Alan Jackson Responds to Hank Brennan

By Steve Atkinson 

It was very surreal to be outside the courthouse last Wednesday when the verdict was read. Hearing the crowd from inside the courtroom and then seeing the video afterwards was quite an experience. Karen Read was never going to be convicted of killing John O’Keeffe. This was not due to social media coverage, Hank; rather, it was because the evidence indicated that there was no collision. The jury made the right decision, and John O’Keeffe was killed by someone else.

Hank Brennan released a statement, and instead of accepting the defeat with dignity, he blamed Aidan Kearny for the attention he brought to the case. He also failed to mention the jury harassment by other independent journalists.

I am disappointed in the verdict and the fact that we could not achieve justice for John O’Keefe and his family. District Attorney Michael Morrissey appointed me giving me full discretion to independently assess the case and follow the evidence no matter where it led. After an independent and thorough review of all the evidence I concluded that the evidence led to one person, and only one person. Neither the closed federal investigation nor my independent review led me to identify any other possible suspect or person responsible for the death of John O’Keefe.

The campaign of intimidation and abuse that has been waged, funded, and promoted in public and on social media is the antithesis of justice. If this type of conduct becomes commonplace, it will threaten the integrity of our judicial system affecting both victims and criminally accused. We cannot condone witness abuse causing participants to worry for their own safety or that of their families.

Aidan was doing a job similar to what WCVB did in Boston by knocking on the District Attorney’s door. Will WCVB face charges for witness intimidation as well? No, it’s just Aidan Kearny who went to the homes of individuals at 34 Fairview Road that night in search of answers.

Alan Jackson Responds to Hank Brennan

Alan Jackson responded strongly to Hank Brennan regarding his inaccurate statement, asserting that this case should not have been assigned to Karen Read in the first place..

Mr. Brennan claims that his investigation was “thorough.” If that were true, the Commonwealth would have uncovered what we, the defense, uncovered: hidden exculpatory evidence; lies and perjury by the Commonwealth’s own witnesses; cops covering for other cops; a biased and corrupt lead investigator with personal ties to witnesses; and inculpatory and suspicious conduct by myriad witnesses.

The only job of an ethical prosecutor is to seek the truth in a just and fair manner. The Commonwealth fell wildly short of that responsibility. Theirs was not an effort to find justice for John O’Keefe. Rather, it was a personal vendetta against Karen Read by DA Michael Morrissey and his hand-picked prosecutors—and it cost the people of Norfolk County millions.

The fact is Karen Read is factually innocent, and this case never should have gone to trial in the first place. This case is a stark reminder that there has been a complete breakdown in what is supposed to be our justice system. Those in power are more interested in protecting themselves than the citizens that they are sworn to protect.

Susan Hendricks on Alan Jackson’s Statement

I asked Susan Hendricks, host of Headline Crime, what she thought of Alan Jackson’s statement. Follow Susan on TikTok @SusanHendricks96

These are the thought out words of a man who’s been biting his tongue for more than three years. The day after Karen Read was found not guilty Alan Jackson described what it was like inside of that courtroom. “This is the most challenging case I’ve ever tried in my life,” During an interview with Howie Carr (Radio host in Boston) he added “And we didn’t win because of the process; we won despite the process that was put in place in that Dedham courtroom. It was a travesty, in my view. An absolute travesty.” Alan Jackson and the rest of Karen’s dream team of attorneys handled the many obstacles with class and continue to do so. The only difference now? Alan Jackson is free to speak and is no longer “Sustained.”

Hank Brennan Wasn’t Looking for Justice For John O’Keeffe

Hank Brennan was attempting to conceal evidence that would exonerate Karen Read. He acted more as a defense attorney for Jen McCabe than as a prosecutor for Karen Read. Rather than seeking the truth about what happened to John O’Keeffe, Brennan focused on blaming Karen Read to satisfy the Albert, McCabe, and O’Keeffe families.

Brennan failed to call most of the witnesses who were present in the house, any of whom could have at least heard the collision or seen a body on the lawn. He also sought to disprove the accuracy of a Google search that occurred at 2:27 a.m., even though it did happen at that time. Additionally, he claimed that Karen Read said, “I hit him three times,” which she never actually said. As a career defense attorney, Brennan was brought in to represent the McCabe and Albert families. However, the jury saw right through the Commonwealth’s efforts.