As Karen Learn stands retrial for the homicide of her boyfriend John O’Keefe, RadarOnline.com revisits the crime scene images the place the Boston police officer was discovered lifeless within the snow exterior a Canton, Massachusetts house.
Prosecutors argued Learn deliberately hit O’Keefe together with her Lexus SUV whereas driving intoxicated and left him to die exterior as a blizzard approached.
Learn’s protection workforce claimed she’s the sufferer of a biased investigation and has been framed by police.
Article continues under commercial
Learn and O’Keefe Put together For Snowstorm With a Evening Out Consuming
O’Keefe was a Boston cop who was discovered lifeless.
On January 28, 2023, as a snowstorm approached the world, O’Keefe and Learn visited two native bars, C.F. McCarthy’s and the Waterfall Bar & Grill, the place they met up with a number of buddies, together with fellow officer Brian Albert.
Albert invited the couple to attend an afterparty at his house, positioned at 34 Fairview Highway in Canton.
The couple agreed and drove to the Alberts’ house in Learn’s automobile.
Article continues under commercial
The Afterparty at 34 Fairview Highway
The Alberts house the place O’Keefe’s physique was found exterior within the garden.
Learn maintains after they arrived on the house, it seemed quiet and darkish. Not sure if the afterparty was nonetheless taking place, Learn claimed O’Keefe went inside to test.
She alleged she watched her boyfriend enter the house by means of a aspect door and after a number of minutes of ready in her automotive for him to emerge, determined to go away.
Witness Jennifer McCabe, the sister of Brian Albert’s spouse, testified to pondering she noticed Learn’s automotive briefly parked exterior the house.
Article continues under commercial
A Frantic Search For O’Keefe Ensues
Police sprint digital camera footage caught the second Learn, Jennifer McCabe, and third lady found O’Keefe’s physique exterior the next morning.
The next morning, Learn claimed she wakened at O’Keefe’s house and found he had not come again from the Albert’s. She recalled calling him a number of occasions to no avail.
McCabe testified to receiving a cellphone name early within the morning, throughout which an erratic Learn may very well be heard within the background. She prompt they search O’Keefe’s house earlier than driving round to search for him.
After they had been unable to search out O’Keefe at his house, McCabe, Learn, and a 3rd lady, Kerry Roberts, determined to return to 34 Fairview Highway, the place O’Keefe was noticed laying within the snow within the entrance yard.
Article continues under commercial
O’Keefe’s Physique is Found within the Snow
Picture of the entrance yard at 34 Fairview Highway the place O’Keefe’s physique was discovered.
McCabe testified to Learn appearing “erratic” throughout their seek for O’Keefe.
Once they found his physique exterior her brother-in-law’s house, Learn mentioned she jumped out of the automobile and tried to carry out CPR. McCabe then referred to as 9111.
The witness claimed she overheard Learn inform a primary responder “I hit him” a number of occasions.
O’Keefe was transferred to Good Samaritan Hospital the place he was pronounced lifeless. Hypothermia was later listed as a contributing consider his loss of life.
Article continues under commercial
Hypothermia Listed a Contributing Consider Cop’s Dying
O’Keefe sustained quite a few lacerations to his physique, two black eyes and a cranium fracture.
A health worker introduced O’Keefe sustained a number of abrasions to his proper arm, two black eyes, lacerations to his face and a cranium fracture.
Learn has alleged O’Keefe could have been concerned in an altercation contained in the Alberts’ house; nonetheless, a number of witnesses, together with cops who had been on the afterparty, preserve O’Keefe by no means entered the house.
Retired Lt. Paul Gallagher later testified to not separating witnesses when first gathering statements concerning the night time of January 29 and early morning of January 29.
Article continues under commercial
Defendant Claims Proof Was ‘Planted’ on the Crime Scene
A bit of a damaged taillight discovered exterior 34 Fairview Highway.
By no means Miss an
Each day updates from the guts of Hollywood, proper to your inbox
By coming into your electronic mail and clicking Signal Up, you’re agreeing to allow us to ship you customised advertising and marketing messages about us and our promoting companions. You might be additionally agreeing to our Phrases of Service and Privateness Coverage.
READ MORE ON PHOTOS
The defendant has moreover alleged police planted proof, together with fragments of her automotive’s taillight, on the crime scene. Preliminary sweeps of the world didn’t flip up the brilliant purple items.
At trial, Gallagher was pressed by Learn’s lawyer Alan Jackson on the dealing with or alleged mishandling of proof collected earlier than the world was deemed a criminal offense scene.
Gallagher testified to accumulating snow marked with “pink spots” in unsealed purple Solo cups, which had been transferred to the station in a brown grocery bag.
Article continues under commercial
Learn’s SUV photographed close to a white ‘rag’ or ‘paper towel.’
Article continues under commercial
Protection Lawyer Argues Proof Dealing with Was ‘Recipe For Cross-Contamination’
A few of the proof was collected in purple solo cups.
Jackson flashed images of the proof Gallagher collected.
A white “rag” or “paper towel” may very well be seen within the backside of the photograph close to the rear proper aspect of Learn’s automobile, the identical aspect prosecutors argued struck O’Keefe. The white object was seen close by the cups containing the blood splattered snow.
He pressed Gallagher on whether or not or not the dealing with of the unsealed proof may very well be a “recipe for cross-contamination” which Gallagher disagreed with.