Karen Read Denies Witnessing Confrontation Between Deceased Boyfriend and ATF Agent Prior to His Death
Karen Read denies noticing any tension between John O’Keefe and Brian Higgins prior to the Waterfall Bar incident.
Shortly after a video surfaced in court that showed the late John O’Keefe and ATF Agent Brian Higgins exchanging what appeared to be aggressive gestures at a Canton, Massachusetts bar, Karen Read addressed questions from reporters but remained steadfast that she was not focused on the interaction. “The video speaks for itself,” Read stated as she left the courthouse and climbed into a waiting SUV on Thursday. Currently facing trial for the second time in connection with the January 2022 murder of her boyfriend, Boston police officer John O’Keefe, Read’s brief comments came after her defense team utilized the footage as part of their strategy to cast doubt on the prosecution’s narrative.
A reporter pressed Read about whether she believed there was animosity between O’Keefe and Higgins, to which she replied, “It appears that way.” Repeatedly, Read emphasized her lack of awareness regarding any conflict that evening, explaining that she spent nearly all her time talking with witness Karina Kolokithas at the Waterfall Bar and Grille. “If you watch the full length of the Waterfall between the two trials, I was pretty much in that spot with Karina. We were there for about 90 minutes.” Despite these assurances, prosecutors have pointed to other pieces of evidence and testimony suggesting friction among individuals present that night.
Kolokithas, a defense witness, testified to observing a strange interaction between Read and Jennifer McCabe—whose brother-in-law owned the home where O’Keefe’s body would later be found—but did not mention seeing any altercation between Higgins and O’Keefe. The absence of direct testimony about a fight hasn’t stopped Read’s legal team from suggesting alternative scenarios to the jury. They continue to float the theory that a jealous clash between Higgins and O’Keefe could have played a role in the tragic events that followed, even though Higgins has not been charged.
This line of defense gained further traction earlier in the trial week when a plow driver testified that he saw no sign of a body in the snow during his rounds near the scene on the night O’Keefe died. Such testimony fuels debate about the timeline and the possibility of third-party involvement. However, some legal experts caution that Read’s public commentary might backfire. “This is exactly why she shouldn’t talk about the case,” warned one defense attorney, noting that any public comments could be scrutinized or used by prosecutors to undermine her credibility.
Surveillance footage from the bar as it closed for the night shows Read engaged in conversation with Kolokithas, as both women have described. Other patrons captured on video included O’Keefe, Higgins, and several individuals who would later gather at the house where O’Keefe’s death occurred. Upon leaving the bar, an apparent confrontation took place: Higgins can be seen gesturing toward O’Keefe, and another man—identified as Chris Albert—appears to intervene, grabbing Higgins’ arm. This incident unfolded less than an hour before O’Keefe was discovered fatally injured outside Albert's brother’s house in the midst of a blizzard.
Prosecutors maintain that Read struck O’Keefe with her Lexus SUV, leaving him exposed to the elements. They argue that pieces of taillight matching her vehicle were found embedded in O’Keefe’s clothing, and multiple witnesses claim Read confessed at the scene, repeating, “I hit him. I hit him. I hit him.” Read’s defense, however, continues to deny that she ran over O’Keefe and is pushing for jurors to consider the possibility that an altercation inside or just outside the bar—potentially involving Higgins—may have contributed to O’Keefe’s injuries and subsequent death.
As the trial proceeds, both sides appear determined to sway the jury with competing narratives: one grounded in forensic evidence and alleged confessions, the other raising the specter of jealousy, opportunity, and unresolved questions about what transpired in the critical hours before John O’Keefe's untimely death.
