Karen Read's Civil Suit Against Witnesses in John O'Keefe Murder Trial Transferred to U.S. District Court

Karen Read's Civil Suit Against Witnesses in John O'Keefe Murder Trial Transferred to U.S. District Court

Karen Read's civil suit against witnesses in the John O'Keefe murder trial is being transferred from Bristol County Superior Court to the United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts. The witnesses, Brian Albert, Nicole Albert, Jennifer McCabe, Matthew McCabe, and Brian Higgins, argue that Read's lawsuit is an abuse of the judicial process and an attempt to avoid responsibility for O'Keefe's death. They specifically mention Read's claim that her Fourth Amendment rights were violated during the investigation.

The Alberts, McCabes, and Higgins requested the change in venue, stating that federal issues are central to Read's claims for relief. The case has now been moved to the U.S. District Court. O'Keefe was found dead during a snowstorm on Jan. 29, 2022. Read, who was acquitted of murder charges in O'Keefe's death, has filed a lawsuit alleging that others were responsible for his death and that investigators did not pursue those leads.

The lawsuit names former trooper Michael Proctor, Sgt. Yuri Bukhenik, Lt. Brian Tully, Brian Albert, Nicole Albert, Jennifer McCabe, Matthew McCabe, and Brian Higgins as defendants. Five of the witnesses mentioned in the lawsuit are considering suing Read and blogger Aidan Kearney for defamation.