The short answer is yes. The criminal trial that kept half of Massachusetts—and a good chunk of the internet—awake at night is finally over. In June 2025, a Norfolk County jury officially acquitted Karen Read of second-degree murder and manslaughter. If you were looking for a clean ending, that's as close as you’re going to get. She was found not guilty of hitting her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, with her SUV and leaving him to die in a snowbank outside a house in Canton.
But honestly? "Over" is a tricky word here.
While the murder charges are dead and gone, the fallout is still very much alive. Read was convicted of a lesser charge of operating under the influence (OUI), and the legal echoes are still bouncing around the courtrooms of Dedham and beyond. Just this month, in January 2026, we’ve seen major developments that prove the "Karen Read era" isn't exactly in the rearview mirror yet.
Is the Karen Read trial over for the criminal courts?
Technically, yes. The state had two cracks at her. The first trial in 2024 ended in a messy mistrial because the jury just couldn't agree. Then came the 2025 retrial, which felt even more like a circus than the first one. After 21 hours of deliberation over four days, the jury came back with a split decision: not guilty on the big stuff, guilty on the OUI.
Because of the "double jeopardy" rule in the U.S. Constitution, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts can't try her for murder again. They threw everything they had at her. They even brought in a special prosecutor, Hank Brennan, who reportedly cost taxpayers over half a million dollars. It didn't stick.
However, Karen Read herself isn't acting like it's over. In a massive two-part interview on the Rotten Mango podcast that dropped just days ago, she admitted she doesn't feel safe in Massachusetts. She’s currently living with her parents and says she wants to leave the state entirely. She basically described herself as living in a "void." You’ve got a woman who was the face of the most controversial trial in recent New England history, and she’s essentially looking for an exit strategy from her own life.
The civil lawsuit and the O’Keefe family
If you think the court dates are finished, think again. The family of John O’Keefe filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Read. This is a civil case, not a criminal one.
Why does that matter?
The burden of proof is way lower. In a criminal trial, you need "beyond a reasonable doubt." In a civil trial, it’s just a "preponderance of the evidence"—basically, is it more likely than not that she was responsible? This is exactly what happened with O.J. Simpson. He was acquitted of murder but lost the civil case.
A hearing for this lawsuit was actually supposed to happen on January 6, 2026, in Brockton. It got postponed at the last minute because Read’s legal team reached an agreement with the District Attorney’s office regarding some documents. They are still fighting to get records from people like former State Trooper Michael Proctor and Sean Goode. Read is expected back in a courtroom for this civil battle in February 2026.
So, while she isn't facing prison for murder, she is still fighting for her bank account and her reputation in front of a judge.
The "Morrissey" bombshell and political fallout
One of the craziest updates to the question "is the Karen Read trial over" happened on January 12, 2026. Michael Morrissey, the Norfolk County District Attorney who spearheaded the prosecution, announced he is not running for reelection.
This is huge.
Morrissey has been the DA for 15 years. His decision to step down comes right as the Norfolk County detective unit is being dismantled and a "cloud of corruption" (as Read’s lawyer Alan Jackson puts it) hangs over the whole office. The trial exposed some really ugly stuff, like Trooper Michael Proctor’s disparaging texts about Read. People in Massachusetts are still fired up about it.
Even though the trial ended months ago, the political careers of the people involved are still crashing down. It’s a domino effect.
What’s next for Karen Read?
She isn't just sitting around. Read has confirmed she’s working on a book. She’s currently in talks with publishers and producers to tell her side of the story without a judge telling her when to speak. She’s also pursuing her own legal actions against several members of law enforcement, claiming they framed her.
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She has essentially shifted from being a defendant to being a protagonist in her own narrative.
Real-world takeaways from the case:
- Double Jeopardy is absolute: She cannot be tried for the death of John O'Keefe by the state again, regardless of new evidence.
- Civil court is a different beast: The O’Keefe family’s wrongful death suit could still result in a massive financial judgment against her.
- Police reform pressure: The trial has triggered federal oversight and internal investigations into how the Massachusetts State Police handle high-profile cases.
- Digital footprints matter: This trial was won and lost in the "deleted" texts and car data. If you’re ever in a legal bind, your phone is either your best friend or your worst enemy.
The trial might be "over" on paper, but the cultural and legal impact is still unfolding. If you're following this, keep your eyes on the Brockton court in February. That civil suit is where the next chapter of this saga will be written.
To stay fully updated on the upcoming civil proceedings, you should monitor the Norfolk and Plymouth County court dockets for "O'Keefe v. Read" and keep an eye on local Boston legal analysts who are tracking the document disclosures from the DA's office.