Thursday’s last motion hearing in the Karen Read murder trial may have had a negative impact on the defense’s plans for the trial as Judge Beverly J. Cannone granted their demands for a change to the courtroom.
Late last week Karen Read’s attorneys launched a late demand to ensure the ability of the extended collection of jurors to see the faces of witnesses as they testified. The defense pressed the issue that modifications to the existing court room would need to be made so that both Read, seated at the defense table, and the 19 seated jurors would be able to see the faces of the witnesses without obstruction.
Instead of making changes to the court room, Judge Cannone instead adopted the plan presented by the prosecution: simply move to a smaller court room down the hall that was properly set up with an extended jury box.
By making the move to a much smaller court room, no spectators will be allowed in the courtroom other than immediate members of the O’Keefe and Read families. There will be hard limit of 10 members of the press let into the court room in standing room only area, with no guaranteed slots each day.
As those outside of the immediate family will not be permitted in the courtroom due to lack of seating, Read’s alleged plan to have her supporters wear all pink and have the seats behind her filled with pink will no longer be possible.
The defense’s last-minute plan for use of an Audio-Visual specialist who would put up monitors and other equipment around the court room was also in jeopardy as the Judge chastised the defense for their last-minute request and reminded the defense that there simply wasn’t room in the smaller court room for monitors or outside equipment, let alone dedicated seating for the specialist.
In more setbacks for the defense, Judge Cannone ruled that District Attorney Michael Morrissey and victim’s advocate Steve Nelson would not be sequestered until their testimony for the defense. It also remains to be determined if either man would be allowed to be called by the defense with Judge Cannone ruling that Nelson’s testimony for the prosecution would determine where the defense could go if he were called, and that the defense has not presented enough support for having sitting district attorney Morrissey testify on their behalf.
Also awaiting a ruling depending on how things pan out in the case is the on-going internal affairs investigation of lead investigator Michael Proctor. Both the prosecution and defense have no information on the investigation into Trooper Proctor nor of the severity of the investigation and what punishment Proctor would face if reprimanded at the conclusion of the investigation. Judge Cannone ruled that she would not allow references to the on-going internal affairs investigation until more is known about it and the consequences Proctor faces.
Karen Read’s trial for the murder of John O’Keefe is scheduled to begin on Monday, April 29, 2024, with opening statements from both sides.
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