[Karen Reed]

No. No.

[Brad Milke]

Did you want that?

[Karen Reed]

I would have considered it strongly for John, but it's not ever been something that I've aspired to. We are expecting as much as 18 to 24 inches of snow and 40 to 50 mile per hour winds.

[Kayna Whitworth]

A snow emergency has been declared.

[Brad Milke]

City officials say this would be a blockbuster event. That morning, did you and John have an argument?

[Karen Reed]

Yep, we had an argument.

[Brad Milke]

Karen says that morning, John's niece was running late for school and Karen offered to stop at Dunkin, something that she said John didn't really approve of.

[Karen Reed]

I was miffed because it just was in the essence of saving time, I would say of the arguments that we've had, it felt like one of the more unfair arguments. So I got my backup more than I normally did.

[Brad Milke]

But by that evening, the two make plans to meet up. And John's nephew's at a sleepover. His. His teenage niece is spending the night at home.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Early in the evening, John O' Keefe goes out with a buddy down to CF McCarthy's.

[Karen Reed]

I ended up leaving my house to join John and Canton at 8:30.

[Brad Milke]

How did the night go?

[Karen Reed]

It was fine. I walked in, he was with three other fellas. I got there a little after nine and he gave me a hug.

[Brad Milke]

Footage from security cameras show the night appears to be like any normal Friday night. A mere 12 hours later, John O' Keefe will be dead, Karen accused of his murder, and this man will be at the center of the investigation and the controversy, speaking out for the first time.

[Michael Proctor]

People need to know what has been going on. They need to know the truth. They're only hearing one side here.

[Brad Milke]

At Karen Reed's retrial, the Boko of the trial is piecing together the final hours of John o' Keefe's life. And witnesses testify about the calm before the storm. What was the mood in the group, cheerful, good mood.

[Karen Reed]

Everybody was just out having a drink. We all knew the storm was coming tomorrow and you know, just a typical average night.

[Alan Jackson]

You saw John put his arm around Karen.

[Brad Milke]

Correct. John went over to Karen and he.

[Karen Reed]

Gave her a kiss on the forehead.

[Brad Milke]

I was like, wow, that's the sweetest.

[Karen Reed]

Thing I've ever seen.

[Brad Milke]

So on that pre blizzard night, their morning spat now seemingly behind them, Karen and John are enjoying some drinks with friends. And after having a few at CF McCarthy's, they join another group at the Waterfall Bar just down the street.

[Karen Reed]

There was a table of people right away we said hi to a bunch of people. We stayed there for about 90 minutes.

[Brad Milke]

At the table are members of a couple of families who have deep ties in the town. The alberts and the McCabes. We've got Chris Albert, who used to live down the street from John. Also at the table is Brian Albert and that's Chris's brother who like John, is a Boston police officer now. Also there is Brian's wife Nicole, and her sister Jennifer McCabe, who John had known for years. And there is Brian Higgins, an ATF agent who was also friends with the Alberts.

[Kayna Whitworth]

There's video so you can kind of see what's happening. And it looks like a typical night. People are snuggling up around a bar, they're drinking, they're goofing around a little bit. Brian Albert, whose home is about five minutes away, invites everyone over for an after party. Now there's already a party with some young adults taking place at his house because it's Brian Jr. S birthday. So they all gather up and head out.

[Forensic Expert]

Shortly after midnight, security cameras show John walk out of the Waterfall Bar and into the snowy night. John has a cocktail glass in his hand. Seconds later, the two get into Karen's black SUV and they drive away.

[Brad Milke]

How many drinks had you had?

[Karen Reed]

I had had probably about four and not four that I completed either. I didn't drink maybe more than a few sips at the Waterfall.

[Forensic Expert]

The Commonwealth, however, would later claim that over the course of the night, Karen had nine drinks before she set off in her suv.

[Brad Milke]

You had four drinks, they say nine drinks. So how drunk were you?

[Karen Reed]

I had felt like I had alcohol. I felt that I had a buzz, but I did not feel it was unsafe for me to be operating my vehicle.

[Brad Milke]

What happens next is at the crux of this case against Karen Reed. She says they headed to the Alberts home, getting slightly lost along the way. And Jennifer McCabe gets on the phone and gives John Directions. When they arrive, Karen says John said he'd go in and check to make sure that the others had actually come over.

[Karen Reed]

I pull at the foot of the driveway. It's snowing. John has no coat on. It's windy. So I drop him off. He goes up the driveway and approaches the side door. And as I see him approach the door, I look down at my phone and I just start browsing through, you know, missed text messages and a couple emails. And I probably waited about a full minute and I looked back at the door. So after about three minutes I said, you, me, John.

[Brad Milke]

She says she was having stomach issues and was annoyed that John didn't check back in with her. So she decides just to go back to John's house. Now, phone records indicate that over the next five and a half hours, Karen calls or texts John 52 times, leaving eight voicemails.

[Karen Reed]

Nobody knows the now it's approaching 5am I called a few of his buddies, their wives. I knew something was wrong.

[Brad Milke]

One of Karen's first calls is to Jennifer McCabe. Now she's part of the group that had gone on to Brian Albert's house on Fairview Road.

[Karen Reed]

I said, jen, John didn't come home. So I said, well then I don't know where he is. And I said, I'm going to go back to the bars. Like maybe they let people back in after hours.

[Brad Milke]

Her next call is to John's friend Carrie Roberts, who lives nearby. Now, Carrie wasn't at that late night gathering, but maybe she's heard from John. She hasn't.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Kerry Roberts makes a call to the local hospital, to the police department, trying to see if anything happened to John that night.

[Brad Milke]

I'm calling because my friend's boyfriend did not come home last night. We were at Waterfall. She doesn't know where he is. You didn't pick anybody up by the.

[Alan Jackson]

Name of John o' Keefe, did you?

[Karen Reed]

He has not been admitted to a hospital and he has not been involved in any accidents.

[Forensic Expert]

Not a single person says they've seen John since he left the bar.

[Brad Milke]

So you're driving around. Do you expect to see him like lying on the street drunk? Yeah, or passed out.

[Karen Reed]

I was worried he might have gotten hit by a plow. That was my first thought. It's the only explanation I could think of for why John just disappeared into thin air.

[Brad Milke]

This is 90.9 WWE. It is 24 degrees in Boston and there will be near whiteout conditions at times.

[Karen Reed]

After about 20 minutes of driving around, I go to get Jen.

[Brad Milke]

She gets to Jennifer McCabe's Carrie Roberts shows up and they decide together, let's go back to John's.

[Forensic Expert]

You can see this moment captured on one of John's home security cameras.

[Brad Milke]

Now the women decide to go back to Fairview Road, the house where John and Karen headed after the bars.

[Karen Reed]

I said he's right there. I jumped out the passenger side and I fell into the street. I've described to many people it looked like a. The body looked like a buffalo on a prairie. It just looked like a heap and it looked wrong, it looked out of place. I knew it was him right away. It leapt out of you and yes, his eyes were shut and he had spots of blood in different areas on his face. And he was still not stiff but, but still wear the blankets.

[Brad Milke]

I don't see blankets. Carrie, 911 what's emergency? Is Amy and passed out in the snow.

[Karen Reed]

Hello? Officers arrive to three females on the scene and John is laying on his back. He's got injuries to his face. He had two black eyes. He's cold to the touch. He's not dressed in appropriate clothing for the temperature. He's wearing a long sleeve T shirt and he's actually missing one of his shoes. By all accounts, Karen is inconsolable. She's yelling, she's screaming, she's crying. I had called my father, he didn't answer and I texted him, john is dead. I didn't know for sure that John was dead but I'm trying to elicit a response and I thought John could be dead. He called me back and I was distraught and I said I don't want to live. I mean I wasn't. I didn't have any ideation of harming myself. I just. I've never dealt with grief of this magnitude and I just felt out of my skin. So my father called the police. They put me in a psychiatric hold. They took my phone, they took my clothes. They wouldn't let me speak to anyone. And then sometime later about mid morning, I saw John's parents and brother pass in the ER and all go into the door two doors down.

[Brad Milke]

But despite medical personnel working on John, his injuries and the exposure to the cold are just too much. He is pronounced dead and police already suspect that this was no accident based on the investigation. What does the evidence tell you happened on January 29th to John O' Keefe at Karen Reed's retrial. Both the defense and the prosecution say her tail light tells a story. The right rear tail light of the Lexus SUV is missing the red lens Cover and it is damaged.

[Karen Reed]

The tail light was missing pieces.

[Brad Milke]

I noted in a report that there was damage to the tail light. But there are conflicting accounts about exactly when and where Karen's tail light was broken and what that could mean for the case.

[Karen Reed]

I was released from the hospital at noon. My father and my brother and sister in law came to pick me up.

[Brad Milke]

They all head back to John's house. And that's when Karen says that she stops to show her dad a cracked taillight on her SUV that she said she noticed that morning.

[Karen Reed]

So we go into the house. John's nephew was not home from his sleepover yet, but John's parents, Paul, his brother, and his niece were there. And then when John's nephew came home, I just wanted to see him and squeeze him and hug him.

[Brad Milke]

Karen recalls that John's mother seemed to keep her distance.

[Karen Reed]

I could sense from her that she was looking at me very warily. So I was presuming she saw my cracked taillight and was thinking, did you hit my son? It was quite uncomfortable. I said, dad, I think I need to leave. I said, I think John's mother thinks I did something to John. When we were driving home, I said to my father, I gotta get an attorney.

[Forensic Expert]

Getting a lawyer under those circumstances really is the right thing to do.

[Brad Milke]

Meanwhile, an investigation is underway. The Canton Police Department is now processing the scene.

[Kayna Whitworth]

There's literally a blizzard hitting Canton, Massachusetts. On top of this crime scene.

[Karen Reed]

It's snowing and it's windy and it's cold. So the evidence is changing. It's definitely a race against the clock.

[Kayna Whitworth]

They bring out a leaf blower, and they're trying to blow the snow to uncover whatever evidence might be beneath the snowfall.

[Forensic Expert]

According to police reports, what investigators initially preserve at the scene are six samples of what appears to be blood and a broken cocktail glass. Remember, according to the security footage, when John o' Keefe walks out of the Waterfall Bar, he's got a cocktail glass in his hand.

[Brad Milke]

Now the Massachusetts State police come in. In this case, the state police completely take over the case because the Canton Police Department doesn't want even the appearance of a conflict of interest. The lead investigator will be Trooper Michael Proctor, whose misconduct will become part of the firestorm at the very center of this trial. This is the very first time that Proctor is speaking publicly in an interview about this case. He tells me about those moments when he and his colleague, Sergeant Yuri Buchenik, first head to the Canton Police Department. Does it change the nature of the investigation when you know that the deceased is A cop?

[Michael Proctor]

No, nor should it. There's a little more emotion involved.

[Brad Milke]

That afternoon, Proctor and Buchanan interview Brian Albert, who told them John never came inside his house. And Proctor interviews Jennifer McCabe, who told him she had been on the phone trying to navigate John to the house. But she also says he never came in. Proctor also says Jen McCabe told him that when Karen found John's body, she said, could I have hit him? Proctor and Buchenik head to the hospital now to see John's body. Proctor says at the hospital they realize o' Keeffe had been found wearing only one shoe.

[Michael Proctor]

And the reason that became important or was important at the time, during my training and experience, you know, I've been to pedestrian strikes where both shoes are right at the point of impact.

[Brad Milke]

So the body gets hit, but the shoes get left at the point of impact.

[Michael Proctor]

I've seen them where people get ripped completely out of their clothing and their clothes are at the point of impact.

[Brad Milke]

Trooper Proctor and Sergeant Buchenik now proceed to interview Karen at her parents home. Her Lexus SUV is parked in the driveway and they notice damage to the right rear tail light. In their official police report, they describe it as shattered.

[Michael Proctor]

It's a large housing unit, so a significant chunk is missing from that tail light.

[Karen Reed]

When the troopers came to my house now I know I haven't done anything, but they said we're just trying to help find out what happened to John.

[Brad Milke]

What did she tell you happened between her and John O' Keefe that night.

[Michael Proctor]

That she went see at McCarthy's where she met John and some of his friends and then went over the waterfall and met a group there in that they were. It was Jen McCabe invited them back to Fairview Road.

[Forensic Expert]

Karen tells officers that she had what she referred to as stomach issues and said after she dropped John off, she decided to call it a night and go home.

[Karen Reed]

After the detectives interview Karen, they seize her car and they tow it. They then process the vehicle for evidence.

[Brad Milke]

That night, state police investigators report finding pieces of red plastic taillight and a clear piece of plastic at the scene. Pieces that they say appear to match the missing pieces from Karen Reed's suv. They also recover that missing shoe. Based on the investigation, what does the evidence tell you happened on January 29th to John O' Keefe?

[Michael Proctor]

It would be later in the day that collectively as we all met as a unit, that you had the one shoe found at the scene, tail light pieces at the scene, the one shoe at the hospital, her statements, did I hit him? Could I have hit him we knew. We were very confident. We knew that what had transpired, which was Karen Reed backed her Alexis vehicle into John O' Keefe.

[Karen Reed]

It was about 7pm I was talking to my best friend on the phone and I said, there's a lot of cops circling. And I said, I think I'm gonna get arrested.

[Brad Milke]

What was that moment like when you felt the metal handcuffs go on you and they put you into a squad car?

[Karen Reed]

It's scary. You're short of breath, your ankles are shackled and your arms are behind you and you just try to concentrate on your breathing. It's frightening. It's frightening.

[Forensic Expert]

Karen Reed's charges and what she was arraigned on were manslaughter, negligent homicide, and leaving the scene of an accident involving injury. According to prosecutors, Karen's blood alcohol content was between a.07 and a.08 when she was tested at the hospital at 9:08am after being transported from the scene. That's about nine hours after they left the bar. If you are a.08 or above, you are under the influence for the purpose of driving a motor vehicle.

[Brad Milke]

What did you plead?

[Karen Reed]

Not guilty.

[Brad Milke]

Quota.

[Karen Reed]

Setting bail in the amount of $50,000 cash.

[Forensic Expert]

Karen is out on bail, but within months, Karen is also charged with second degree murder. The line between a gross vehicular manslaughter and second degree murder is very, very thin. If you exhibit a disregard of the safety and the life of another person and they die as a result, then you've got a second degree murder.

[Brad Milke]

Next, Karen Reid's defense takes this dramatic turn. They're bringing in a top legal gun. And the defense is about to introduce a very different theory than what the prosecution says happened that night.

[Alan Jackson]

John o' Keefe was murdered. No question he died at the hands of another person. Person just wasn't Karen Reed.

[Forensic Expert]

The wake was large, very large.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Everybody wanted to be there that moment.

[Brad Milke]

Long day. Pretty unbelievable day.

[Karen Reed]

Countless police officers in a line of two came down the aisle. We all just paused. You could hear a pin drop.

[Brad Milke]

Then the funeral of the next day was. I was rough too.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

A number of us were asked to be pallbearers. And you could hear Amazing Grace on the bagpipe. And they said they were gonna give us a notification when the hearse arrived. And the moment that will never leave my brain is when we opened up the doors to that church. There were 50 bagpipers. There were rows and rows and rows of police officers. It was like nothing I've ever seen before.

[Brad Milke]

Strikingly absent from John's funeral. Is Karen Reed now arrested for his death? One of the big first twists in this case begins when Karen adds a heavy hitter to her defense team.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Alan Jackson. We got to know at Court tv. For years we talked about Alan Jackson as being one of the sharpest prosecutors we'd ever seen.

[Brad Milke]

I sat down with Alan Jackson before Karen's first trial and he told me how he got involved in the case.

[Alan Jackson]

I received an email from Karen Reid. The subject line was something along the lines of murder of a Boston police officer. Karen had supplemented the email with some autopsy photos. I was in the process of perusing those and I said this guy didn't get hit by a car.

[Brad Milke]

At a pretrial hearing, the defense puts those autopsy photos front and center.

[Alan Jackson]

When John o' Keefe was found, he had this set of wounds on his right arm. I would ask the common sense question, does this look like a road rash or does it look more like claw marks and bite marks from an animal?

[Brad Milke]

Karen's defense team is laying out a stunning new theory of what they say happened. They're now alleging that after Karen Reed dropped John off at that fellow officer Brian Albert's home, he entered the home and somehow became involved in a fight.

[Alan Jackson]

We know that he was beaten. We've got evidence that John o' Keefe was beaten, that he lay there unconscious.

[Brad Milke]

And during that alleged fight, they argue that the Albert's dog, a German shepherd, may also have attacked John, contributing to the injuries. Then the defense argues John was eventually dumped outside in the snow and left to die.

[Forensic Expert]

Every single person present that night, including Brian and Nicole Albert and Jennifer McCabe say adamantly O' Keefe never came inside, no one played any part in his death and there was never any kind of a cover up that the defense is alleging. They all deny it vehemently.

[Brad Milke]

Also one of the defense's central claims now appears in a motion that they file about the timing of a Google search. Now Karen's defense team claims that this will unequivocally exonerate Karen Reid. It's a Google search made on Jennifer McCabe's cell phone. Now remember, Jennifer McCabe was at that gathering in the Alberts home on Fairview Road and was then with Karen the following morning when Karen found John's body in the snow.

[Kayna Whitworth]

The defense and Karen Reed and her family believes. At 2:27am Jennifer McCabe is searching how long to die in the cold. She misspells how it's hos, but how long to die in the cold.

[Alan Jackson]

Why would she Google search that if she didn't know that something was going on with John laying in that snow in that front yard.

[Brad Milke]

Jennifer McCabe says that she made that search after 6am and that was at the request of Karen Reed after they discovered John's body, which the prosecution also maintains.

[Kayna Whitworth]

This Google search is what really brought a lot of people into this case.

[Brad Milke]

There are dozens and dozens of people here. You can notice all the placards around. They are protesting in favor of Karen Reid.

[Karen Reed]

Free Karen Reid.

[Brad Milke]

But it's not just John o' Keefe's friends and acquaintances inside that house that night that the defense is accusing of participating in this cover up. They also set their sights on Massachusetts State Police Trooper Michael Proctor, the lead investigator in the case. The defense claims that Proctor, a lifelong resident of Canton, is close with the families inside that house that night, the alberts and the McCabes, and therefore he's biased and and prejudiced in their favor. These are claims the state completely rejects. Had you ever heard of Brian and Nicole Albert? Did that ring a bell?

[Michael Proctor]

So I heard of Brian Albert. Never met him until I interviewed him.

[Brad Milke]

Now Proctor tells me he did know Brian Albert's brother Chris and wife Julie, who'd been at the Waterfall Bar. But you knew Julie and Chris Albert?

[Michael Proctor]

Yes, through a distant relationship with my sister.

[Brad Milke]

Did you know Jen McCabe?

[Michael Proctor]

No.

[Brad Milke]

And McCabes? No.

[Michael Proctor]

No. Never met the McCabes before. Prior to this investigation, did you ever.

[Brad Milke]

Think at any point that you should recuse yourself from this case?

[Michael Proctor]

No, absolutely not. Absolutely not.

[Brad Milke]

Wasn't too close to home, both figuratively and literally?

[Michael Proctor]

No, no. It wasn't a concern of mine. Wasn't a concern of DA Michael Morrissey. It wasn't a concern of my supervisors. You know, I didn't know these people. And there was loose connections with Julie and Chris.

[Brad Milke]

The defense is questioning the physical evidence found at the scene at this point. Like why wasn't Karen's taillight found at the scene right away? And the fact that there were even additional pieces of evidence found days, even weeks later. Because in pretrial hearings, they insinuate that Karen Reed's taillight fragments may have been planted there. And that cover up theory is a recurring theme throughout the pretrial hearings for the defense. And the state says that's absolutely baseless. Did you plant evidence?

[Michael Proctor]

Absolutely not. And I'm laughing because it's such a ridiculous accusation. It's something I would never do. I've never done.

[Brad Milke]

You know, most people would.

[Michael Proctor]

And there's no evidence of it.

[Brad Milke]

We're talking about people in your community, your neighbors who believe it. This is not strangers. This is people in Canton. Why do you think that is?

[Michael Proctor]

That's just the loud minority. The silent majority have. We've had an overwhelming amount of support. They're just not out there tweeting.

[Brad Milke]

The prosecution strongly denies allegations of a cover up, allegations of planting or mishandling evidence, and allegations that Michael Proctor has close ties to any of the witnesses in the case. Very early on, Alan Jackson told me that he could not understand why it was that every time that you went back to the scene, oh, new evidence would materialize. He found that very suspicious.

[Michael Proctor]

Maybe he didn't read the weather report I provided in my reports which indicated over the next week to two weeks, temperatures range from 30 to 60 degrees with heavy rain. Snow melts at a rapid pace. And the more snow that melted, the more evidence on earth itself.

[Brad Milke]

After 15 months, the stage is set for Karen's first trial.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Trooper Proctor on the witness stand. Come on, jurors.

[Brad Milke]

But there will be new evidence introduced at trial that the defense will use to discredit Trooper Michael Proctor and ultimately could end his career in law enforcement.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Oh, my goodness. Is this case over?

[Karen Reed]

Now these are your words, Trooper Proctor.

[Michael Proctor]

Yes, you, honor.

[Brad Milke]

On June 24, Ironheart arrives on Disney Plus. What is going on with you? From Marvel Television and executive producer Ryan Coogler.

[Karen Reed]

After my internship in Wakanda, I wanted.

[Brad Milke]

To build something undeniable.

[Karen Reed]

But now I'm in trouble.

[Brad Milke]

Don't miss the sixth episode of that.

[Karen Reed]

I joined a crew of criminals and.

[Brad Milke]

Now I'm about to get killed by.

[Karen Reed]

A deranged man in a cake.

[Brad Milke]

Be the first to experience the all new series.

[Karen Reed]

You've bitten off a hell of a lot more than you can chew. I could chew a lot.

[Brad Milke]

Marvel Television's iron heart, streaming June 24th only on Disney Plus. Newport Beach, California sits just south of Los Angeles. It's 2012 and the owner of a marijuana dispensary has been kidnapped, tortured and left for dead in the Mojave Desert. It began a decade long game of cat and mouse between investigators and a perpetrator. A mastermind of escape. He's a psychopath. Oh my God.

[Karen Reed]

They let Hannibal Lecter out.

[Brad Milke]

Devil in the Desert is out now. Since the very beginning, some of the biggest twists in this case have played out outside the courtroom. Some supporters of Karen Reid are being accused by authorities of harassing prosecution witnesses. Even more astonishing, John o' Keefes own family and friends are being confronted by people in their own community as they go to Pretrial hearings.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

We've been yelled at that we're disgusting, that we're defending the real murderers. I think at times they said that we have been brainwashed. Brainwashed by who?

[Karen Reed]

We're leaving the courthouse, and they follow us. And I remember this woman, and she was screaming cop killer at me. I've never heard of such a thing in my life. We thought, okay, they boo us, okay? But they're not gonna boo John's family. Right. Then they did.

[Brad Milke]

It must have created a lot of anger.

[Alan Jackson]

Yep.

[Karen Reed]

Not so much anger, but when you.

[Brad Milke]

Walked in, like, the anxiety, like, I was. We were shaking down.

[Karen Reed]

Because it was just every time we went in. Yeah.

[Michael Proctor]

But then after, like, maybe the fourth time, we were just like, all right.

[Karen Reed]

Let'S just hold our head up high.

[Michael Proctor]

And walk through this with Johnny.

[Karen Reed]

I think everyone should be in agreement that the o' Keeffes don't deserve this treatment.

[Brad Milke]

Are you ready for today? At Karen's first trial, swarms of supporters start to show up. And they're wearing Karen's favorite color, pink. They're literally camping outside court, cheering her on. We are Team Karen.

[Karen Reed]

There's enough evidence to point that she's been framed.

[Brad Milke]

Actually.

[Karen Reed]

Innocent woman walking.

[Brad Milke]

And prosecutors come out swinging, alleging that Karen made a confession at the scene that morning. Ben has stated repeatedly, I hit him. I hit him. I hit him. I hit him. I hit him. Oh, my God, I hit him. She kept saying, this is all my fault.

[Karen Reed]

This is my fault. I did this.

[Brad Milke]

Not true, says the defense.

[Michael Proctor]

Did I hit him?

[Brad Milke]

Could I have hit him?

[Alan Jackson]

That was what she was saying, both.

[Brad Milke]

To herself and to other people.

[Forensic Expert]

Furthermore, the defense points out, not all of these statements were included in official police reports.

[Brad Milke]

The prosecution calls witness after witness after witness to testify that John never came into the Alberts house. John never came into my house that night.

[Karen Reed]

They never came into my home.

[Brad Milke]

The defense doubles down on scrutiny of the police investigation, starting with with the way that the Canton Police Department collected blood evidence at the scene.

[Michael Proctor]

We utilized cups, plastic cups.

[Alan Jackson]

Those were red Solo cups, right?

[Michael Proctor]

That's correct.

[Brad Milke]

The defense also noting the unusual manner in which the evidence was transported.

[Alan Jackson]

You see a bag in the middle of the photograph?

[Brad Milke]

Yes.

[Alan Jackson]

Can you read what's on that bag?

[Brad Milke]

Stop it. Sharp.

[Karen Reed]

They may have done the best they could, but visually, they. This is not a good look for the police department.

[Forensic Expert]

The prosecution's response to that was basically, who cares? It doesn't impact the forensic integrity of the evidence.

[Brad Milke]

Karen's broken taillight now taking center stage. Is it damning evidence of a crime? Or is it evidence of a conspiracy?

[Forensic Expert]

Karen's defense team rejects the prosecution's theory that her tail light was damaged in a collision involving John. They show ring video of Karen backing out of John's driveway around 5am and a moment when they say her car appears to bump John's parked vehicle. That's how they allege her taillight was damaged. The prosecution calls investigators who say no tail light was found in John's driveway later that day.

[Brad Milke]

But the moment at that first trial that would forever change the King case is when Michael Proctor takes the stand.

[Michael Proctor]

Troop of Michael Proctor Pro Ctr.

[Brad Milke]

In a dramatic turn, there's a separate investigation going on that may impact this trial.

[Forensic Expert]

There is a federal investigation surrounding this case, and there's a lot of mystery about this. The exact target of this investigation has never been disclosed, and it hasn't resulted in any charges. But as a part of the investigation, the Fed subpoena Michael Proctor's personal cell phone data.

[Kayna Whitworth]

They gave all that information to the prosecution and to Karen Reed and her defense team.

[Forensic Expert]

On the stand, Michael Proctor reads texts that he wrote to both friends and colleagues from his personal cell phone while investigating John's death.

[Michael Proctor]

Okay, see, these came from me. She's a whack job.

[Alan Jackson]

Objection.

[Brad Milke]

So these are your words, Trooper Proctor?

[Michael Proctor]

Yes, you, Honor.

[Karen Reed]

Go ahead and say them.

[Michael Proctor]

Yeah, she's a babe. We had Fall river accent, though. No ass.

[Forensic Expert]

Proctor reads dozens of damning texts he sent, including derogatory and explicit comments about Karen Reed's appearance and her health.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Why would I believe this guy? He's completely eviscerated on the stand.

[Alan Jackson]

You responded to a text message from your sister, correct. And your response was, hopefully she kills herself, correct?

[Michael Proctor]

Yes.

[Brad Milke]

The defense is arguing bias against Karen Reid by Proctor was clear.

[Alan Jackson]

Trooper Proctor, you don't get to pick a suspect and then try to find evidence to support your choice, right?

[Michael Proctor]

Correct.

[Alan Jackson]

But in this case, it's exactly what you did, isn't it?

[Michael Proctor]

Absolutely not.

[Brad Milke]

After eight weeks of testimony, the jury cannot come to a decision, and the case ultimately ends in a mistrial.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

So at this point, as we sit now after the mistrial, we are sitting at halftime, and we have got a second half to let play out.

[Brad Milke]

Far from the closure anyone involved in this case had hoped for, now a new, even more explosive chapter is about to begin.

[Kayna Whitworth]

This is bizarro world.

[Karen Reed]

I am put on the stand in a murder trial. I don't know why I'm here. I have no connection to this case.

[Brad Milke]

These are not my words. I'M not really comfortable reading these. Do I have to say these words out loud?

[Kayna Whitworth]

I've never seen anything like it.

[Alan Jackson]

This case carries a malignancy. And that cancer has a name. His name is Michael Proctor.

[Michael Proctor]

That's tough.

[Brad Milke]

The defense moves vigorously for a mistrial with prejudice.

[Kayna Whitworth]

This is the reach trial of the century.

[Brad Milke]

The defendants of our. Guilty or not guilty?

[Karen Reed]

Not guilty. I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters.

[Brad Milke]

Tonight, a verdict in the Karen Reed John o' Keefe murder.

[Kayna Whitworth]

We're talking about the retrial of the century.

[Brad Milke]

What could be more egregious? What could be more misleading?

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

I think that she hit him. I think that she knew she hit him.

[Alan Jackson]

John o' Keefe was murdered. No question. He died at the hands of another person. Just wasn't Karen Reed.

[Brad Milke]

What happened with the state's people inside the court?

[Kayna Whitworth]

The digital evidence is the centerpiece of.

[Brad Milke]

The prosecution's case versus the people outside. All new interviews. The embattled trooper speaking out for the first time.

[Michael Proctor]

They don't care what the evidence is. They are just all in on this theory that Karen Reed was framed.

[Karen Reed]

No one has fought harder for justice for John o' Keefe than I have.

[Brad Milke]

So this is the beginning of the second trial. Right now you can see Karen Reid in the back.

[Kayna Whitworth]

This retrial. More people watching, more people interested. And the opinions. Oh, my goodness.

[Brad Milke]

In Massachusetts, defendant Karen Reed back for round two. She's accused of running down her boyfriend in her suv. A Boston police officer.

[Alan Jackson]

Free charity.

[Karen Reed]

We're loaded for bear, ready to get the show on the road.

[Brad Milke]

Nine months after a deadlock jury and mistrial, Karen Reed is being tried again on all three original charges, including that second degree murder charge. Karen, are you feeling more confident in.

[Michael Proctor]

This trial than the last one?

[Karen Reed]

I'm always confident in my team.

[Brad Milke]

Commonwealth versus Karen Reed.

[Forensic Expert]

Whenever you have a retrial, there are going to be changes. It doesn't make any sense to use the same strategy as the first trial because it's clear the jury didn't buy parts of your story.

[Karen Reed]

So it's now time for the opening statements. Mr. Brennan.

[Brad Milke]

Some of the storytellers will also change. Original lead prosecutor Adam Lalley is out and Hank Brennan is in. Thank you, your honor.

[Forensic Expert]

Brennan once defended mobster Whitey Bulger, so he is no stranger to a high profile case.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Hank Brennan understands what the defense is trying to do, understands what the defense wants the prosecution to do.

[Brad Milke]

I simply ask you to follow the evidence, follow the science. The prosecution's story this time is more focused, more vivid. Put her foot on the gas pedal and began to press. Not 25%, not 50%, up to 75%. In opening statements, both sides promised something new. A cell phone is an amazing piece of technology. For the prosecution, the new comes in the form of digital evidence. And there'll be some remarkable data that you will use in this case to find the truth.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Hank Brennan wants this jury focused on the evidence coming from John o' Keefe's phone, the evidence coming from Karen Reed's suv, evidence that he says does not have bias.

[Forensic Expert]

If digital forensics does not connect with the jury, I don't see how the prosecution can win.

[Karen Reed]

Thank you, Mr. Jackson.

[Brad Milke]

In their opening statements, the defense takes a scientific approach.

[Alan Jackson]

Ladies and gentlemen, the scientific evidence and the medical evidence will establish that John o' Keefe had to be injured somewhere else, somewhere warmer, and his body had to have been moved out into the cold.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Understanding exactly what happened that night to me is a very complicated question.

[Brad Milke]

And the defense never misses an opportunity to mention the name Michael Proctor, the lead investigator on this case.

[Alan Jackson]

This case carries a malignancy. A cancer that cannot be cut out, a cancer that cannot be cured. And that cancer has a name. His name is Michael Proctor.

[Forensic Expert]

It is not hard to conclude that Michael Proctor's words provided the jury with reasonable doubt in the first trial.

[Brad Milke]

And it doesn't take the prosecution very long to remind the jury of three words. She said, I hit him. I hit him. I hit him.

[Karen Reed]

I said, I hit him. It was preceded by a did and proceeded by a question mark. So did I say the three words, I hit him? Yes. Did I hit him?

[Brad Milke]

So you're saying that the entire time it was at a question mark?

[Karen Reed]

Yes.

[Kayna Whitworth]

It's like that my cousin Vinnie moment. I shot the clerk versus I shot the clerk. So I'm wondering if this jury will have that same interpretation.

[Brad Milke]

And the prosecution adds something that was lacking in the first trial. Commonwealth calls Peggy o' Keefe a motion. Peggy o' Keefe testifying about the phone call that every mother dreads.

[Alan Jackson]

Yeah. She said John was found in a snowbank.

[Brad Milke]

And I. I didn't understand, which I.

[Alan Jackson]

Said, what do you mean, found in a snowbank?

[Karen Reed]

She said, they found him in the snow. They don't know what happened.

[Kayna Whitworth]

She was a very powerful witness, not just in what she said, but how she said it. It really makes the jury understand that, you know, a man, a real person, is gone.

[Brad Milke]

Good morning, your honor. Good morning. Call Ian Wiffen.

[Alan Jackson]

Okay.

[Brad Milke]

Ian Wiffen is a digital forensics examiner, and he analyzed the contents of John o' Keefe's phone for the prosecution. And he was able to track the movement of the phone as it left the bar and then drove to Fairview Road. Do you have an opinion where John o' Keefe's cell phone was?

[Michael Proctor]

My opinion is that the device never.

[Brad Milke]

Moved far away from the flagpole.

[Kayna Whitworth]

It tells a story of a man who's in a car, a man who steps out of a car, and a man who never goes inside.

[Brad Milke]

According to wif in the circles on this map indicate o' Keeffe's general location on the property based on his cell phone data. The smaller the circle, the more accurate the information. But defense attorney Robert Alessi was focused on the larger circles. The phone of John o' Keefe could be anywhere within the largest white circle, correct?

[Michael Proctor]

Correct.

[Brad Milke]

And therefore the phone could be be in the house, Correct.

[Michael Proctor]

Based on the low accuracy information? Yes.

[Brad Milke]

The answer is yes.

[Michael Proctor]

Yes.

[Kayna Whitworth]

I came into this case. I thought it was black and white. You know, digital evidence is what it is. But what we are learning through this case is that it's a matter of interpretation.

[Brad Milke]

With the court's permission, could I begin with clip seven? Yes.

[Karen Reed]

Maybe more than a few sips at.

[Brad Milke]

The waterfall and four drinks, you felt fine to drive.

[Karen Reed]

Yep.

[Brad Milke]

Numerous clips of Reed's televised interviews have been played by the prosecution throughout the trial.

[Kayna Whitworth]

And I don't care what your viewpoint is of Karen Reed. When you listen to them and you watch these clips, there is no way you can tell me they make her look good.

[Brad Milke]

My name is Yuri Buchanak. Yuri Buchanak was former trooper Michael Proctor's supervisor. The prosecution needs him to minimize Proctor's involvement in the the case. In the cases where you're assigned, do you investigate the case alone? Never. It's always a team effort.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Buchenik did everything he could to downplay Proctor, like, oh, trooper who? He's one of many here, and that's just not true.

[Brad Milke]

At the same time, Buchenik, who was disciplined after it was revealed he was in the group chat where Proctor was sending inappropriate text messages, must also defend the work of Proctor.

[Alan Jackson]

Do you think this case was handled with honor and integrity by Michael Proctor? Sergeant?

[Brad Milke]

The investigation was handled with integrity by Michael Proctor. The Commonwealth highlights the movement of Reed's vehicle while in front of the Fairview home. Their expert reviewed the onboard computer system of the Lexus, which tracks the SUV's motion. So again, the initial forward motion is 34ft and then backing up an additional 53ft. And finally, regarding this part of your Analysis. Do you have an opinion to a reasonable degree of engineering certainty as to whether the defendant's Lexus was decelerating, accelerating or remaining the same?

[Michael Proctor]

It was accelerating at 74% throttle.

[Brad Milke]

Next, Dr. Judson Welcher provides something the prosecution did not have at the first trial. Video. The accident reconstruction he puts together is a series of slides and videos which he claims explain how an impact could have occurred.

[Michael Proctor]

Let's have the car drive into me.

[Brad Milke]

I did this at very low speeds. This is from a camera that we.

[Michael Proctor]

Have pointing down at it. But even a two mile an hour impact redirects me back and causes me to rotate and take a step.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Not every judge would allow this type of evidence. So that's a win for the prosecution to actually get these videos in front.

[Brad Milke]

Of the jury with the regional degree of scientific certainty that is what happened.

[Kayna Whitworth]

This is a real expert and the question now is his opinion versus the opinion of the experts. For the defense, who will the jury trust?

[Brad Milke]

But if the defendant is worried, she's not showing it.

[Michael Proctor]

How would you sum up the prosecution's case?

[Brad Milke]

One word.

[Karen Reed]

Unjust.

[Brad Milke]

The prosecution rests without ever calling Michael Proctor to the stand. And while the jury will not get to hear from him, you will. He's sitting down. Exclusively with 2020. This episode is brought to you by Progressive Insurance. It's Brad Milke, host of ABC's Daily News podcast. Start here. Fiscally responsible financial geniuses, monetary magicians. These are things people say about drivers who switch their car insurance to Progressive and save hundreds. Visit progressive.com to see if you could save Progressive Casualty Insurance Company and affiliates. Potential savings will vary. Not available in all states or situations. Hey there, it's Ryan Reynolds. And if you're into weird animals and questionable life choices, well, you're in for a treat.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

You tell them Green Day.

[Brad Milke]

I've teamed up with Nat Geo to fast forward right past nature's glory hogs and get down in the mud. These guys are the grossest, most unlikely stars in the great movie of life.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Under from National Geographic.

[Brad Milke]

All episodes now streaming on Disney and Hulu. The murder mystery just outside of Boston.

[Karen Reed]

Sparking some explosive accusations against law enforcement.

[Brad Milke]

Do you think Proctor will testify, Karen?

[Karen Reed]

I don't believe so.

[Michael Proctor]

Can't get any worse.

[Brad Milke]

The lead investigator on this case, Michael Proctor, did not take the stand this time around. His highly offensive text messages about Karen Reid, which were obtained from his personal cell phone during a federal investigation. They rocked that first trial.

[Michael Proctor]

She's a whack job. Yes, she's a babe. Weird Fall river accent. Though no ass, no nude. So far, she's gross.

[Brad Milke]

During the retrial, the defense once again accuses him of running a biased investigation.

[Alan Jackson]

You'll learn there's not a single part of this case, folks, not a single part that he didn't touch, that he didn't direct, that he didn't orchestrate personally. Michael Proctor went far beyond just insulting Karen Reid. He dehumanized this woman.

[Brad Milke]

And while the prosecution condemns Proctor's text messages, they stand firmly by the investigation. There's not one piece of evidence, not one that we can look at and say, this was tampered with, this was planted, this was distorted. Within hours of that first trial ending, Michael Proctor was relieved of duty by the Massachusetts State Police. He was later fired. He sat down for an exclusive interview with us and addressed those text messages, some of which were sent to personal contacts outside of law enforcement. Who are you writing to?

[Michael Proctor]

My good buddies that have been friends since first grade. Canton hasn't had a homicide in 20 years, so they're naturally interested. Just regrettable messages. But in all the content and the messages, what you don't see is a conspiracy.

[Brad Milke]

What do you see?

[Michael Proctor]

I see someone who's caught up in the moment of investigating, you know, a fellow police officer and just saying inappropriate things.

[Brad Milke]

Can you see why people called you sexist and misogynist?

[Michael Proctor]

Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, I could 100% understand why.

[Brad Milke]

As those text messages are entered into evidence, prosecutors begin to address the defense's claims of bias, and they ask Proctor about the integrity of his investigation when he takes a stand in the first trial.

[Alan Jackson]

What, if any, impact did that have.

[Brad Milke]

As far as your investigation was concerned?

[Michael Proctor]

These juvenile, unprofessional comments have zero impact on the facts and the evidence and the integrity of this investigation.

[Brad Milke]

I mean, I think one of the texts you that. That you sent about Karen Reid is that you said, hopefully she kills herself. You texted this to your sister, and that seems incredibly unprofessional for a homicide investigator speaking about his suspect.

[Michael Proctor]

It was made in jest. You know, it's a figure of speech. Hopefully she kills herself like that. Not.

[Brad Milke]

That's a figure of speech. Do you use that commonly?

[Michael Proctor]

Yes. Not commonly, but it's a figure of speech I made in, like, jest. It wasn't, like, literally, I hope she kills herself.

[Brad Milke]

At what point did you develop such strong negative feelings about Karen Reid that you would say things like, hopefully she kills herself for calling her the C word?

[Michael Proctor]

Those feelings developed as the case went on.

[Brad Milke]

I mean, can you see how people might think he was caught in this instance speaking about a suspect in this way. Maybe it's happened in other cases as well.

[Michael Proctor]

I 100% understand where, why people would think that. But when you have, you know, a fellow police officer around my age, two kids of his own, it generates an emotion. And I express that those emotions in a negative way, which I shouldn't have. I shouldn't even, you know, been texting my friends anything.

[Brad Milke]

Some of his texts were with colleagues, including two superiors.

[Michael Proctor]

When we first got into her phone, the number one thing I wanted to review was location data, text messages. And when we got into the phone, I texted the guys at work, you know, our work chain, that joke, no nude.

[Kayna Whitworth]

So far, guys, you're talking about completely inappropriate text messages that show a complete bias in the investigation. And Proctor is sending these to his supervisors and he's not being admonished for it. Like, what's going on here? Is this business as usual? Is this being adopted and accepted by other members of law enforcement?

[Forensic Expert]

Does the bias of one investigator or the exhibited bias, does that compromise an entire investigation? No. But could that bias have led to additional mistakes? That's the jury's job to figure out.

[Brad Milke]

Can you see how the impropriety of the text messages opens the door for the defense's allegations that there was some sort of consp and cover up here?

[Michael Proctor]

There's no evidence because it didn't happen. I spent two days on the stand. That was Alan Jackson's opportunity to bring that up and question me on it.

[Brad Milke]

Specifically asking you whether you planted evidence.

[Michael Proctor]

Yeah. Not one question.

[Brad Milke]

Boston has a history of police and law enforcement corruption.

[Michael Proctor]

Yeah, that I agree with. Not in this case. Didn't happen yet.

[Brad Milke]

So why would it be so unreasonable for people to think, well, it's happened elsewhere and recently in Boston. Why couldn't it happen in Canton?

[Michael Proctor]

They believe that the state police, multiple units within the state police, the Canton Police Department, about a dozen civilians, are all in this conspiracy to frame a woman we don't know. And over the last two and a half, three years, not one person said, wait a minute, I'm not going down for this. Here's what really happened.

[Alan Jackson]

You saw the lengths to which some, some police officers will go to to protect their own at the expense of the rest of us, at the expense of Karen Reed.

[Brad Milke]

Is there any part of the actual investigation that you would do over?

[Michael Proctor]

Because it's blowing up into this crazy, crazy so called conspiracy. Maybe I could have avoided it by, you know, looking at other people's cars just to say, we there's some witnesses maybe we could have interviewed a little sooner. But overall, myself and every detective in that office work this case like we always do. So I wouldn't change anything.

[Brad Milke]

Nothing?

[Michael Proctor]

No.

[Brad Milke]

But things are about to change for Michael Proctor.

[Michael Proctor]

I just remember dropping on my knees and laying on my lawn like crying.

[Brad Milke]

Paradise is back.

[Kayna Whitworth]

It's finally here in a new location, Costa Rica.

[Brad Milke]

There will be adventure, drama and romance.

[Karen Reed]

All gas, no breaks. That's my vibe. Ready to find some love.

[Brad Milke]

But it wouldn't be paradise without surprises along the way. These kids need to learn.

[Kayna Whitworth]

That's right.

[Karen Reed]

Your favorite golden alums are crashing the beach. We bring in a party, baby.

[Brad Milke]

Bachelor in paradise premieres Monday, July 7th at 8.7Central on ABC and stream on Hulu.

[Michael Proctor]

The stakes do not get any higher.

[Alan Jackson]

I pledge allegiance to what I believe.

[Karen Reed]

In they have to fight Another day.

[Alan Jackson]

Of yesterday Beat me and I ain't.

[Karen Reed]

Getting younger but I'm getting better Got no time to waste that's another man's treasure they say every dog has his.

[Brad Milke]

Day these are the days, the two very best in the NBA Pacers Thunder the NBA Finals. Presented by YouTube TV continue on ABC.

[Karen Reed]

Just about supporting John's family and getting justice for John. Michael Proctor. Michael Proctor.

[Alan Jackson]

Michael Proctor.

[Brad Milke]

Although Michael Proctor's name continues to reverberate throughout Karen Reed's retrial, Proctor himself retreats from the public eye.

[Karen Reed]

Trooper Michael Proctor is relieved of duty, effective immediately.

[Brad Milke]

Suspended without pay. Proctor is suspended without pay pending an internal investigation into his conduct.

[Michael Proctor]

I just remember dropping on my knees and laying on my lawn, like, crying. I couldn't even talk. I was complete hysterics. And I just remember my mother being like, what, what, what? And I kind of gather myself and I'm like, they relieved me of duty.

[Brad Milke]

What was it like handing over your badge, your gun, your cruiser?

[Michael Proctor]

What really got me was my union rep. He had to come over to my house and pick up all my uniforms. And the one time I broke down was putting my class A uniform. You know, you go through a six month academy and you're very proud to put that uniform on. That was tough.

[Brad Milke]

In March, the State Police Trial Board dishonorably discharges Michael Proctor on two charges including unsatisfactory performance related to state police conduct standards.

[Michael Proctor]

I don't know any trooper that's been punished for personal text messages on their personal phone, let alone fired.

[Brad Milke]

He's appealing the trial board's decision. A supervisor on one of Proctor's text chains is also disciplined for failure to counsel a subordinate during an investigation and he loses five vacation days. The Massachusetts State Police say their disciplinary action is determined on a case by case basis.

[Forensic Expert]

People in every job do and say stupid things. They're human beings, they make mistakes. But we have to expect a higher degree of professionalism from a lead investigator in a case like this.

[Brad Milke]

With the second trial underway, public fascination accelerates and the trial takes on a life of its own.

[Kayna Whitworth]

The public interest has actually grown for the retrial. First time around, people heard about the case. Second time around, people know the case.

[Brad Milke]

Social media is having a field day.

[Karen Reed]

Karen Reed.

[Brad Milke]

Karen Reed.

[Michael Proctor]

I am just obsessed with this case.

[Brad Milke]

Birthday shout outs to Karen. There are dinner giveaways for Karen Reed's defense fund.

[Alan Jackson]

I'm looking very forward to meeting some of you in person, to sharing a nice, intimate dinner with you.

[Brad Milke]

And on the free Karen Reid page, it's almost like a reality show with chef Alan Jackson behind the scenes serving up meals for Reed and her team.

[Forensic Expert]

It's a reflection of the modern age for Karen Reed.

[Kayna Whitworth]

There's supporters who have raised money to help her defense. Karen Reed going online, making herself accessible.

[Karen Reed]

Karen, we love you.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Has garnered financial support, emotional support, and, you know, the court of public opinion support.

[Forensic Expert]

But when you look at it from the perspective of the victim's family, especially those two children that were relying on him for their care, the idea that there are raffles and giveaways, it's arguably pretty grotesque.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

She's the happiest murder defendant in America.

[Brad Milke]

There's a long way to go with this second trial. How does that feel?

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

We feel like we have a simplified strategy that the evidence will show exactly what happened. I think that she. She hit him. I think that she knew she hit him. I don't think that she knew how badly he was injured. My biggest concern about the second trial is how do you field a objective 12 person panel type of media exposure that's already. Are we going to be able to get a fair shake?

[Brad Milke]

And there are these billboards urging locals to remember John, which can be seen across the Boston area.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Johnny's friends and family, they got together and they wanted to remember Johnny. The goal was to ensure that the public sentiment that folks understood what void was created from Johnny's murder. It's not just about the defendant. It should be about the victim amidst.

[Brad Milke]

Everything in the courtroom. John o' Keefe's friends and family remember the guy who loves sports and the uncle who had silly treasured moments at home with the kids, like dancing with his niece to California Girls by Katy Perry.

[Karen Reed]

I Think that might be one of my favorite pictures, because he was always.

[Michael Proctor]

The light in this family.

[Karen Reed]

He was always the son.

[Brad Milke]

Like, oh, the photobombing. So that picture there, he would photobomb every picture.

[Karen Reed]

There's a lot of pictures of Angie's.

[Brad Milke]

Birthday party, my surprise 40th. He's literally in every background of every photo, photobomb. And while Reed's team prepares to present the defense in the second trial, John o' Keefe's family and friends are in court every day, only feet away from Reed.

[Karen Reed]

I think the hardest part is having to see John's mother sit that close to Karen and watching her laugh, giggle, smirk.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

There's an undertone of anxiety, but I think that there's a general presence of hope that we're going to find James Justice.

[Brad Milke]

And when we come back, Karen Reed's team fights back.

[Alan Jackson]

There's not a single eyewitness to a collision. There was not even a single eyewitness to a backing event.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Neither side wants to walk out of that courtroom losing.

[Brad Milke]

I'm anxious to see how they're going to start.

[Karen Reed]

Anxious, yes.

[Brad Milke]

Emotions run the gamut as o' Keeffe supporters and Karen Reid's legal team enter the courthouse in Dedham.

[Forensic Expert]

How you feeling today?

[Karen Reed]

Karen and me feel great. Go get him.

[Brad Milke]

It's day 24 of the retrial, and it's the defense's turn to present their case. Alan Jackson begins by asking for a mistrial.

[Alan Jackson]

There was no eyewitness presented. There was no video evidence, no audio evidence, no evidence in the form of physical evidence at the scene. By searches that were done by officers on the morning of January 29, 2022.

[Kayna Whitworth]

999 times out of 1000, the defense loses that motion. But what I like to listen to is the arguments that are made because it sort of gives you a little bit of a preview of what the closing argument arguments will be.

[Alan Jackson]

They did not prove that there was actually a collision.

[Forensic Expert]

Jackson says the state experts may have proven the SUV went backwards, but they have not proven that it was a collision connected to that backing maneuver.

[Brad Milke]

But Judge Beverly Canoni isn't buying it.

[Karen Reed]

Motion is denied.

[Forensic Expert]

As to all three, you can't blame the defense for trying, but it would be highly unusual for a judge to grant any mistrial request at this point in the trial.

[Brad Milke]

The defense calls a longtime friend of Michael Proctor to the stand, and he confirms he was on a text chain with Proctor and other friends when the former trooper sent his now infamous texts.

[Michael Proctor]

Good morning, sir. Would you please state your name?

[Brad Milke]

Jonathan Diamandis. Those text messages were entered into evidence and the defense quickly wrapped up with questioning.

[Alan Jackson]

I have no further questions.

[Michael Proctor]

Thank you, sir.

[Brad Milke]

Thank you. The prosecution says not so fast. They actually want the text read aloud. And then an objection is raised in the courtroom from the witness. Could you read all of them, please? These are not my words. I'm not really comfortable reading these. Do I have to say these words out loud? A compromise is reached. I don't want you to say words that are not yours. I'll say the words, and I'm going to ask you if I'm reading accurately. Is that better?

[Forensic Expert]

Yes.

[Kayna Whitworth]

When prosecutors put bad evidence in front of a jury, they're just getting in front of it. They want to be the ones to say, okay, we're going to put this in front of the jury. We're not hiding it from you.

[Brad Milke]

Next up is former Canton police officer Kelly Dever, who wins the award for most hostile witness.

[Alan Jackson]

Ms. Dever, do you want to be here today?

[Karen Reed]

I have no relation to the.

[Alan Jackson]

I didn't ask you that. I asked you if you want to be here today.

[Brad Milke]

Objection. This isn't direct.

[Karen Reed]

So it's your witness.

[Alan Jackson]

I understand she can. No comments, just questions.

[Brad Milke]

Not. I understand that Deveraux once made statements to federal authorities about the Reid case, but later recanted, claiming it was false memory.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Sometimes you have to call a witness who you don't get along with, who you know is not for your side because they have information that's going to help you. Prosecutors aren't going to call her, so Alan Jackson and the defense had to call her.

[Alan Jackson]

Do you want to be here today?

[Brad Milke]

No.

[Karen Reed]

I am put on the stand in a murder trial. I don't know why I'm here. I have no connection to this case.

[Brad Milke]

You have no idea why you're here.

[Karen Reed]

You have never talked to me. Nobody on the fence seems to talk to me since prior to the first trial. So I don't have any idea why I'm here.

[Alan Jackson]

No clue whatsoever, as you sit here.

[Brad Milke]

Why you might have been Colton Stanton.

[Karen Reed]

No.

[Forensic Expert]

Whatever her value was to the defense was lost in the sea of hostility by the witness.

[Brad Milke]

That's all I have. The defense would later call forensic expert Dr. Marie Russell to the stand. All right, Mr. Alessi, whenever you're ready. Thank you, you, Honor. Good morning.

[Karen Reed]

Good morning.

[Brad Milke]

And she testifies about the marks on John o' Keefe's arm. Can you determine that those are from a dog?

[Karen Reed]

I believe they are, yes.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Her credentials are real. I mean, she's done the Work. She has treated people who have been bitten by dogs through the years, but she's not an experienced expert witness. So when you see her on the stand, she's not the strongest of expert because she's not used to doing this.

[Brad Milke]

There is no recognized standard anywhere for methodology on how to identify a dog bite wound, is there?

[Karen Reed]

There is no published standard from an organization that I am aware of.

[Brad Milke]

When you considered Brennan asked the doctor if her opinion on the case changed after she watched Reid's televised interviews. The doctor said no.

[Karen Reed]

Many people suffer from what's called an acute grief reaction. It's very common. And they do things that seem to be irrational. They ramble, they act bizarrely.

[Brad Milke]

Does this happen moments after a stressful event?

[Karen Reed]

Oh, yes.

[Brad Milke]

Does it happen months later when you go on 2020 or nightlife?

[Karen Reed]

I've never seen that situation.

[Kayna Whitworth]

It gave him an opportunity to point out to the jury that they'd been watching these interviews inside the courtroom, these clips. And these clips are months and months after the death of John o' Keefe. So I think in that moment, Hank Brennan did a nice job of scoring some points and bringing some credibility to his side and perhaps undermining the credibility of Dr. Russell.

[Brad Milke]

Next up for the defense is Brian Lucky Loughran. Now, he's a snowplow operator who came down Fairview Road during the storm. And his value to the defense is not what he saw, it's what he didn't see.

[Alan Jackson]

How much of the front lawn could you see?

[Forensic Expert]

I could see all the way to the front door.

[Alan Jackson]

What was on the ground on the.

[Brad Milke]

Alberts lawn at that.

[Alan Jackson]

That point in the area of the flag pole?

[Forensic Expert]

Nothing.

[Alan Jackson]

Did you see a 6 foot 1, 216 pound man lying on that lawn?

[Forensic Expert]

No.

[Brad Milke]

The prosecution attributes that to Lucky simply being too busy dealing with the task at hand. When you plowed that night, did you have any reason to look for somebody who was lying on the side of a yard? No. Then the defense's most important witness, Andrew Rentsler, is a biomechanical engineer and his company conducted a series of tests. And based on these tests, Rentschler offers a different opinion as to whether John o' Keefe was even struck by a vehicle at all.

[Alan Jackson]

And what is that opinion?

[Michael Proctor]

My opinion is that the evidence is inconsistent with Mr. O' Keefe being struck on the right arm by the SUV.

[Brad Milke]

Things get testy during cross examination. When you looked at all the tests you did, the plastic broke differently in each and every case, every experiment, didn't it?

[Michael Proctor]

Sure. It's. It's it's broken like that. And I've never seen a case where.

[Brad Milke]

You get these types of abrasions. I didn't ask you that. Is that funny?

[Michael Proctor]

It's not funny.

[Brad Milke]

I'm going to strike the comment.

[Karen Reed]

Next question.

[Brad Milke]

Special prosecutor Hank Brennan also suggests that Rentschler is cozy with the defense. Have any bias?

[Michael Proctor]

Any bias?

[Brad Milke]

Bias? Yes.

[Michael Proctor]

What do you mean, did I have any bias?

[Brad Milke]

After you testified, where did you go?

[Michael Proctor]

Well, I was waiting for my ride and to get back to the airport they had to take other people and so they were having a lunch afterwards and they said, come have a sandwich and then your ride will take you to the airport. So I went and I had a ham sandwich.

[Brad Milke]

How long were you at the table eating your ham sandwich?

[Michael Proctor]

I honestly don't know. 10 minutes.

[Brad Milke]

How long does it take you to.

[Michael Proctor]

Eat a ham sandwich? 10 minutes.

[Brad Milke]

After an exhaustive 33 day trial, both sides deliver their closing arguments.

[Alan Jackson]

Find Karen Reed. Not guilty. Not guilty. Not guilty.

[Brad Milke]

She was drunk, she hit him and she left him to die.

[Michael Proctor]

All eyes for the court, please.

[Karen Reed]

So we'll start with the defendant's closing. Jackson.

[Alan Jackson]

There was no collision. There was no collision. There was no collision. This case was corrupted from the start by biases, conflicts and personal loyalties. At the end of the day, you have to ask yourself, can you trust the Commonwealth case? They failed to provide you with a truthful representation. They failed to prove the essence of their case, that John was even hit by a car to begin with. Find Karen Reed. Not guilty. Not guilty. Not guilty.

[Brad Milke]

Thank you. On January 29, 2022, John O' Keefe had just been hit by Karen Reed. Then he lay on the ground dying and he needed help. She made a choice. She didn't call 911. She didn't run to his aid. She made a decision. She drove away. She left him alone to die. He is not an it. John o' Keeffe is not a body. John o' Keefe is not a buffalo on a prairie. John o' Keefe was a person and he was murdered by Karen Reed.

[Forensic Expert]

Talk about the closings.

[Brad Milke]

How do you feel they went? I mean, for your side?

[Karen Reed]

I don't think mine could have gone better.

[Brad Milke]

What do you want to say?

[Karen Reed]

That's all I'm saying. This has been a long three years, around three years. So we're all kind of on pins and needles just waiting.

[Brad Milke]

As the jury continues to deliberate, the crowds outside the courthouse continue to grow. You can see the Karen Reid supporters wearing there pink outside the courthouse right now. There are Karen Reed supporters pouring into the street. They're getting closer. We are inches away from a verdict. Mr. Foreman, members of the jury, have you agreed upon a burden? Yes, Mr. Foreman. On murder in the second degree, what say you? Is the defendant at the bar guilty or not guilty? Not guilty. 002. What say is the defendant at the bar not guilty or guilty? Not guilty. Specifically, number five, operating under the influence of liquor. So say you, Mr. Foreman? Guilty. Leaving the scene after accident resulting in death. Defendant not guilty or guilty?

[Karen Reed]

Not guilty.

[Brad Milke]

So say you, Mr. Foreman. So say you all. I couldn't actually hear the verdict because there was so much noise. And when the first time part of that verdict was read, there was absolute jubilation. As that not guilty verdict comes in, a member of Karen Reed's defense team is in tears and can see Karen's hands trembling.

[Karen Reed]

Right now.

[Brad Milke]

You can hear the cheers of a crowd right there. Alan Jackson, Karen Reed in that light blue suit emerging from the courthouse. They're waving to the crowd. They're making that hand gesture and sign language of love to their supporters. You can see that confetti exploding right there. Karen Reid's legal team and Karen Reed in the powder blue suit just to the right. We're gonna hear Karen right now.

[Karen Reed]

I just want to say two things. Number one is I could not be standing here without these amazing supporters who have supported me and my team financially and more importantly, emotionally for almost four years. And the second thing I want to say is no one has fought harder for justice for John o' Keefe than I have.

[Michael Proctor]

Sprint. Sprint.

[Karen Reed]

Thank you to my supporters. They pulled us through on their backs. Thank you.

[Brad Milke]

And not seen in the swirl of confetti. And this crowd here is the family and friends of officer John o' Keefe. Throughout this over three year long ordeal, they have remained stoic and reserved and dignified. And tonight they have to somehow cope with both losing their son and this trial. Karen Reed may not have been convicted of murder, but she is not out of the legal woods yet. This has been the trial of a decade, over three years in the making. But the saga is not over for Karen Reid. Karen Reid's sentence for OUI basically driving under the influence earned her a year of probation. And the family of John o' Keefe has already filed a wrongful death suit against her after that mistrial in 2024. Despite the heartbreak of this verdict for the O' Connor Keefe family, they continue to try to find ways to honor John in their everyday lives.

[Karen Reed]

John's badge number is 2490. So I have his badge number on my necklace. We have stickers that we put on our phone. We have stickers on the car. Rene and I both got tattoos with.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

This badge number, and that's become the numerical symbol of finding justice for him.

[Karen Reed]

Justice for justice jj. Justice for jj.

[Brad Milke]

The last picture you took together, was that at opening day?

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Yeah, it was an opening day shot at Lansdowne.

[Brad Milke]

Welcome to opening day.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

It's one of the few pictures we took. We didn't take a whole lot of.

[Brad Milke]

Pictures, but you're both beaming in that picture.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Yeah, we had a good day, a very good day.

[Brad Milke]

And this year, you went with John's nephew.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

I did. We've tried to keep that tradition alive. We've taken Johnny's nephew. Nephew to three of the last four opening days.

[Brad Milke]

What has that been like?

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

It's frankly, it's been genuinely enjoyable. He happens to be a great kid. I've known him since he was really little. My relationship with Johnny's nephew is very important to me. To me, it's just about maintaining that connection and maintaining tradition. And tradition was important for Johnny. Every year, we go to Johnny's gravesite. So Johnny's brother, Johnny's closest friends from the Boston police force. It's a way for family and friends to get together and honor him as a community.

[Karen Reed]

People keep asking, you know, what legacy he left behind, and I would say a legacy of honor. He was an honorable man. He was a good man. Can't really say enough good things about John.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

I just miss him.

[Brad Milke]

David, this is the end of a very long emotional journey for so many in that community and beyond. No question about that. For Karen Reed, tonight, relief.

[Michael Proctor]

And for John o' Keefe's family, major disappointment.

[Brad Milke]

We should point out, though, that the civil suit against her is still ongoing. That's our program for tonight. Thanks for watching. I'm David Muir. And I'm Deborah Roberts.

[Karen Reed]

From all of us here at 2020.

[Brad Milke]

And ABC News, good night. Hi, Zoe Saldana. Welcome to T Mobile.

[Alan Jackson]

Here's your new iPhone 16 Pro on us.

[Karen Reed]

Thanks.

[Brad Milke]

And here's my old phone to trade in.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

You don't need to trade in.

[Brad Milke]

When you switch to T Mobile.

[Alan Jackson]

We'll give you a new iPhone 16 Pro plus we'll help you pay off your old phone.

[Brad Milke]

Up to 800 bucks and you still get to keep it. There's always a trade in.

[Alan Jackson]

Not right now.

[Brad Milke]

T Mobile. I feel like I have to give.

[Alan Jackson]

You something in return for karma.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

That's okay.

[Brad Milke]

I don't really have much in my purse. Oh, let's see. Hand sanitizer. It's lavender.

[Forensic Expert]

I'm good.

[Brad Milke]

Seriously.

[Karen Reed]

Let me check this pocket.

[Brad Milke]

Oh, mints.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Really, I'm fine.

[Brad Milke]

Oh, I have raisins. I'm a mom. Wait, wait one sec. I've got cupcakes in the car. It's our best iPhone offer ever.

[Kayna Whitworth]

Switch to T Mobile, get a new iPhone 16 Pro with Apple Intelligence on us.

[Brad Milke]

No trade in needed. We'll even pay off your Phone up to 800 bucks with 24 monthly bill credits. New line, $100 plus a month on experience beyond Finance Agreement 9, 99, 99 and qualifying.

[John O'Keefe's Friend]

Ported for well qualified, plus tax and $10 connection charge.

[Brad Milke]

Pay off via virtual prepaid card below 15 days. Credits end in balance due if you pay off early or cancel ctmobile.

[Michael Proctor]

Com.