It’s lastly showtime for the court docket case surrounding the dying of Boston police officer John O’Keefe in January 2022.
The trial has began for his then-girlfriend, Karen Learn, who’s accused of deliberately backing her Lexus SUV into O’Keefe after a drunken struggle within the automobile and leaving him to die within the snow outdoors a fellow officer’s house, based on prosecutors.
Not solely has Learn pleaded not responsible to homicide, her authorized workforce argued Learn was framed by folks within the Canton, Massachusetts, house, as a part of a top-to-bottom cover-up.
These allegations are a part of an ongoing federal investigation, which fueled the “Free Karen Learn” facet of a fiercely divided Boston suburb. Then got here the October arrest of a controversial native blogger, who led rallies supporting Learn.
Movies and images of Aiden Kearney, who is best often known as “Turtleboy,” in handcuffs for allegedly intimidating witnesses was the lighter that lit a river of gasoline.
His weblog’s loyal followers – who name themselves “Turtle Riders” – got here out in full help of Kearney, as his attorneys informed the decide his shopper “vehemently denies” the accusations and argued his opinions are protected by the First Modification.
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Learn’s high-powered protection workforce, together with Alan Jackson, who helped Kevin Spacey get acquitted on sexual assault expenses in 2019, stated in court docket paperwork the investigation was “sloppy” and hid a fancy internet of private and romantic relationships.
These alleged relationships had been detailed at size in court docket paperwork.
The trial began with the jury choice on Tuesday, and “We’re trying ahead to bringing the proof to the grand jury,” the prosecutor’s workplace stated.
Listed here are three issues to learn about Learn’s homicide case.
O’Keefe was 46 when he went out together with his associates through the in a single day hours from Jan. 28 to 29, 2022, however he by no means got here house.
His physique was discovered within the snow outdoors retired Boston police officer Brian Albert’s Canton, Massachusetts, house round 6 a.m.
Learn, a now-45-year-old monetary analyst and faculty professor, was relationship O’Keefe on the time. She stated she dropped him off at Albert’s house round 12:30 a.m.
She stated O’Keefe by no means got here house, and he couldn’t be reached. Learn and her associates went out for him, when Learn stated they discovered O’Keefe’s physique within the snow outdoors the suburban house.
Prosecutors allege Learn was drunk, argued with O’Keefe and ran him over together with her automobile when she dropped him off.
Her protection workforce has argued O’Keefe went inside the house, was killed throughout a struggle and somebody dragged his physique outdoors.
His accidents had been brought on by Albert’s canine, based on Learn’s attorneys, or by Learn’s automobile, based on prosecutors.
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Learn was arrested on Feb. 2, 2022 and charged with second-degree homicide, manslaughter whereas working inebriated and leaving the scene of an accident, inflicting damage and dying. She pleaded not responsible to all expenses.
“I didn’t kill John O’Keefe. I’ve by no means harmed a hair on John O’Keefe’s head,” Learn informed ABC Information final August.
A homicide case splintered right into a federal probe after Learn’s attorneys laid out allegations of a cover-up to guard Albert, whose household lived in Canton for generations. Locals say the household has monumental affect and connections.
That included Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor, who was the lead investigator on the case, based on Learn’s attorneys, who stated Proctor allegedly hid these private ties.
Proctor, by a lawyer, and the state police have every denied these allegations, and Proctor has remained on energetic responsibility.
Albert’s supposed connections reached into Norfolk County, together with District Legal professional Michael Morrissey, whose workplace is prosecuting the case, in addition to the Boston Police Division. Morrissey and Albert have denied any wrongdoing.
Regardless of everybody claiming innocence, a federal investigation continues, at the same time as Learn’s trial begins, which boggled the thoughts of a supply near the case who informed The New York Publish, “I’ve by no means seen something like this earlier than.”
“It’s fairly loopy and but the Norfolk DA goes forward with the trial and nobody’s stopping it,” the unnamed supply informed The Publish. “To me the [prosecutors] are on a suicide mission.”
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As if the case was not wild and divisive sufficient, enter “Turtleboy’s” at-times aggressive activism.
Kearney, who goes by the nickname and covers such instances for his weblog, led a number of rallies and fueled the “Free Karen” facet of the controversy.
He’s usually seen with a cellphone digital camera and bullhorn main demonstrations and trumpeting Learn’s legislation enforcement cover-up protection.
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The Norfolk County District Legal professional’s Workplace alleged he crossed the road by intimidating witnesses and was arrested in October, which enraged his loyal followers.
The prosecutor alleged Kearney “confirmed up” at sporting occasions of witnesses’ youngsters and “made scenes,” harassed and photographed witnesses at their houses and jobs and instructed followers of his weblog to do the identical.
His lawyer informed the decide his shopper “vehemently denies” the accusations when Kearney pleaded not responsible, saying his shopper’s opinions are protected by the First Modification.
Kearney informed Fox Information Digital in an X message after his arrest and subsequent launch on bond that, “It speaks volumes that as a substitute of seeking to discover John O’Keefe’s assassin, these detectives, who’re shut household associates of the Alberts, devoted time and sources to charging me with witness intimidation for asking the questions that they received’t.
“It’s a tragic day for America when our police pressure is weaponized in opposition to journalists to be able to shield cop killers.”
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Kearney was indicted on over a dozen felonies involving witness intimidation. He additionally served 60 days in jail for violating a protecting order, however he has since been freed and is ready for his personal trial.
Two years have elapsed since Learn was indicted by a grand jury, and it’s lastly time for a jury to determine if O’Keefe’s dying was a home violence homicide or contemplate whether or not it may need been a part of an elaborate cover-up orchestrated by legislation enforcement and prosecutors.
The curtains opened with jury choice, which a neighborhood legislation professor stated shall be pivotal and difficult.
“The affect of media, social media, the sidebars with the turtle blogger. All the knowledge that is been going backwards and forwards from the DA’s workplace and the protection workforce, I believe it may be a protracted street to choose an neutral jury,” Suffolk College Legislation Professor Christopher Dearborn informed CBS Information.