Already a slow process, jury selection for the second Karen Read trial has seemingly ground to a halt, with no jurors seated on Monday, leaving the jury at 10 members.
Judge Beverly Cannone and lawyers for both sides questioned 45 potential jurors Monday. Of those 45, one was deemed a “holdover,” or someone who may be seated after more information. It’s not clear what more information would be needed for a decision to be made on that person’s status.
Across all five days of selection, 344 potential jurors have been questioned, according to the court clerk. Just 12 of those potential jurors were selected for the panel, but two later dropped out for unknown reasons.
The number of jurors has not grown since the third day of selection — with the one juror picked on Friday replacing one of the dropouts.
It took five full days to seat a jury for Read’s first trial. The goal is to seat 16 jurors for the second trial.
Of the pool of 45, 41 said they had seen, heard or talked about the case. A smaller group, 31, said they had expressed or formed an opinion about it. Thirteen potential jurors said they were biased in some way.
And more than half of the pool, 24 potential jurors, said they had a substantial hardship that could prevent them from serving. Judge Beverly Cannone said being a student or having a surgery scheduled could qualify as a substantial hardship.
Each morning of selection begins the same way, with Cannone reading a statement of the case, laying out what prosecutors say Read did: backing her SUV into her then-boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe, outside a Canton home following a night of drinking.
She tells jurors that Read is presumed innocent and has no obligation to prove her innocence during the trial.
Cannone also references the intense publicity that has consumed the Read case, saying, “public comment will likely continue,” but “the rule of law will be upheld.”
Read thanks the potential jurors after each lawyer introduces themselves.
- Read more: What makes jury selection in the Karen Read trial so hard? It’s not just publicity
Cannone then reads out the entire witness list, which contains 150 names, before beginning questioning. After the group questioning, jurors are left to complete a three-page questionnaire.
Only after all that are jurors questioned individually.
During individual questioning, both sides can strike a juror for any reason. Each side gets 16 strikes. Leaving court Monday, Read said her team had used 10.
Read, 45, is charged with second-degree murder, manslaughter while operating under the influence and leaving the scene of an accident causing injury or death in connection with the death of her boyfriend, Boston Police officer John O’Keefe.
Read’s defense claims she is being framed and others are responsible for O’Keefe’s death.
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