In January of 2022, Boston police officer John O'Keefe was found unresponsive on the front lawn of Boston Police officer Brian Albert's front lawn at 34 Fairview in Canton, MA. Officer O'Keefe's girlfriend, Karen Reed, was one of the people who found him. Later, she was charged with manslaughter when it was discovered that she was the one to drop him off in front of the Albert house in the wee hours of Jan 29th. It is alleged that she backed into him as she was leaving. That they were on the verge of a break up so she got angry and mowed him down. And was so drunk after a night out on the town that she only vaguely remembered what she did. The latter was due to hysterical ramblings she made the morning of, while she was in shock. They allegedly include "is he alive," "is he dead," and the all important, "I hit him."
Things get interesting when we discover that the local Canton police thought using a leaf blower, red solo cups and a shopping bag in their "investigation" were stellar ideas. Well, things actually got interesting well before that when the FBI decided to investigate the investigation, but that's not yet come out in trial. At least, I don't think it has - the prosecutor, Adam Lally, makes my brain go numb on the daily. We're 10 days into this trial and the only thing that's been proven is that it snowed, bars have low top and hight top tables, both Karen and John were lovely people in love, and the Canton PD are the modern day version of the Keystone Cops. Oh, and Officer O'Keefe seems to be the only law enforcement officer in Canton that has security cameras.
First we heard from the first responders who either didn't write a report or wrote one that didn't match the testimony they gave. Sucks for them that many of them testified at both a state and federal grand jury so there's a lot to use to impeach them because their stories seem to have "evolved." Not a single one actually immortalized the words "I hit him," in anything approaching an official document. Not ONE. And her supposedly saying these words is what many on the Karen Read is guilty train are hanging their hats on. Other incriminating "evidence" of her guilt is her "resting bitch face" (aka RBF) and some nasty texts/voicemails she left that night 'cuz she was mad that John wasn't responding to her calls. If these "facts" are all it takes to lock someone up, someone should come and cuff me. I've taken blame for things that weren't my fault (damn that Catholic guilt), I absolutely have an RBF 'cuz I frown when I think (which is almost always) and in my day I've left some hella voice mails for hubby when he's being an absolute butthead.
We were shown "crime scene" pics that looked like they were taken with a Polaroid instamatic camera circa 1975. There was nary a little yellow numbered marker, nor were there any measuring instruments. The picture of where Officer O'Keefe had lain on the snow was identified as being "true and accurate" when it was just a crappy photo of snow that could've been taken by my 8 year old sister during the blizzard of 1978 here in Michigan. Even after seeing those pics over and over for the first 5 days, I cannot remember if it was a pre-leaf blower pic or not. Maybe they documented the before and after? Who knows. But what we do know is that the initial "investigation" of that lawn took maybe an hour before they released it wherein they did not find Officer O'Keefe's second shoe (he was found wearing only one) nor his baseball cap.
I feel bad that I keep forgetting that the commonwealth's (CW) first two witnesses were the victim's brother and sister-in-law. They both liked Karen back then, they went to Aruba at the same time Karen & John did (approximately between Xmas and New Year 2022) although not together, they were on opposite sides of the tiny island, and both knew that the couple had gotten into an argument because John supposedly hugged and/or kissed another woman. This is known as the "Aruba incident" and the CW has a few people from that trip as well as John's neice and nephew that he was the guardian of on their list of witnesses to attest to this kerfluffle. I honestly do not think the children should be put on the stand, they've had enough trauma to last them their whole lifetimes. John was their guardian because they'd lost both of their parents and now they've lost John.
We heard from a few of Officer O'Keefe's friends that were at one or the other of the two bars John and Karen visited on that fateful evening before his death. We learned that they liked Bud Light (except Karen, she had a tall glass with clear liquid and a lime slice that she liked so much she allegedly took it to the second bar with her), that the couple was "lovey dovey" and Karen did not appeared intoxicated. And they all held both in a very high regard. Both bars had CCTV although the first is much higher quality than the second, and backed up what they testified to. The one bar receipt we've seen showed that John bought 2 beers and a Titos (vodka). I guess that's what was in the glass that Karen seems to have nursed all night long.
The last few days saw a parade of the Albert family, some of whom lived at 34 Fairview road on who's lawn John was found. All of whom were at the second bar with the couple. Two of whom saw Karen smuggle her favorite glass in under her coat. None of which saw her drunk nor saw the couple being affectionate. With these witnesses, the DA Adam Lally seemed to be more concerned with proving them innocent rather than Karen Reed guilty. To date, there's been very little evidence of how Officer O'Keefe was killed, much less who done it. So, what else have we learned so far from these Alberts?
- Chris Albert, brother of homeowner Brian Albert, owns a pizza joint that supports him and his whole family that has been in business for 25 years. He is a "recently" (2022) elected selectman of Canton but has no idea what the job entails. He was on a diet so couldn't eat pizza but potato skins and chicken fingers, as well as Miller Lite, are allowed. He walked from his place of employment to the second bar, then walked home. Without a coat during a blizzard warning. He was the last one to leave the bar at 12:13 am. where he hustled home, stripped and jumped into bed in time to be awoken by his son, Collin, telling them he was home and wishing them a good night. At like 12:15 am.
- Julie Albert, wife of Chris and mother to Collin and his younger brother, is a gum chewer. Although Chris said she brought him clothes to change into before the bar, she seems to have forgotten that fact. She left early from that second bar due to a "migraine." She was still awake when Chris dove into bed, until their son arrived home and came into the bedroom to inquire about her health and give her a kiss goodnight. This sweet boy has a pic of him and his parents giving the camera middle fingers and of bruised knuckles in Feb of 2022, but these are not facts in evidence, unfortunately. She also has a "ritual" (did they mean "tradition?") of buying her nephew Dunkin Donuts for his birthday and leaving them in his car. Which she tried to do the morning of Jan 29 at approximately 8 am but was called into the house, against her wishes. Somewhere in there she either woke up her husband and told him about the sad situation or he woke up on his own and then she told him. Whichever did not deter her from her Dunkin run, though.
- Nichole Albert, wife of homeowner Brian Albert, is a lunch lady. Together they have several children, one of whom, Brian Albert Jr., was celebrating his birthday with a gathering of friends at home that night. Her drink of choice is White Claw, one of which she took with her when she left. Upon arriving home, she literally bumped into her nephew Colin as he was supposedly being picked up by some unnamed person. She then proceeded to tidy up, as one does after midnight and an evening at the bar. There were other unnamed young people who played some music on a small speaker. Everybody seemed to be polite and well behaved. Even their dog, a german shepherd (maybe mix, according to hubby Brian) whose doggy door consisted of a regular door and a storm door. No, it doesn't make sense. And Adam Lally is never helpful in clearing things up. Her daughter, Caitlin, was the last to leave the home at 34 Fairview at 2 am being picked up by her boyfriend, Tristan, who was at the bar but ran home to nap so he could plow snow later. Nichole also likes to refer to the dog as "it" and did not get rid of Chloe but rehomed "it" to some unknown place in Vermont because Chloe liked to bite people. She swears she told the CW where the dog currently lives but, for whatever reason, the CW pretended it had no idea where the dog was.
- Brian Albert, homeowner and Boston police officer who appeared in some reality TV show about, you guessed it, Boston cops. Although his wife is completely unaware that her husband knows how to fight, he seems to do it a lot on the aforementioned TV show. Brian attended a NYPD officer's funeral that day, then drove home in order to go to two different bars (the first one was not where John & Karen were but the second was). We witnessed bar footage of him play fighting with ATF agent Brian Higgins who followed him home that night. After Albert relieved himself, he took the dog out so she could relieve herself even though she had a doggy door according to his wife. That may or may not have been a regular door. Yes, it's confusing. This whole case is confusing. Anyway, he escorted his wife upstairs (maybe with/for the dog??) but got into bed before her. They both agree she was the last to go to bed where they slept soundly until Nichole's sister, Jen McCabe, "burst" into their room somewhere between 6 & 6:30 in hysterics (that were not at all displayed during her 911 call nor on any dash cams that fateful morning). The Alberts had no idea there were emergency units with lights flashing, and Karen Read screaming in actual hysterics, in front of their house. I guess a train might've been pasing by? And/or the blinds and drapes on their windows were incredibly insulating, so much so that Chloe the dog also appeared completely unaware and didn't make a sound. We've not yet gotten to cross examination on Brian but I SO hope defence attorney Alan Jackson asks about that!
I've never watched a trial where the prosecution has been so yawn inducing that I really REALLY look forward to cross. I've also never encountered one that was so divided since Depp v Heard. And never a criminal case that was. The two factions identify as #Justice for John O'Keefe and #Free Karen Read. However, in my eyes, the two are not mutually exclusive. So far, there's been absolutely no credible evidence to show Karen Read guilty. Especially not with the last four witnesses where prosecution seems to be playing defence for them. The state of Massachusetts not only has the reasonable doubt standard but also the caveat of "to a moral certitude." Between the tweedle dummies of Canton PD who plopped a grocery bag of solo cups with red blood droplets into the sallie port behind Karen's towed SUV to the lead investigator MA state trooper Micheal Proctor's unauthorized search of Karen's phone for nude photos, morals seem to be in short supply, IMO. Those firmly entrenched in Karen's guilt misplace blame for what Officer John O'Keefe's family has endured these past 2 plus years. They also seem to ignore the fact that the CW and the judge refuse to use the title of "officer" when identifying the deceased. However, the defence always gives him his honorific. So, just who is actually seeking "justice?"
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