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A forensic scientist from the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab revealed during Karen Read’s murder trial that evidence collected in red Solo cups was never tested in the death of her Boston police officer boyfriend, John O’Keefe.
Testimony Wednesday came from O’Keefe’s niece, whom he was caring for after her parents died within months of one another, as well as forensic experts involved in the search of Read’s Lexus SUV and crime lab testing.
Maureen Hartnett, of the Massachusetts State Police Crime Lab, testified she found broken glass, scratches and at least one dent on the back of Read’s vehicle, as well as blood and debris recovered from O’Keefe’s clothes.
She also swabbed the evidence that Canton police collected in red Solo cups — although she testified that it had never been tested, and as a result she couldn’t even identify it as blood.
While prosecutors have shown photos of her broken taillight and investigators have testified that it played a role in their allegations against Read, her lawyers played a close-up video of her appearing to back into O’Keefe’s parked car before she and two other women found O’Keefe on the ground outside the Fairview Road house.
A group of people had been there the night before for an after-party following a night out drinking.
Read, speaking with reporters outside the courthouse, claimed she saw O’Keefe go inside the party before she left.
Other witnesses, testifying under oath, told jurors that he did not come inside.