Witness Jennifer McCabe denies deleting phone calls; Read’s defense team questions her for 4 hours
A fiery day of back and forth Tuesday in the Karen Read murder trial as the defense sparred with witness Jenifer McCabe for nearly four hours.
McCbe is the prosecution’s witness who Google searched, “How long to die in cold,” which has raised many questions in this case.
Court video, updates: Jennifer McCabe, key witness in Karen Read murder trial, returns to stand
Jennifer McCabe’s sister owned the Fairview Road home in Canton that John O’Keeffe’s body was found outside of in January 2022. And she was inside when prosecutors allege Read struck O’Keeffe with her SUV.
The defense has long suggested McCabe is part of a cover-up. And on Tuesday, Alan Jackson, Read’s defense attorney, grilled her on the stand.
“I’m not sure if it’s in this document but I can tell you today with 100 percent clarity, she said I hit him, I hit him. I hit him,” McCabe said.
McCabe tells the jury that Read implicated herself in her then-boyfriend O’Keefe’s death and Jackson says in previous testimony, McCabe gave a different version of Read’s statements.
Jackson: “You know you never testified to that at the grand jury in April 22, don’t you?”
Jackson: “It’s probably the most powerful part of your testimony, mam.”
McCabe: “And I will never forget it.”
Jackson: ”The truth of this matter is that you manufactured this new story for this jury because you think it helps you out.”
McCabe: “Absolutely, not.”
The defense accused McCabe of plotting with family and friends before police interviews and says she sent this text when police interviewed one friend at her home.
Jackson: “The very next text is from you telling the group ‘She’s telling him EVERYTHING!!’”
McCabe: “Yes. We never worked together to come up with a story, we have the facts and everything was a comment about your client.”
Like previous witnesses who have taken the stand, McCabe says she saw Read’s Lexus pull up to 34 Fairview – and later move to the area where O’Keeffe’s body was later found.
Jackson: “When you looked out that window, with that clear and good view, there’s no body was there?”
McCabe: “I never saw a body. I wish I had.”
The defense says a series of calls McCabe made to O’Keefe’s phone were also deleted. But, McCabe previously testified that those could have been buttdials
Jackson will continue to question her on Wednesday.
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Monday marked an off day in the trial. On Friday, McCabe testified that she was with Read when they found O’Keefe’s body.
McCabe had been out at local bars with her husband, O’Keefe, and Read the night of Jan. 28, 2022, before O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside of 34 Fairview Road in Canton.
McCabe testified that Read repeatedly asked if she could have hit O’Keefe with her luxury Lexus SUV, telling the court that she heard her tell a first responder, “I hit him.”
McCabe says Read asked her to make the Google search after they found O’Keefe. There have also been questions about whether Read had a broken taillight. McCabe claims she saw it on the morning of O’Keefe’s death.
“Karen brings us to the back of the car and says look see I have a cracked taillight,” McCabe testified.
McCabe also stated that Read didn’t remember going to the Albert family home at 34 Fairview the night before and that O’Keefe never went into the house.
Read, 44, of Mansfield, has been charged with second-degree murder, among other charges, in the death of O’Keefe, her boyfriend.
It’s alleged that Read didn’t discover O’Keefe’s body until about 6 a.m. on Jan 29. First responders have testified that she was hysterical and inconsolable.
The defense’s theory is that O’Keefe was actually beaten up inside the Albert home and dragged outside in a snowstorm and that the Albert family is at the center of an effort to frame Read.
Prosecutors claim Read drunkenly struck O’Keefe with her luxury Lexus SUV while making a three-point after dropping him off at the home. They allege she fled the scene and left him to die.
Murderous romance or frame job? Things to know so far as Karen Read trial enters 4th week
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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