On Wednesday afternoon during the murder trial of Karen Read, testimony from patrons at the Waterfall Bar & Grille in Canton gave jurors more insights into what happened on the night of Jan. 28, 2022, the night before John O’Keefe’s unresponsive body was found in the snow.
Norfolk prosecutors charged Read, 44, of Mansfield, after his death, stating that she stuck O’Keefe, a Boston police officer, with her SUV while driving intoxicated.
Earlier Wednesday, swearers heard from friends of O’Keefe, the married couple Michael and Katherine Camerano. Michael Camerano and O’Keefe went to CF McCarthy’s, a bar across from the Waterfall, to celebrate O’Keefe’s niece and Camerano’s daughter being accepted earlier that day to Bishop Feehan, a Catholic high school. O’Keefe had custody of his niece.
Testimony continued Wednesday afternoon with Karina and Nicholas Kolokithas, a married couple who met up with a group of friends at the Waterfall. O’Keefe and Read later joined them at the bar around 11 pm
“Everyone was happy, having a good time,” Karina Kolokithas said and she described Read and O’Keefe as “lovey-dovey” that night.
— Read more: Friends of John O’Keefe testify about night before his death at Karen Read trial
A loud band played and conversations were hard to hear, Kolokithas said, but she recalled Read singing praises for O’Keefe.
“She started by saying how much she admired him, how much he did for the children, just how she looked up to him for that,” Karina Kolokithas said.
Under cross-examination by Alan Jackson, Read’s attorney, Nicholas Kolokithas agreed that Read was “singing praise” for O’Keefe that night at the Waterfall.
Things began to wind down by midnight at the Waterfall and members of the group were figuring out where to continue the night, Karina Kolokithas said. Snow began falling with a blizzard incoming overnight.
At one point, Jennifer McCabe, who was alongside Read the following morning when they discovered O’Keefe’s unresponsive body, walked up to Read and put her arm around her.
— Read more: What to know about the Karen Read case as trial begins Tuesday
“You’re coming with me,” Kolokithas remembered McCabe telling Read. “It doesn’t matter, it’ll be a surprise,” McCabe said when Read asked where they were going, according to Kolokithas.
Karina and Nicholas Kolokithas decided to head home, and Karina Kolokithas remembered telling her husband, “There’s no way we’re going anywhere.”
More about the case
Testimony ended on Wednesday with Karina Kolokithas and the trial, expected to last six to eight weeks, will resume Thursday.
During testimony on Monday and Tuesday, Read’s attorneys questioned why blood samples collected at the scene where O’Keefe’s body was found were placed into red Solo cups and brought to the police station in a brown paper bag. Her attorneys also probed relationships between Canton police Lt. Michael Lank, one of the first police on the scene, and members of the Albert family, who are witnesses in the case.
— Read more: Blood in Solo cups, bias claims: Karen Read’s lawyers put police on trial
Brian Albert, also a Boston police officer, was the homeowner of 34 Fairview Road when O’Keefe’s body was found on the front lawn.
Opening statements began April 29 when Yannetti told jurors Read had been “framed” and revealed text messages from lead investigator Proctor.
Read’s defense team in court has said other people are responsible for O’Keefe’s killing and the presiding judge has allowed them to pursue a third-party culprit defense at trial — but did not allow them to present it during opening statements.
Defense attorneys previously said that three men in the Canton house on the night of O’Keefe’s death had “a motive and the means to attack” him.
— Read more: 4 takeaways from Karen Read trial: texts, taillight damage and first witnesses
Read pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while driving under the influence, and leaving the scene of a motor vehicle crash causing death.
Her attorneys claim other people are responsible for O’Keefe’s death and that alleged conflicts of interest have compromised the case.
