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A forensics professional zeroed in on two items of proof forward of Karen Learn’s homicide trial — the post-mortem and the way in which the sufferer’s garments have been dealt with — and mentioned he believes the medical expert’s testimony will probably be pivotal.
Learn allegedly hit her boyfriend, Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, together with her automobile and left him to die within the snow, prosecutors mentioned. Learn denied the allegations and claimed there was a cover-up to border her.
O’Keefe’s official reason for dying is listed as “undetermined,” which units up the medical expert because the “massive star” of the trial, forensics professional John Scott Morgan advised Fox Information Digital.
“I urge all people that is following this case to actually pay shut consideration to what the medical expert says, as a result of they are going to be requested to elucidate the logic behind itemizing this as an undetermined,” Morgan mentioned. “I’d anticipate the protection to significantly focus in on that query, and will probably be framed in a fashion wherein they’ll say, ‘Effectively, you understand, we have got the prosecutor right here that’s saying that that is, the truth is, a homicide. What’s it, physician, what’s protecting you from ruling this as a murder?”
KAREN READ MASSACHUSETTS TRIAL: 3 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT WOMAN CHARGED WITH OFFICER BOYFRIEND’S MURDER
Karen Learn sits in court docket throughout jury choice at Norfolk County Superior Court docket April 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. (David McGlynn/New York Publish by way of AP, Pool)
The case goes again to 2022 within the Boston suburb of Canton, Massachusetts, the place O’Keefe was discovered lifeless. Each O’Keefe and Learn have been drunk that night time, in accordance with court docket paperwork.
The trial began with jury choice final week after practically two years of divisive rhetoric on each side and an undercurrent of controversy fueled by a federal probe into the protection’s cover-up allegations.
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On Wednesday, a full jury was chosen amongst tons of of potential jurists, setting the stage for what’s anticipated to be a prolonged and tense trial. Learn’s supporters and adversaries have been clashing exterior the courthouse.
On Thursday, a number of pretrial motions are anticipated to be resolved, and opening statements are scheduled to begin Monday.
Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe (BPD)
Karen Learn departs Norfolk Superior Court docket after a day of jury choice April 17, 2024, in Dedham, Mass. (AP Photograph/Steven Senne)
O’Keefe suffered a number of wounds, together with cranium fractures according to blunt-force trauma that led to bleeding within the mind, swollen black eyes and a number of other lacerations and abrasions to his proper arm and arms.
The prosecution alleges the accidents have been sustained when Learn hit him together with her automobile, whereas the protection says the accidents have been suffered throughout a struggle inside the home and a canine assault.
KAREN READ, CHARGED WITH MURDER IN BOSTON COP BOYFRIEND’S DEATH, LEARNS TRIAL START DATE AFTER HEATED HEARING
“That is very particular data,” mentioned Morgan, who spent over 20 years within the New Orleans coroner’s workplace and with the Fulton County Medical Examiner in Atlanta earlier than changing into a professor at Jacksonville State College in Jacksonville, Alabama.
The secret is when this details about a potential canine chunk was relayed to the medical expert.
If the medical expert did not know in regards to the canine chunk protection throughout the post-mortem, the examiner probably would not have tried to get proof, like canine hair or a saliva swab, to check if there was canine DNA, Morgan mentioned.
Karen Learn seems in Norfolk County Superior Court docket for a pretrial listening to. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe by way of Getty Photographs)
WATCH: Morgan previews potential arguments for O’Keefe’s accidents
‘There’s one subject right here that has been significantly troubling to me’
Morgan mentioned how O’Keefe’s clothes was eliminated throughout life-saving efforts, how they have been preserved and the chain of custody “is essential right here.”
If studies about clothes being piled up within the nook of a trauma room are correct, potential proof is compromised, he mentioned.
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“Are we speaking about hours? Days? Weeks? As a result of the longer you wait to submit this, the much less safe it’s,” Morgan mentioned, “And if you cannot account for it 24/7, you spoil the chain of custody. And, at that time, there’s little or no accountability. You do not know who’s are available in contact with these things.
“It may be very delicate. And upon getting that proof as a forensic investigator, it’s worthwhile to know the way it was packaged and who packaged it.”
Karen A. Learn, 42, the girlfriend of late Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, was arraigned in Norfolk Superior Court docket on prices of second-degree homicide in his dying in Dedham, Mass., June 10, 2022. A photograph of the couple collectively was offered by the protection to the prosecution. (John Tlumacki/The Boston Globe by way of Getty Photographs)
Karen Learn and her lawyer Alan Jackson move by means of a gauntlet of supporters exterior Norfolk Superior Court docket in Dedham, Mass., April 16, 2024. (Greg Derr/The Patriot Ledger)
He used the instance of the O.J. Simpson homicide case, which included over 100 reveals of DNA proof that his legal professionals basically discredited by arguing investigators botched the removing, assortment, dealing with and processing of proof, together with bloody garments.
“Replicate again to the O.J. Simpson case, the place one of many detectives had been talked about of driving round with blood samples of their automobile earlier than they have been ever submitted into proof,” Morgan mentioned. “All types of issues can occur, significantly with blood proof like that, as a result of it’s fragile.”
Learn’s arrest and the way a blogger fueled the hearth
Learn was arrested Feb. 2, 2022, and charged with second-degree homicide, manslaughter whereas working drunk and leaving the scene of an accident, inflicting harm and dying. She pleaded not responsible to all prices.
“I didn’t kill John O’Keefe. I’ve by no means harmed a hair on John O’Keefe’s head,” Learn advised ABC Information in August.
MASSACHUSETTS PROFESSOR CHARGED IN COP BOYFRIEND’S KILLING CALLS IT A ‘COVER-UP’
The case cut up the in any other case quiet suburban city, and an area blogger, Aiden Kearney, who goes by the nickname “Turtleboy,” riled up the “Free Karen” facet of the controversy.
He’s typically seen with a cellphone digicam and bullhorn main demonstrations and trumpeting Learn’s regulation enforcement cover-up protection.
Massachusetts blogger “Turtleboy” Aiden Kearney was charged with witness intimidation for allegedly threatening witnesses in a homicide case in Massachusetts. (Aidan Kearney(@DoctorTurleboy)/X)
The Norfolk County District Legal professional’s Workplace alleged he crossed a line by intimidating witnesses, and he was arrested in October, enraging 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.
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Kearney’s lawyer advised the choose his consumer “vehemently denies” the accusations when Kearney pleaded not responsible, saying his consumer’s opinions are protected by the First Modification.
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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.
“The affect of media, social media, the sidebars with the turtle blogger. All the data that is been going backwards and forwards from the DA’s workplace and the protection staff. I feel it should be a protracted highway to choose an neutral jury,” Suffolk College Legislation Professor Christopher Dearborn advised CBS Information.
Fox Information Digital’s Mitch Picasso contributed to this report.
Chris Eberhart is against the law and US information reporter for Fox Information Digital. E mail tricks to chris.eberhart@fox.com or on Twitter @ChrisEberhart48.
Karen Learn homicide trial: Problem prosecutors face with ‘undetermined’ reason for dying
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