By: Steve Atkinson
Karen Read’s defense team is set to intensify their case this week by presenting witness testimony. However, they may choose not to call Michael Proctor, the lead investigator. This decision could stem from concerns that cross-examining Proctor about the text messages he sent to his police friends about Karen Read might not be beneficial. Proctor’s failure to visit the crime scene raises questions: if the house where John O’Keeffe died hadn’t belonged to a Boston police officer, would Proctor have conducted a thorough investigation?
Karen Read Defense Won’t Call Michael Proctor
The defense’s main goal is to establish that John O’Keeffe was inside 34 Fairview Road. The events that transpired within that house were never fully investigated because Karen Read claimed she had a cracked taillight, and the homeowner was a Boston police officer. According to Karen, after dropping John off, he walked up the driveway and entered through the side door. She waited for confirmation that he was alright or that she was welcome before leaving.
Can the defense prove John O’Keeffe was in the house without calling witnesses like Brian Albert or Brian Higgins? It’s possible, especially since evidence suggests that John’s injuries may relate to weight equipment in the basement, which has since been removed. Moreover, Brian Albert refurbished his basement floor after the incident—an odd choice considering John O’Keeffe was fatally injured outside.
Brian Albert’s garage has surfaced as a crucial element in this case. Aidan Kearny mentioned its significance during his show last night. While it remains uncertain what evidence the defense possesses regarding the garage, any proof that John O’Keeffe was there could exonerate Karen Read and establish John’s presence in the house. You can’t re-do a garage floor so it’ll be interesting to see what the defense has
What Happened After Karen Dropped John Off

Currently, we cannot assert that John O’Keeffe was in the garage, but we will soon learn more as the defense presents its case over the coming weeks. We also expect testimony from the plow driver who, at 2:30 AM on January 29th, did not see anybody but did notice a Ford Edge parked outside near the flagpole an hour later.
If John O’Keeffe was placed by the flagpole after Jen McCabe called Nicole Albert at 5:07 AM to inform her that Karen Read was concerned and looking for him, they could have attempted to move John’s body to the front lawn quickly.
Initially, it was suggested that John O’Keeffe had been struck by a plow, but this shifted when Karen mentioned her cracked taillight, which she stated occurred after backing out of John’s driveway. Notably, the phone’s battery level didn’t drop below freezing that day—despite it being 40 degrees during a blizzard. This raises questions: where was the phone? Was it in the basement or the garage? It certainly wasn’t left outside for six hours.
I’m eager to see what the defense reveals this week, particularly regarding Brian Albert’s garage.