After three years and two trials, Karen Read was acquitted Wednesday of killing her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe. But reminders of O’Keefe’s death and Read’s trials are still present around town, and residents have different views on how to move forward.
Jurors found Read not guilty of second-degree murder, manslaughter by drunk driving, and leaving the scene of a crash death resulting — but guilty of operating under the influence. A judge gave Read one year of probation. She’s also facing a civil lawsuit brought by O’Keefe’s family.
O’Keefe was found dead outside a Canton home in January of 2022. Prosecutors accused Read of hitting him with her SUV.
The case has caused sharp divisions in the town and across Massachusetts ever since.
On Thursday in Canton, people were shopping and running errands along Washington Street, in the center of town.
Melissa Fitzgerald came to a local bridal shop with Carol Villa of Hopedale to look at wedding gowns for a family friend. Fitzgerald is convinced Read was not guilty and even with the trial now over, she’s not sure the town can heal.
“I think that when you dehumanize and you make a woman the target of something that really bad happened, I think you’re going to have repercussions,” Fitzgerald said.
Villa said she agrees, but is hopeful for the future.
“I think it was a fair outcome, but I don’t think we can forget about the victim, John,” Villa said. Still, “we have to move forward,” she said.
With the trial now over, people are patronizing C.F. McCarthy’s, one of the bars where Read and O’Keefe werelast seen together the night he was found dead outside the Fairview Road home of now retired Boston Police Officer Brian Albert.
“I think we’ll recover very well. We will get over it,” said Bob Sokolove, a life-long resident of Canton out for a morning walk.
He is convinced the town will move forward.
“They [jurors] made their decision, and we have to accept it,” he said.“I have doubts about the decision, but I don’t think they proved beyond a reasonable doubt that she was guilty.”
Emily Bogardus, a Walpole native and make-up artist, was in Canton on business the day after the verdict was delivered.
“Time heals everything. Give it some space,” Bogardus said.
While she didn’t follow the trial too closely, she thinks justice prevailed.
“I like to believe that the jury took the information and came up with the verdict that they believe was correct,” she said. “There’s plenty of people that are in jail that shouldn’t be, so it’s nice that we’re not adding to that.”
Two women stood and pointed across the street from the Waterfall Bar and Grille, a second bar that Read and O’Keefe went to before the after party at the Albert home, where O’Keefe’s body was found lying on the ground during a blizzard.
And outside the Fairview home, about a mile and a half from the center of town, cars drove by and stopped to take photos. The Alberts no longer live there, having sold the house after O’Keefe died.
Louise Stratoti of Bridgewater was in Canton to have her nails done. She watched the verdict and said the town is looking to move past the Read murder trial.
“I think it will be fine. I think it’s going to bounce right back. I really do,” Stratoti said. “Because I think just about everyone’s happy with the verdict.”
But Phil Doricent of Sharon, who comes to Canton for work, said the trial and O’Keefe’s death tore the town apart.
“Tremendously, because you know the town was divided for years. And I know there was bad feelings on both sides, so I’m hoping that we can move past it,” he said.
Doricent said there is a lingering uncomfortable feeling for many people, even in neighboring towns.
“A lot of people that were pretty excited, you know, when they got the verdict,” he said. “Some that were still fighting for justice for John. So, hopefully, he does get justice. He deserves that.”
Sandra Soracco, a life-long Canton resident, said the town will get past the trial. She added that she and her neighbors supported Read and the verdict that was delivered and said it was the right decision
“I really don’t think there are any harsh feelings. I don’t feel that anyways. In my own neighborhood, I don’t.”
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