Police officer’s family sues girlfriend accused in his death and the barriers that served her

Karen Read, whose recent high-profile trial over the death of a Boston police officer she was dating ended in a mistrial, is now facing a wrongful-death lawsuit brought by the late officer’s family, who claim she created a “false narrative” to escape responsibility. for his death.

The civil suit also names two bars where Read and her then-boyfriend John (JJ) O’Keefe drank on the night of January 29, 2022, before O’Keefe’s body was found in the snow on the front lawn of of a house where the pair went. after drinking.

Plaintiffs accuse Read of negligence, gross negligence, and/or willful, reckless, and reckless disregard for safety and negligent and/or reckless infliction of emotional distress. They allege the bars served alcohol to Read when they knew or should have known he was intoxicated. The family is seeking costs, compensatory and punitive damages, loss of value to next of kin and other relief.

Read was arraigned on charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of O’Keefe’s injury and death. The criminal trial ended in a mistrial last month after the jury failed to reach a unanimous verdict. The judge scheduled a new trial.

Criminal prosecutors say Read intentionally hit O’Keefe with her vehicle while she was drunk and then drove off, leaving him injured on the ground in the cold and snow where he died. The family’s wrongful-death lawsuit similarly alleges that Read hit O’Keefe and left him to die, which Read has denied.

Read claimed she was framed and that O’Keefe was instead beaten to death by others inside the house they were in, who then placed her body on the front lawn.

The civil action was brought by O’Keefe’s estate, brother, father, mother and a 14-year-old niece for whom O’Keefe had been guardian. The civil suit alleges that Read caused emotional harm to all of them, including O’Keefe’s 14-year-old niece, who the family says was woken up by Read at 4:30 a.m. and in a “frantic call” that reported that her uncle would have been hit and maybe she. he had hit him, or maybe a snowplow had hit him, leaving the niece home alone.

In addition to Read, C&C Hospitality, which owns CF McCarthy’s Bar, and Waterfall Bar & Grill are named in the civil suit, accused of negligently serving alcohol to an intoxicated person.

The suit alleges that in the period leading up to January 29, 2022, Read’s relationship with O’Keefe deteriorated and that during this time, Read picked fights, displayed jealousy and had “delusions of infidelity”. The lawsuit also alleges that Read knew her relationship with O’Keefe had “run its course.”

The family claims Read created a “false narrative” about what happened that caused them “aggravated emotional distress.”

By speaking publicly about the evening, Read “knowingly and deliberately changed his story and fabricated a conspiracy” and “publicly communicated this false narrative,” thereby frustrating justice for O’Keefe, according to the complaint.

According to the family’s allegations, after Read struck O’Keefe with her SUV, she fled the scene and returned to O’Keefe’s residence. “Read knew it was snowing, knew a blizzard was imminent, and knew or should have known that leaving O’Keefe outside in the blizzard would likely result in serious injury or death,” the complaint maintains.

The family says that after JJ O’Keefe was pronounced dead, “Read went to JJ’s grieving home, pretended to comfort JJ’s family and used the opportunity to, among other things, remove the offending weapon, her vehicle and/or destroy relevant evidence.”

The family’s suit labels Read’s conduct “extreme and outrageous, beyond the bounds of decency” and “totally intolerable.”

It also alleges that as a result of Read’s conduct, Police Officer O’Keefe “suffered serious bodily and mental injury, conscious pain and suffering, fear of imminent death, lost earnings, medical, funeral and burial expenses and died”.

The lawsuit was filed in Plymouth Superior Court.

TOPICS
Law Enforcement Processes