Prosecutors spent more than $1.4 million to retry Karen Read, records show

"Prosecutors spent more than $1.4 million retrying Karen Read for the murder of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, more than 25 times the cost of Read's first trial, newly released public records show. Read was accused of striking O'Keefe, her boyfriend, with her SUV in a drunken rage while dropping him off at an afterparty in Canton in January of 2022. Read was found not guilty of second degree murder in June and was convicted only of operating under the influence."

"After the first trial, Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey tapped Hank Brennan to lead the retrial as a special prosecutor. Records released by the DA's office Wednesday show that Brennan was paid $566,000 over the course of nine months. Prosecutors paid more than $850,000 to expert witnesses, crash reconstruction experts, forensic scientists, legal consultants, court reporters, and other expenses, according to the invoices and contracts."

"Crash reconstruction company earned more than Hank Brennan Aperture, the crash reconstruction company, was paid nearly $600,000 from September of last year until June, when Read was acquitted of second degree murder. Aperture's Shanon Burgess and Judson Welcher testified for the prosecution about digital data from Read's SUV and two "triggering" events from the night of O'Keefe's death - a three-point turn and a "backing maneuver.""

Prosecutors spent more than $1.4 million to retry Karen Read for the death of Boston police officer John O'Keefe, compared with about $50,000 in the first trial that ended in a mistrial. Read was accused of striking O'Keefe with her SUV in January 2022, was acquitted of second-degree murder in June, and was convicted only of operating under the influence. Norfolk County DA Michael Morrissey appointed Hank Brennan as special prosecutor and paid him $566,000 over nine months. Prosecutors also spent more than $850,000 on expert witnesses, crash reconstruction, forensic testing, legal consultants, and other expenses. Aperture received nearly $600,000 and its experts testified about digital data and two alleged triggering events from the night of the death.

Read at Boston.com