Karen Read Trial: A Dog Named Chloe and a Video in the Garage

The judge just opened the door to some of the defense’s wildest claims — and shut it hard on others.

With the Karen Read trial finally set to start Tuesday, Judge Beverly J. Cannone delivered a rapid-fire series of rulings that give us a sneak peek into what jurors will — and won’t — hear once the courtroom doors swing open. And yeah, if you’ve been following this case, some of these decisions are kind of a big deal.

Let’s start with the defense’s theory. They’ve been loud and clear from the start: Karen Read didn’t kill Boston Police Officer John O’Keefe, her boyfriend. Instead, they’ve said she’s the fall girl in a much bigger cover-up — one involving other people at the house where O’Keefe’s body was found... and possibly a German Shepherd named Chloe.

No, seriously. Chloe the dog is part of this.

O’Keefe was found dead in the snow outside 34 Fairview Road in Canton after a night out in January 2022. Prosecutors say Read hit him with her Lexus SUV, drove off, and left him to freeze to death. They’ve charged her with second-degree murder, motor vehicle manslaughter while intoxicated, and leaving the scene of an accident that caused death.

But the defense says O’Keefe was already hurt or killed inside the house — and then dumped in the snow to make it look like a hit-and-run. And they’ve pointed to Chloe the dog as a possible source of some of the injuries on O’Keefe’s body.

Judge Cannone’s latest rulings address how far both sides can go with this theory in court.

First, the Chloe angle. The prosecution had an expert, Dr. James Crosby, lined up to say that a dog couldn’t have caused the injuries found on O’Keefe’s arm. But Cannone said hold up — Crosby can testify about dog anatomy, even Chloe’s specific jaw structure and measurements, but he can’t outright say Chloe’s off the hook. That leaves the door open just enough for the defense to argue their theory, while still limiting how far the prosecution can shut it down.

Then there's the garage video. The defense claims there’s footage from the Canton Police Department’s sallyport — basically a secured garage — that could show a State Police trooper tampering with Read’s SUV. They believe someone might’ve messed with the taillight to make it look like the vehicle had been involved in the crash that allegedly killed O’Keefe.

Cannone’s ruling? The defense can bring in an expert to extract a forensically sound copy of that one specific video file. But they can’t go on a fishing expedition through the entire Canton Police Department’s detective file. So they’ll get their footage — and if that video shows anything sketchy, it could become a cornerstone of their argument.

Also getting the green light: defense expert Garrett Wing. Cannone said Wing’s got enough experience to offer useful input on certain disputed issues — though she didn’t spell out which ones. Still, it’s another tool for the defense to try to chip away at the prosecution’s version of events.

On the flip side, the judge laid down some hard deadlines for the defense. By 5 p.m. Friday, they have to hand over all their evidence related to two experts from a forensic firm called ARCCA — the same firm that testified during the previous trial, which ended in a mistrial. And this time, they have to say if these experts are getting paid — something they conveniently left out last time around. They’ve also got until Monday to disclose any testing the experts have done, are doing, or are even thinking about doing.

In short, the judge isn’t letting the defense surprise anyone in the middle of trial. Play your cards now, or don’t play them at all.

So, as the courtroom preps for opening statements, here’s what we know: the jury will hear about Chloe. They’ll see the garage video — if it shows anything. And the defense will have a little more room to make their case about a cover-up. But Cannone’s keeping the reins tight. This trial is going to be a showdown.

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