Was the John O'Keefe autopsy testimony pivotal in the Karen Read trial?

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Karen Reed Murder Trial: Canton Confidential

Episode Title: Was the John O'Keefe Autopsy Testimony Pivotal in the Karen Read Trial?
Release Date: May 15, 2025
Host/Author: NBC10 Boston
Description: Nightly coverage of the Karen Read murder trial and her allegations of a cover-up over the killing of her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O'Keefe.

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1. Introduction

In this gripping episode of Canton Confidential, NBC10 Boston delves deep into the pivotal elements of the Karen Read murder trial. The focus centers on the autopsy testimony of John O'Keefe, a Boston Police Officer whose death has sparked intense courtroom drama and public scrutiny. The episode aims to provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of the key evidence, legal strategies, and emotional undertones shaping this high-profile case.

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2. Opening Statements and Autopsy Testimony

Anchor 1 sets the stage by highlighting the critical role of the medical examiner's findings in determining the cause and manner of John O'Keefe's death (00:00). The autopsy, conducted by Dr. Irene Scordibello, reveals that O'Keefe died from "blunt impact injuries of the head and hypothermia" (01:52). However, crucially, the manner of death remains undetermined, leaving room for both prosecution and defense to interpret the events leading to his demise.

During cross-examination, Attorney Bob Alessi challenges the medical examiner's inability to conclusively determine whether O'Keefe was struck by a vehicle or if he fell, suggesting alternative scenarios (02:30). This line of questioning juxtaposes the prosecution's theory with defense arguments, creating a tension-filled courtroom atmosphere.

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3. Defense and Prosecution Perspectives

The prosecution, led by Hank Brennan, counters the defense's skepticism by proposing alternative explanations for the injuries. At one point, Brennan asks, "Could those same injuries have been caused by shards of glass or shards of sharp plastic?" (03:55), to which Dr. Scordibello responds affirmatively, indicating that such injuries could be consistent with a fight.

On the other hand, the defense, represented by Alessi, emphasizes the absence of grass at the injury site to support their theory that O'Keefe did not simply fall onto the lawn (02:42). This strategic questioning aims to sow doubt about the prosecution's narrative.

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4. Reactions from Karen Reed

Defendant Karen Reed provides an emotional account of the trial's impact on those present. She describes the courtroom's atmosphere as "terrible" due to the graphic autopsy photos and the emotional strain on O'Keefe's family members (11:12). Reed notes, "It's now a person. It's not just evidence," highlighting the human element amidst legal proceedings (10:47).

Her testimony underscores the emotional toll the trial has taken, not only on the family but also on jurors, with incidents like jurors visibly distressed and requiring breaks from viewing the graphic evidence (11:51).

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5. Expert Analysis with Emily D. Baker

Emily D. Baker, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor, offers her insights on the medical examiner's testimony. She remarks, "The coroner is an incredibly neutral witness in this case," and emphasizes the significance of the undetermined manner of death as a strategic advantage for the defense (05:29). Baker suggests that this uncertainty fortifies the defense's position by allowing them to argue reasonable doubt effectively.

Further, Baker highlights the defense's potential to challenge the prosecution's accident reconstruction evidence, indicating that the Medical Examiner's testimony leaves ample room for defense arguments about the nature of the injuries (08:12).

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6. Contested Evidence: Shards of Glass and DNA

A significant point of contention revolves around shards of glass and a strand of hair found on Karen Reed's vehicle (09:17). The prosecution views this as incriminating evidence, while the defense argues that such evidence could easily be dislodged during extensive driving, especially in snowy conditions. Dr. Scordibello expresses skepticism about the weight of this evidence, stating, "I don't really put a lot of weight into the hair and even the glass or even DNA on the car" (09:17), noting the car's regular parking and use by O'Keefe.

This debate over physical evidence highlights the complexities of establishing intent and occurrence in the absence of definitive forensic conclusions.

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7. Buffer Zone Controversy

A central issue impacting the trial's atmosphere is the buffer zone surrounding the Norfolk Superior Courthouse. Initially, Judge Kanoni imposed strict restrictions prohibiting any advocacy or display of material supporting either side within several hundred feet of the courthouse. This ruling was challenged and overturned, leading to a revised buffer zone that allows peaceful presence but prohibits disruptive behavior (17:04).

Defense Attorney Morgietta Derisier expresses no surprise at the overturning, emphasizing the necessity of maintaining a fair trial amidst high public interest. She asserts, "It's no surprise that this is again, a high profile case... you have to make sure that it doesn't influence what's happening on the inside of the courthouse" (17:44).

Karen Reed underscores the importance of balancing First Amendment rights with the need for an unbiased jury, cautioning against behaviors that might inadvertently sway juror opinions (20:04).

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8. Witness Credibility and Testimonies

The episode explores the varying credibility of witnesses, contrasting the straightforward responses of some with the evasive answers of others, such as Police Sergeant Yuri Buchanak (14:02). Defense attorney Derisier emphasizes the significance of how witnesses present their testimonies, stating, "Their credibility is pretty much at the heart of any answer that they give" (15:07).

This focus on demeanor and consistency aims to influence jurors' perceptions, making witness credibility a pivotal factor in the trial's outcome.

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9. Looking Ahead: Upcoming Testimonies

As the prosecution's case nears its conclusion, attention turns to future testimonies. The next key witness is Neurosurgeon Dr. Azak Wolf, who is expected to discuss the specifics of O'Keefe's head injuries (21:07). Additionally, questions remain about the accident reconstructionist's testimony, which has yet to be presented.

Defense attorney Derisier anticipates more technical evidence and potential rebuttal witnesses, indicating that the trial will continue to hinge on detailed forensic analysis (20:19).

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10. Conclusion

This episode of Canton Confidential paints a vivid picture of the Karen Reed murder trial's complexities, emphasizing the critical role of forensic evidence, witness credibility, and courtroom dynamics. With emotionally charged testimonies and strategic legal maneuvers, the trial remains a focal point of public and legal discourse. As the trial progresses, upcoming testimonies and continued legal battles over evidence and courtroom procedures promise to keep listeners engaged and informed.

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Notable Quotes:

• Medical Examiner Dr. Irene Scordibello (01:52):
  "The cause of death was determined to be blunt impact injuries of head and hypothermia."

• Karen Reed (11:12):
  "It's now a person. It's not just evidence."

• Emily D. Baker (05:29):
  "The coroner is an incredibly neutral witness in this case."

• Defense Attorney Morgietta Derisier (15:07):
  "Their credibility is pretty much at the heart of any answer that they give."

• Karen Reed (20:04):
  "I also believe that Karen Reid deserves a fair trial. Everyone deserves a fair trial."

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Timestamp Key:

• [00:00] – Opening remarks by Anchor 1
• [01:52] – Medical Examiner's findings
• [02:30] – Defense Attorney Alessi questions the Medical Examiner
• [03:55] – Prosecution's redirect examination
• [05:29] – Expert analysis with Emily D. Baker
• [09:17] – Discussion on shards of glass and DNA evidence
• [11:12] – Karen Reed's emotional testimony
• [14:02] – Witness credibility discussion
• [15:07] – Attorney Derisier on witness credibility
• [17:04] – Buffer Zone ruling and its overturning
• [17:44] – Attorney Derisier on buffer zone changes
• [20:04] – Karen Reed on fair trial and jury influence
• [21:07] – Preview of upcoming testimonies

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This detailed summary captures the essence of the podcast episode, providing listeners with a clear understanding of the trial's critical moments, expert opinions, and the emotional gravity surrounding the case of Karen Reed and the death of Officer John O'Keefe.

Transcript

[Anchor 1]

NBC10 Boston news worthy of you tonight, exploring the cause and manner of John o' Keeffe's death.

[Medical Examiner]

I did not see any evidence of an impact site.

[Anchor 1]

A medical examiner goes over her findings.

[Attorney 1]

In your autopsy report did not determine the cause of those wounds to Mr. O' Keeffe's radar.

[Medical Examiner]

That's correct.

[Anchor 1]

What she believes ended the officer's life. Plus, an update on the buffer zone around the courthouse. Details on the new ruling that impacts trial watchers. Canton Confidential. The Karen Reed murder trial starts right now.

[J.C. Monahan]

It was a difficult day for the jury. The group was faced with the most graphic evidence yet. Good Evening, everyone. I'm J.C. monahan.

[Glenn Jones]

And I'm Glenn Jones. A medical examiner was brought in to focus on John o' Keefe and the autopsy performed after his death. Our Melanie Mendez joins us now live outside Norfolk Superior Court with more on today's testimony.

[Anchor 1]

Mel?

[Melanie Mendez]

Well, Glenn and J.C. you put it perfectly. This was really the most graphic evidence these jurors have seen yet. And we saw evidence of that in court. But before the medical examiner even showed these autopsy photos of John o' Keefe, the judge stopped to give the jury some instructions.

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

Listen, your verdict must not in any way be influenced by the fact that these photographs may be unpleasant or graphic. The defendant is entitled to verdict based solely on the evidence and not based on pity or sympathy for Mr. O' Keefe.

[Melanie Mendez]

And with those instructions began a graphic day in court. The jury shown autopsy photos with medical examiner Dr. Irene Scordibello detailing the injuries, including a laceration to the back of his head and skull fractures.

[Medical Examiner]

The cause of death was determined to be blunt impact injuries of head and hypothermia.

[Melanie Mendez]

But the manner of death, how those injuries happened, she could not conclude on cross examination. There was a renewed focus on the involvement of former trooper Michael Proctor. Marty Bello said before she performed the autopsy, investigators told her that o' Keefe's death involved a possible person struck by a motor vehicle.

[Medical Examiner]

I tried to state the injuries and then I use all kinds of other investigative information.

[Melanie Mendez]

Attorney Bob Alessi trying to show the importance of that investigative information provided by Michael Proctor and noting the medical examiner wasn't given any other possible scenarios.

[Attorney 1]

Did you consider whether Mr. O' Keefe could have died somewhere other than where the body was found and been moved and placed in the snow. Did you consider that?

[Melanie Mendez]

Alessi then asking about grass, the absence of it, setting up his argument that o' Keeffe didn't fall on the lawn.

[Attorney 1]

Assuming a fall backwards onto frozen ground, and there being On a lawn with grass, would you expect to see any grass at all in the injury site?

[Medical Examiner]

It's possible to have grass.

[Attorney 1]

Do you see any evidence of grass in this depiction?

[Medical Examiner]

No, I do not.

[Melanie Mendez]

In what could be a pivotal moment in the case, the doctor was asked if she examined o' Keeffe's body for any signs of collision with a vehicle. The prosecution's theory.

[Medical Examiner]

I did examine his lower extremities. That is protocol in any case of suspected impact with the motor vehicle. What I look for is some sort of bruise either on the outside of the leg or bleeding on the inside or any fracture of the bones of the legs. I did not observe those things.

[Melanie Mendez]

Now, look, when the doctor was asked about the laceration above John o' Keefe's eye, specifically asked, could that be evidence of a fight? That is, of course, their theory of the crime. To which she said, yes, it could be consistent with a punch. But just moments later, then we saw prosecutor Hank Brennan stand up, and on redirect, he asked about his theory of the crime, basically saying, could those same injuries have been caused by shards of glass or shards of sharp plastic? To which the doctor said, yes, potentially. So both of them having their theories somewhat confirmed by the medical examiner. Glenn and J.C. back to you.

[J.C. Monahan]

Melody. Thank you. And we want to go more into the medical examiner's testimony because outside of court today, Karen Reed reacted to what was said on the stand.

[Glenn Jones]

Here's what she had to say when she addressed the media.

[Karen Reed]

What do you think? Has the ME Helped your case or helped the prosecution?

[Glenn Jones]

Our case.

[J.C. Monahan]

Karen, can you reflect on Bob's comments?

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

Not from falling backwards.

[J.C. Monahan]

She can't identify the wounds on the arm.

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

She can't identify the lacerations on his eye.

[J.C. Monahan]

On his.

[Glenn Jones]

Joining us now is Emily D. Baker, a former Los Angeles county prosecutor who's been following the case on her YouTube channel. Hello, Emily. It's good to have you back. Today we heard testimony about John o' Keeffe's autopsy, the injuries that contributed to his death. At times, Emily, it seemed the medical examiner's findings were not perfectly aligned with the Commonwealth's theory of how o' Keefe was killed. What were your takeaways? Having watched the testimony, the coroner is.

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

An incredibly neutral witness in this case. And I imagine the jury's been waiting to hear from the coroner. But we know this from the first trial, and we've seen it again, where the coroner says, look, we examined the lower extremities to see if that was consistent with a vehicle collision, because that's what we would expect to see, and I think the most powerful takeaway from the coroner's testimony today was at the very end of testimony, the prosecution asked her all the information she knew, including including Karen Reid's statements to numerous witnesses. And the coroner said that she knew all of those things. And then we knew it was coming when Alessi got back up on recross and said, and you knew all of this and still were not able to categorize this as a homicide. That undetermined ruling has been a big win today for the defense.

[J.C. Monahan]

Let's talk more about that because Dr. Scordi Bello went on record about the cause of John o' Keeffe's death, talking about the head wound, blunt trauma to the head with a little bit of signs of hypothermia. Manner of his death remains undetermined even all these years later. Let's take a little clip of what she had to say and we'll talk.

[Medical Examiner]

The amended death certificate in this case stated that the cause was blunt impact injuries of head and hypothermia and the manner was undetermined.

[J.C. Monahan]

Okay, just before we talk about it, I want to make a quick note about the amended death certificate that she mentioned. The initial certificate was issued so John's family could make service arrangements. And then once all the test results were in, the medical examiner released an updated slash amended version. So that's just think of it more like a complete version. Right. Emily, how important is the Emmy's testimony to both sides and who came out the winner?

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

I think it was really notable the way that they walked through the fact that the coroner could choose to amend that further should she find new information, continued investigation, and she still chose not to. So at the end of the day, I think the jury has a full picture that the coroner could still update that death certificate and did not. So at the end of the day, that undetermined finding is a win for the defense. But the blunt force head trauma is consistent with what the commonwealth has said is a fall backwards on ground. Then again, the defense says, but the injuries to the face aren't consistent with a fallback to the ground. Those would have had to come from another mechanism. So there's a lot there for both sides, but I think more for the defense from the coroner's testimony today.

[Glenn Jones]

So then bottom line this for us, Emily. Did the medical examiner give the jury enough scientifically or anecdotally to believe John o' Keefe was hit by a car?

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

I think the coroner left room for questions and we will See what the accident reconstructionists say. But at the end of the day, I can see the defense arguing the coroner. Coroner knew what you know, and she was unable to make a determination. I think it gives them a lot of room to argue over doubt. But we haven't seen the commonwealth's new accident reconstructionist, and we did hear Hank Brennan say, what about if somebody is clipped? What about if somebody is sideswiped? What about a car that backs into a person? Because the injuries that the coroner was looking for are from collisions with vehicles moving forward into someone. So there's room for the commonwealth to argue. There's. But I think they have some pretty big hurdles to overcome.

[J.C. Monahan]

Can we just go back to yesterday for a moment? There was so much discussion about shards of glass, a strand of hair that was found on the exterior of Karen Reed's vehicle. It seems like, you know, this would be helpful for prosecutors, but jurors may have a hard time accepting the evidence stayed put after so much driving. That was the defense's point. Oh, it went X amount of miles in this blizzard, and yet one hair hung onto the bumper. Emily, what's your take on the strength of that, of that evidence?

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

I don't really put a lot of weight into the hair and even the glass or even DNA on the car. Because if the DNA on the car is John o' Keeffe, this was a car that was regularly parked at his home that he interacted with, that he was in and out of somewhat frequently. And with the hair on the car, I don't know what the jurors will make of it. How much driving around with snow on the car holds things onto the car? I don't know, but it is. I don't live where it snows as much as y' all, but it's really interesting whether or not that hair moved, because that is what the defense is going to use to argue about things being placed on the car. And were they or were they not at the end of the day, I think the glass is the most interesting part. And wasn't it an interesting moment when they were fighting over whether or not that second sticker is a reflection in the back of the car? In live court, you think in a retrial, you're not going to have surprises. And yet they keep on coming.

[Glenn Jones]

All right, thank you so much, Emily Dee Baker. It's always great to have you on. We hope to see you again before we get to the end of this trial.

[J.C. Monahan]

Enjoy L. A Weather. We do want to have a quick reminder here. Karen Reid has pleaded not guilty to hitting and killing John o' Keefe with her suv, and she is the only person charged in this case. Now inside the courtroom today, Karen, just like the jury saw those autopsy photos, and our courtroom insider, Sue o' Connell also saw them, those of us who watch on the streaming did not. I don't even know how to. What was it like in the courtroom? I can't imagine.

[Karen Reed]

Yeah, it's terrible. I mean, you know, it's terrible to see photos anyway. Often in these sort of situations, you're detached from it because you don't know the person. But remember, we now know John o' Keefe from being in the courtroom. The jurors do as well. We keep watching that dash cam video of him being taken in a stretcher. We certainly. You see the photos of him with, you know, his niece and nephew and all that sort of stuff. So it's now a person. It's not just evidence. And it was really difficult, I think, for folks to watch. They were very graphic, not just of the wounds, but of internal parts of his body. There were members of the o' Keeffe family who were crying, who. There were two younger people with okeeffes who were openly sobbing at one point. So it was difficult. And at one point, one of the jurors had to leave the room. We don't know if it was direct associated to seeing it, but the court officer interrupted the judge and said, one of the jurors needs a break. So it was a difficult day, both of visual evidence of a human being who was no longer with us and this medical information.

[J.C. Monahan]

Just a side note, Peggy o' Keefe was not in court today. His mom, right?

[Karen Reed]

Correct. Right, Correct.

[J.C. Monahan]

She's been there every day.

[Karen Reed]

Yep.

[Glenn Jones]

Karen Reed, the defendant, are you able to see her reaction to some of these images, which I suppose she'll be seeing some of them for the second time.

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

Yeah.

[Karen Reed]

Or possibly even, you know, it's evidence that she's overseeing as well. So she's certainly seen it. You know, we couldn't see her face during it. The jurors could see her if they were looking at her to some degree. She's been much more stoic than she was in the first case. I don't think that she had any visual reaction. And then after the break, we didn't see her. She's definitely, as we reported, she was out ill the other. Yes. Was it yesterday? I'm getting a little day before, day before yesterday. So she doesn't still seem like she's firing on all operations, but it was definitely a tough day for everyone.

[J.C. Monahan]

All right, sue, you're not going to go anywhere, right? Stay with us. Thank you.

[Glenn Jones]

When we come back, defense attorney Morgietta Derisiere will join the conversation. And up next, we dig into the revision to the buffer zone surrounding the courthouse in Denham. Sue offers her take on what this could mean for the atmosphere outside of court. Plus, our legal expert explains whether or not the revision is a surprise.

[J.C. Monahan]

And we always want to talk about this. We want to take a moment to remember John o' Keefe. This is the victim in this case. The Braintree native was a Boston police officer. There you see him in uniform. He was the legal guardian of his niece and nephew after the children lost both of their parents to illness. That was his sister and brother in law. You're watching Kate and Confidential, the Karen Reed murder trial.

[Anchor 1]

Don't miss any of the Karen Reed murder trial. Get the full recap of what happened in court, expert analysis, and what we could see next. This is coverage you won't see anywhere else. Canton confidential, weeknights at 7 on NBC 10 Boston.

[J.C. Monahan]

We are back now with defense attorney Morgietta Derisier and our courtroom insider, Sue O' Connell. So we're dealing with 16 days of testimony. A lot of witnesses have taken the stand. One thing that's been noted is the way people are answering those questions.

[Dr. Irene Scordibello]

Right.

[J.C. Monahan]

Some very straightforward and others have been described as, we'll say, evasive. One of those is police sergeant Yuri Buchanak. So we want to play an example of some of his testimony compared to responses from a crime lab scientist. Mission was to go through the phone to look for digital evidence that's related to the crime. The fact that he wrote no nudes.

[Glenn Jones]

So far I cannot comment on.

[J.C. Monahan]

You cannot comment on or you don't.

[Glenn Jones]

Want to comment on?

[J.C. Monahan]

I don't know what he was looking for in that specific time.

[Glenn Jones]

Did you do DNA analysis on the swab?

[Medical Examiner]

No, I did not.

[J.C. Monahan]

Why not? I am not. I don't work in the DNA unit. So that is the job of a different analyst. At some point, did you take that.

[Glenn Jones]

Item that had been preserved and put it into evidence?

[Medical Examiner]

Yes, I did.

[J.C. Monahan]

Okay, so those are just snippets, but the idea being that, you know, one is rapid fire. Yes. No, I don't. Another one is more labored. We will say. I'm going to ask both of you, but starting with Morgieta. Jurors have to take note, I assume, of how witnesses answer questions on the stand.

[Morgietta Derisier]

Absolutely. And all Witnesses, their credibility is pretty much at the heart of any answer that they give. Not only what they say, how they say, do they roll their eyes, are their shoulders back, are they standing up straight or sitting back straight, all of this is important to the jury because they come into the courtroom with their common sense and you're supposed to analyze not only what they say, but again, how they say it comes off, off. The juror can take that testimony as not credible, meaning that it's evidence that when they go back into the deliberation, they can disregard if they really want to. So it's very important how they answer.

[Glenn Jones]

Was evasive a fair word for Buchanan in your view?

[Karen Reed]

Well, listen, there were two other commonwealth witnesses who were asked directly was Michael Proctor, the supervisor of the lead investigator, and they said yes. They didn't say, well, you know, it depends on this or that. Listen, Buchanan added at least a half a day to testimony. There's no doubt about it. And when you compare his testimony to these other state Commonwealth witnesses who on cross examination answered, yes, no, yes, no, and then Hank Brennan gets up on redirect and cleans it up. So what did you mean by that? Was it your job to do that? That's how it's supposed to work, right? You rely on your prosecutor or your defense attorney to come up sense of what the other side just did to you. But you don't make it worse by trying to avoid it because they're going to get you one way or another.

[Glenn Jones]

Let's turn our attention now to a revision of the buffer zone surrounding the Norfolk Superior Courthouse. The zone still exists, but there's some major changes coming. For some background ahead of the retrial, Judge Kanoni extended the previous buffer zone surrounding the courthouse. Her ruling said no one could wear shirts or hold signs that advocated for either side within several hundred feet of the courthouse. However, that ruling was challenged in court by some of Reid's supporters, who won on appeal.

[J.C. Monahan]

So Judge Kanoni has now issued an amended ruling. People are allowed on public streets and sidewalks near the courthouse as long as they remain peaceful and don't obstruct trial participants. Noisy protests or yelling meant to interfere with the administration of justice or as an attempt to influence trial participants are prohibited within the zone. Now, the same goes for the display of written or graphic materials. Morgieta, are you surprised that this was overturned? And this is key if you're just sort of joining in on this, what happened outside the court? The first trial was as dramatic as what was happening inside the court. And we haven't had that this time because of the extended buffer zone.

[Morgietta Derisier]

I'm not surprised it was overturned and I'm also not surprised that Judge Kanoni issued it in the first place. I think it's no surprise that this is again, a high profile case, not only in Massachusetts, but literally around the world. People are talking about it, reading about it, listening to it every single day. But at the heart of it, it's still a trial and you have to let it be fair. And if there are people outside of the courthouse on whose ever side that you're for, you have to make sure that it doesn't influence what's happening on the inside of the courthouse. And I think it's pretty safe to say that everybody agrees that it was very noisy the first time around. There was, there's, you know, witness intimidation issues that are coming up and you don't want that to interfere in the trial at all, whether you're a supporter or if you're not a supporter. So I think she did the right thing by putting it in the first place. But I'm not surprised it got overturned because people have a right to be there. Right. If the courtroom were bigger, they'd have more people seated inside the courtroom too. But you have to do it peacefully. You cannot interfere with the administration of justice. So I think it was a right call and hopefully people abide by it. Right. And that's a big thing.

[J.C. Monahan]

Didn't our juror say that he could hear during deliberation?

[Karen Reed]

I was in the back of the building during deliberations and every time Karen and her team came out of where they were staying at the church, you could hear a cheer. So listen, I obviously believe in the First Amendment.

[Glenn Jones]

Everybody in this building does.

[Karen Reed]

Totally. You have the right to express your. I also believe that Karen Reid deserves a fair trial. Everyone deserves a fair trial. And we look at this sometimes about the Karen Reid supporters being out there yelling. But what if a juror was in there and thought, what are they yelling about? I'm going to vote against her because I think this is crazy. So, you know, trying to protect her right, which is all of our rights to a fair trial and our First Amendment right. This is what the balance has to be.

[Glenn Jones]

Absolutely. So how do you expect tomorrow is different? Tomorrow being this new ruling taking effect.

[Karen Reed]

So what I think will eventually happen once people get more vacation time and schools start closing, especially in other parts of the country, that people will come. There are already people standing on the steps, walking through. It's going to become more crowded how people behave. And if it actually becomes some sort of rally thing, you know, this prohibits that in some ways, but we'll see.

[Morgietta Derisier]

And probably more police presence also, too. I think you're going to see a.

[J.C. Monahan]

Lot of that I can understand. Well, if the first trial is any indication, it does create a crack.

[Karen Reed]

I want to warn folks, if you're driving by, do not stop. The state police will pull you over and give you a ticket. There's a crosswalk. There are noise rules. Do not gawk and drive. If you're going to come by, find a place to park and walk by. Do not drive by Morgiana.

[Glenn Jones]

As we near the end of what we believe is the prosecution's case, what still needs to be accomplished in your view? That hasn't been accomplished yet.

[Morgietta Derisier]

So today, as we can see, we're finally getting to the technical medical evidence that we've been waiting for. And I think strategically it was very smart to do that at the end. A lot of the character witnesses, as everybody knows, had some issues with credibility and remember things and stating things on the record. So the jury is now left with the technical evidence. We still haven't heard from the accident reconstructionist yet. That's right. And the prosecution's still may have an opportunity to do some more rebuttal witnesses before they close their case, depending on how the accident reconstructionists testify. So I think a little bit more technical, maybe a few more days of that. But we're nearing the end of what really is the prosecution's case in chief.

[Glenn Jones]

All right.

[J.C. Monahan]

Thank you both Morgieta and Sue, as always. Thank you. And on that note, by the way, we are expecting the next witness at least soon. The medical examiner was today we're expecting testimony from neurosurgeon Dr. Azak Wolf. It's believed he'll talk specifically about the head injuries on John o' Keeffe. That's someone to watch for whether it's tomorrow or early next week.

[Glenn Jones]

Yeah, one of the next witnesses for sure. And if you have questions about this case, keep sending them our way. The email address is on your screen. Canton.confidentialbcuni.com we'll answer as many questions as we can.

[J.C. Monahan]

And remember to join us every weeknight at 7 on NBC 10 Boston. We'll have a full recap of the latest developments from from court as well as legal analysis. Plus, this week's episodes will be streaming on Peacock starting Sunday. You're watching Canton Confidential, the Karen Reed murder trial.

[Anchor 1]

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