As a Massachusetts jury is deliberating the destiny of Karen Learn — who is accused of murdering her cop boyfriend — here’s a recap of a few of the most memorable moments from the previous two months of trial.
Learn, 44, of Mansfield, Mass., is charged with second-degree homicide for allegedly mowing down her beau and Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe together with her Lexus SUV and leaving him for useless exterior throughout a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022.
She has pleaded not responsible and faces as much as life imprisonment if convicted on the highest rely.
The jury in Norfolk County Superior Courtroom in Dedham started deliberating Tuesday and resumed its decision-making course of once more Wednesday morning, round 9:15 a.m.
The 29 days of testimony had been marked with many notable moments which have solely added to the nationwide consideration the case has garnered.
Decide slams Karen Learn for smirking: ‘That is humorous?’
On the second day of deliberations Wednesday, whereas the jury was out of the courtroom, Norfolk Superior Courtroom Decide Beverly Cannone slammed Learn for seemingly making a face throughout a authorized dialogue.
“Excuse me. That is humorous, Ms. Learn?” Cannone requested.
Learn, who was principally obscured on a courtroom video feed by her lawyer, who was standing up, could possibly be seen shaking her head forwards and backwards in response.
The decide responded: “All proper, we’re achieved.”
The tense second got here after Learn’s lawyer Alan Jackson had been asking the decide to change the wording of the decision type, a request Cannone initially rejected, seemingly prompting Learn’s response.
Later, the decide mentioned she reconsidered Jackson’s arguments, learn a quick instruction to the jury and despatched them an up to date verdict slip.
Jurors are launched to Karen Learn’s offended, swear-laden messages she despatched to her cop beau after his demise
On Thursday, through the second-to-last day of testimony, jurors heard quite a few offended voicemails that Learn left O’Keefe between the time he was allegedly killed round 12:30 a.m. and when his physique was discovered round 6 a.m.
“John! I f–king hate you!” Learn could possibly be heard saying in a message from 12:37 a.m.
“John I’m right here along with your (expletive) youngsters,” Learn says in a voicemail from 12:59 a.m. “No person is aware of the place the (expletive) you might be. You (expletive) pervert,” in accordance with a report by WCVB 5.
Eight of Learn’s voicemails to O’Keefe had been performed through the testimony of forensic knowledgeable Nicholas Guarino, of the Massachusetts State Police.
Guarino advised jurors how Learn had referred to as O’Keefe’s cellphone over 50 occasions after his demise, texting and leaving voicemails till his physique was discovered by Learn and two others hours later.
Jackson advised jurors throughout closing arguments Tuesday that Learn’s calls and messages that evening demonstrated how she went from being offended — after dropping O’Keefe off at Brian Albert’s Canton dwelling as a result of he made her wait with out phrase — to flying right into a panic hours later over not figuring out the place he was.
Lead investigator admits to ‘unprofessional and regrettable’ texts calling Karen Learn ‘wack job c–t’
Earlier this month, lead investigator Massachusetts State Trooper Michael Proctor was pressured to reply questions a couple of slew of nasty messages he’d despatched to others about Learn, together with calling her a “wack job c–t” and “retarded.”
Proctor admitted whereas on the witness stand on June 11 that the messages he despatched to buddies about Learn had been “juvenile [and] unprofessional” however maintained they didn’t impression “the integrity of this investigation.”
Jurors had been proven messages from Proctor saying Learn was a “babe” with “no ass” and joking that when he was looking her cellphone through the probe he appeared for nudes of her.
“She waffled him. I checked out his physique within the hospital. He was banged up,” Proctor mentioned of O’Keefe in one other message. “She hit him together with her automobile.”
“She sizzling, at the least?” a good friend requested in response.
“She’s a wack job c–t. Sure, she’s a babe. Bizarre Fall River accent, although. No ass,” Proctor solutions.
He additionally made enjoyable of Learn’s Crohn’s illness saying in a textual content: “She’s received a leaking balloon knot. Leaks poo.”
In one other message, Proctor mentioned he hoped she would kill herself.
“I consider poor jokes and unprofessional language haven’t any bearing on the integrity and the information and bodily proof of this case,” he claimed.
Karen Learn kissed one other officer, exchanged flirty texts: testimony
Final month, the jury heard from Brian Higgins, a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent, about how he and Learn struck up a flirtation and even kissed one time.
“You’re, sizzling,” the accused killer wrote to Higgins.
“Are you severe or messing with me?” he requested.
‘No, I’m severe,” she responded.
Higgins testified that one time when he was leaving O’Keefe’s home, Learn “planted a kiss on me. Not like a good friend,” in accordance with a report by WCVB 5.
“I’m not pleased with these textual content messages,” the agent advised the jury. “John was a good friend on the similar time.”
Higgins additionally admitted that he “was bodily interested in her, sure.”
Throughout closing arguments Tuesday, Learn’s lawyer claimed that prosecutors tried to tug her character via the mud through the trial as a result of they’d such a weak case.
Witness testifies Karen Learn requested her to Google search ‘how lengthy it takes for somebody to die within the snow’
Hours after O’Keefe had allegedly been murdered by Learn, Learn — claiming to not know the place O’Keefe was — returned to Albert’s dwelling round 6 a.m. with O’Keefe’s pal Jennifer McCabe and a 3rd good friend Kerry Roberts, the place the trio discovered the cop’s physique in a snowbank.
McCabe advised the jury throughout testimony final month that Learn advised her to Google search “how lengthy it takes somebody to die within the snow.” Prosecutors say McCabe carried out the web search round 6:23 a.m.
However Learn’s legal professionals say McCabe searched the phrase round 2:27 a.m. — as they tried to color McCabe as an integral participant within the cover-up to border Learn.
Learn’s legal professionals have claimed all alongside that she was a scapegoat in a sweeping legislation enforcement conspiracy and that O’Keefe was killed after getting right into a battle together with his officer buddies at Albert’s home.
However when cross-examined by Learn’s legal professionals, McCabe insisted she by no means made the Google search on the earlier time.
“I didn’t delete that search,” McCabe testified. “I by no means made that search at 2:23. I by no means would have left John O’Keefe out within the chilly to die. As a result of he was my good friend that I really like,” McCabe answered.
Karen Learn rolls eyes, snaps at legal professionals after emotional witness testimony
Learn was visibly upset following the testimony of McCabe’s daughter, Allison McCabe, who emotionally testified about how others concerned within the case confronted vicious “harassment” by “bloggers, folks on-line.”
After Allison stepped off the stand for a break, Learn spoke together with her legal professionals, rolling her eyes, snapping her head again and aggressively muttering one thing to her crew.
Throughout testimony, the youthful McCabe got here to the protection of Colin Albert — one of many males that Learn’s legal professionals say received within the battle with O’Keefe that led to his demise.
However Allison testified that she picked up Colin and he wouldn’t have been on the home when the altercation allegedly occurred.
She went on to tearfully testify that Colin had been on the receiving finish of brutal on-line harassment over his alleged involvement in O’Keefe’s homicide.
‘Turtleboy’ blogger will get arrested for harassing witnesses
Learn’s case has drawn nationwide public discourse on whether or not she’s responsible, with droves of supporters exhibiting as much as the Dedham, Mass., courthouse all through the trial.
In truth, the so-called controversial “Turtleboy” blogger — whose actual identify is Aidan Kearney — has been so enthusiastic in his activism in assist of Learn’s innocence, that he allegedly crossed the road into witness tampering, officers claimed.
Kearney was arrested in October for sending “harassing, threatening and intimidating” messages to witnesses and investigators within the case.
Kearney pleaded not responsible on the time, and his lawyer mentioned he was protected against the costs beneath the First Modification proper to free speech.
Over the weekend, a polarizing Kearney — who has supported the speculation that the Alberts had been concerned in O’Keefe’s demise — was allegedly assaulted by two Canton residents, considered one of whom talked about the Alberts and accused him of meddling in her household’s affairs, Outlook reported.
Canton cops confirmed the pair had been charged with assault and battery of Kearney.
Swarm of Karen Learn supporters
At one level Tuesday, when Learn and her legal professionals left the courthouse for a break, she was swarmed by a crowd of supporters cheering her on.
“Love you, Karen!” one lady could possibly be heard yelling.
Massachusetts felony protection lawyer Michael Delsignore advised The Put up the case has taken the Bay State by storm.
“Everyone seems to be speaking about it,” he mentioned. “There’s a billboard on Route 1 close to Gillette Stadium the place it says ‘Free Karen Learn.’”
“Everyone seems to be watching [the trial] and commenting on it,” he added. “Purchasers ask me about it. Former shoppers textual content me to present ideas on the case. Individuals are actually taking an curiosity within the case for certain.”
Delsignore mentioned he thinks it fascinates the general public due to the suggestion that there could possibly be a police body job afoot.
“There was some proof that the investigation hasn’t gone the best way you’d anticipate it to,” he defined. “There have undoubtedly been a whole lot of issues to return out concerning the police when it comes to the best way they talked about her inappropriately.
“The governor has come out and mentioned the state police shouldn’t be appearing this manner,” the lawyer added. “So I believe that fueled a whole lot of public curiosity on this.”
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