Thu May 22 13:50:00 UTC 2025: Here’s a summary and a rewritten news article based on the provided text:
**Summary:**
The Karen Read murder trial continues, with a brain surgeon, Dr. Aizik Wolf, testifying that Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe died from head trauma caused by falling backward and hitting his head on frozen ground, exacerbated by hypothermia. The prosecution argues that Read’s actions of hitting O’Keefe with her SUV and leaving him in the cold contributed to his death, potentially leading to a conviction for involuntary manslaughter. The defense countered by highlighting inconsistencies and alternative explanations for O’Keefe’s injuries. A state police technician also testified regarding glass fragments found at the scene and on Read’s vehicle, but cross-examination revealed limitations in matching the glass to the alleged murder weapon.
**News Article:**
**Brain Surgeon Testifies O’Keefe Died from Fall, Hypothermia in Karen Read Murder Trial**
**Dedham, MA –** A brain surgeon testified Wednesday that Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe died from head trauma sustained in a fall, compounded by severe hypothermia, in the ongoing murder trial of Karen Read. Read, 45, is accused of striking O’Keefe, 46, with her SUV and leaving him to die in a January 2022 blizzard in Canton, Massachusetts.
Dr. Aizik Wolf, a Yale-educated brain surgeon, told the jury that O’Keefe’s skull fractures and head trauma were consistent with a backward fall onto a frozen surface. The resulting injuries, along with a body temperature of 80 degrees when found, ultimately proved fatal.
“The only way he could get this kind of an injury was to fall backwards, hit the back of his head, and then the resulting energy forces going into his brain, into the base of his skull,” Dr. Wolf stated during testimony.
Prosecutors are using Dr. Wolf’s testimony to support an involuntary manslaughter charge, arguing that even if Read didn’t intentionally kill O’Keefe, her alleged actions of hitting and abandoning him contributed to his death.
However, the defense challenged Dr. Wolf’s testimony, focusing on other injuries O’Keefe sustained that were inconsistent with a fall and raising questions about whether something else could have contributed to the injuries. “This supports the defense theory that John O’Keefe was not hit by a vehicle and suggests it was something else because of the laceration to his face and the injuries to the arm, and the investigation did not pursue any other leads to determine how John O’Keefe sustained those injuries” Massachusetts defense attorney Grace Edwards explained.
The trial also included testimony from Christina Hanley, a state police technician specializing in glass and plastic fragments. Hanley testified that some plastic debris found on O’Keefe’s clothing was consistent with materials used in Read’s Lexus. However, under cross-examination, Hanley revealed that broken glass from Read’s bumper did not match a shattered cocktail glass found near O’Keefe.
Read faces life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder. She is also charged with drunken driving, manslaughter, and leaving the scene of a deadly accident. The trial continues.
First Piper 