Jurors Acquit Karen Read After Championed Legal Defense

Karen Read walked out of court vindicated this week after jurors delivered a stunning not-guilty verdict in the 2022 death of her former boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe. Cheers erupted from a crowd of supporters as the accused was cleared of all homicide-related charges though she will serve one year of probation for a DUI conviction.

It was a dramatic legal victory that hinged on the collective power of her “greatest” defense team:

• Strategic legal alliances from Boston, New York, and Los Angeles came together to handle what one expert called “physically and emotionally grueling” trials.

• Team leaders included David Yannetti (Boston), Alan Jackson (Los Angeles), Liza Little, and Robert Alessi, each contributing unique strengths to dismantle the prosecution’s case.

• Their win suggests bigger opportunities ahead counsel may soon be in high demand for celebrity and high-profile defense work.

A Maryland attorney who reviewed the case said, “Trials like these take it out of you… some lawyers step back and others want another.” But with this win, the team is likely to remain at the top of elite defense lists.

Jackson already known for prosecuting Phil Spector and defending Kevin Spacey took charge of the opening and closing arguments in Read’s trial. Little brought complementary support from their Los Angeles-based law firm, Werkman Jackson and Quinn. Alessi, from global powerhouse DLA Piper, handled technical testimony and expert cross-examinations. Yannetti Read’s Boston-based local counsel anchored the defense’s strategy on home turf.

With the verdict announced, even the special prosecutor, former mobster lawyer Hank Brennan, is expected to see a surge in profile and clients. According to retired Massachusetts judge Jack Lu, “They will all be flooded with new clients; Brennan will be catapulted to stardom ... Yannetti and Brennan’s practices go national.”

Now that Read has been acquitted, speculation is growing that she’ll pursue civil rights litigation, especially against former homicide detective Michael Proctor, whose texts led to his dismissal. Legal analyst Linda Kenney Baden has already predicted a wave of lawsuits may follow.

Karen Read’s acquittal not only reaffirms the power of top-tier legal defense it signals the emergence of a new high-powered dream team. Their remarkable coordination and success are set to reverberate through the legal community, paving the way for future headline-making cases.

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