Two trials. A mountain of legal debt. A dead Boston cop. And finally, an acquittal that still feels like a heavy weight around her neck.
Honestly, if you haven’t checked in on the Karen Read case lately, the landscape has shifted completely. Today, January 13, 2026, the story isn't about tail lights or "Free Karen Read" pink t-shirts on the Dedham courthouse steps. It’s about the fallout.
It’s about what happens when the cameras go home but the lawsuits keep piling up.
The Massive Update: No More Michael Morrissey
The biggest news hitting the wire today is the political earthquake in Norfolk County. District Attorney Michael Morrissey, the man who spearheaded the prosecution against Read for years, has officially announced he won't seek reelection.
This is huge.
Read’s lead attorney, Alan Jackson, didn't hold back today. He basically said the ground gave way beneath Morrissey. In a statement that’s already making the rounds, Jackson claimed the "cloud of corruption" from the Read case made Morrissey’s departure inevitable.
You’ve got to wonder if this would have happened without the national spotlight. For fifteen years, Morrissey held that office. Now, he’s stepping aside as the Norfolk County detective unit—the very one that investigated Read—is being dismantled.
Where is Karen Read Now?
If you think she’s living it up after her June 2025 acquittal, think again.
In a sit-down interview that just dropped on the Rotten Mango podcast, Read got real about her current life. She’s living with her parents. She has no job. She’s basically broke.
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"I wouldn't say it was the happiest day of my life," she said about the not-guilty verdict. That sounds weird, right? But she explained that the fear of losing her freedom doesn't just "disappear" because a foreman says two words.
She's spent her life savings. She cashed out her retirement. She even had to sell her home to pay for a defense team that, let’s be honest, probably cost millions.
"I Don't Feel Safe Here"
One of the most jarring things she said today is that she wants out of Massachusetts. Like, immediately. She told reporters she’d live in the woods or on a farm—anywhere but here.
She’s done with the Massachusetts State Police. She specifically mentioned she doesn’t care if they "reform" or get a new colonel. The trust is gone.
The Auction of the Lexus LX 570
Here is a detail that feels like something out of a weird movie: the car is going up for sale.
The 2021 Lexus SUV—the one the prosecution claimed was a murder weapon—is scheduled to be auctioned off on January 30, 2026.
A local auto shop bought it from the state after the trial ended. If you want to own a piece of true crime history, you apparently need a valid ID and $20,000 in bank funds just to register for the bid.
It’s a bizarre ending for a vehicle that was analyzed, scanned, and debated for hundreds of hours in a courtroom.
The Legal War Isn't Actually Over
While she walked free on the murder charges (only being convicted of a DUI), the civil courts are a different beast entirely.
- The O’Keefe Family Lawsuit: John O’Keefe’s family is still suing her for wrongful death. They recently hired a high-profile California attorney, Bibianne Fell, to lead the charge. They aren't letting go.
- Read’s Counter-Offensive: She isn't just playing defense. She filed a civil rights lawsuit against Michael Proctor (the lead investigator who was suspended), the Alberts, and the McCabes.
- The Proctor Phone Data: Just last Friday, a judge ruled that Read’s team is getting access to everything on Michael Proctor’s phone. This is the "floodgate" moment her supporters have been waiting for.
Why This Case Still Matters
The Karen Read saga became a proxy war for how people feel about law enforcement.
To some, she’s a woman who got away with killing her boyfriend because she had a high-priced legal team. To others, she’s a whistleblower who exposed a "thin blue line" cover-up in a small Massachusetts town.
Whatever you believe, the facts today show a justice system in total flux. We have a DA resigning, a lead investigator in professional ruin, and a woman who won her freedom but lost her life as she knew it.
Your Next Steps: How to Keep Track
The next few months are going to be heavy on "paperwork" news, which can be boring but is actually where the real story lives now.
If you're following this, keep an eye on the federal court docket. The "house defendants" (the Alberts and McCabes) just filed a motion to dismiss Read’s civil suit on January 9. If that gets tossed, we’re heading for another massive, televised showdown—just in a civil courtroom this time.
Also, watch the race for Norfolk County DA. Adam Deitch, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney, is already running on an "accountability" platform. The fallout of this case might literally change how the law is practiced in Massachusetts for the next decade.
Keep your eyes on the January 30 auction results. It’ll tell you a lot about whether the public sees that Lexus as a tragic relic or a collector's item.
The trial is over, but the Karen Read story is clearly just entering a new, messier chapter.