DEDHAM – Testimony continues in the Karen Read murder trial today, and judges in the Massachusetts case could soon hear from people who attended a party at the Canton home where John O’Keefe was found dead outside.
You can watch a live stream of Day 9 of testimony in the CBS News Boston video player above.
Julie Albert on the stand
Testimony left off Thursday afternoon with Julie Albert on the stand. She is the wife of Christopher Albert, whose brother Brian owns the home at 34 Fairview Road.
Julie Albert was out with a group at the Waterfall Bar & Grille in Canton with O’Keefe, Read and others, just hours before O’Keefe died. Albert said she went home earlier than others that night at about 11 pm because she developed a migraine.
Albert said she found out about O’Keefe’s death the next morning when she went to the Fairview Road home to deliver a birthday gift for her nephew.
“Everyone was visibly upset,” Albert said.
The defense during cross-examination focused on Albert’s relationship with Trooper Michael Proctor’s sister Courtney. Trooper Proctor is the lead investigator on the case.
According to Read’s lawyers, Julie Albert called Courtney Proctor dozens of times in the months after O’Keefe’s death, including the day Read was arrested.
“Were you using Courtney Proctor as an intermediary to communicate with Michael Proctor about this case?” defense attorney David Yannetti asked.
“No I wasn’t,” Albert replied.
Julie Albert says she doesn’t remember details of phone calls with Trooper Proctor’s wife
When cross-examination resumed on Friday, Albert said she did not remember what was discussed in her phone calls with Courtney Proctor, and also said she did not remember calling Trooper Proctor’s personal cell phone after a police interview at her house.
In previous hearings, the defense has said Brian Albert, ATF agent Brian Higgins, and Christopher and Julie Albert’s son Colin are their suspects in O’Keefe’s death.
Julie Albert said Friday that her son, then a teenager, was at a friend’s house before stopping by 34 Fairview to wish his cousin a happy birthday.
Christopher Albert tests
The defense claims the Albert family is at the center of an alleged effort to frame Read. Canton Select Board member Christopher Albert was on the stand for nearly two hours on Thursday.
CBS Boston
Albert replied that everyone in the group had a good time on the night of Jan. 28, 2022, and remembered Read coming into the bar with a glass under her jacket. Police say they found a broken cocktail glass at the scene, where Read is accused of hitting and killing O’Keefe with her SUV.
Christopher Albert says he was never inside Brian Albert’s home the night O’Keefe died. Read’s defense says O’Keefe was killed during a fight inside Brian Albert’s home and dragged outside.
Who is Karen Read?
Read, 45, faces charges of second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence of alcohol, and leaving the scene of personal injury and death. The trial is taking place inside Norfolk Superior Court in Dedham.
She again she is the victim of a cover-up involving several people, including law enforcement.
Neal Riley
Neal J. Riley is a digital producer for CBS Boston. He has been with WBZ-TV since 2014. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe and The San Francisco Chronicle. Neal is a graduate of Boston University.
Tags: Watch Live Karen Read murder trial continues testimony Albert family members
-
